Significant improvement seems to be achievable. Implementation of the PROCARE guidelines with quality assurance through prospective registration in a specific database, however, is a crucial prerequisite for credible audit of performance and feedback to individual teams.
Penninckx, F., Van Eycken, L., Michiels, G., Mertens, R., Bertrand, C., De Coninck, D., Haustermans, K., Jouret, A., Kartheuser, A., & Tinton, N. (2006). Survival of rectal cancer patients in Belgium 1997-98 and the potential benefit of a national project. Acta Chirurgica Belgica, 106(2), 149-157. https://hdl.handle.net/2078.5/54434 (Original work published 2006)