The results presented above indicate clearly that the size of a hospital is associated not only with the type of patient population treated there in terms of demographic and disease related characteristics but also with the type of treatment given. Smaller hospitals were more likely to have older and later stage disease patients for whom they used fewer diagnostic tests and less conservative surgical procedures than larger hospitals. The patients in smaller hospitals also tended to stay for longer periods of time. Interestingly, in terms of the comparison between the community hospital groups and the comprehensive cancer center, no consistent pattern was found. Large hospitals were more like MSKCC in their patient population and length of stay, but the small hospitals were more like MSKCC in the number of tests and type of surgical procedures performed.