Cancer incidence and mortality in Italy, 2013-2017.

The demographic transition, together with changes in lifestyles and the exposure to other risk factors, contributed to a rising burden of chronic degenerative diseases, including cancer, in Italy. We provided updated figures on cancer incidence and mortality in Italy during the period 2013-2017, using data provided by 34 population-based cancer registries from the AIRTUM network. Age-standardized incidence rates (ASRs) and age-standardized mortality rates (ASMRs) per 100,000 were estimated, stratified by sex, cancer site or type, and macroarea.

The impact of cancer survivors' extra risk of non-cancer mortality on net survival estimation.

Relative survival with the general population as the reference (RS) is commonly used to estimate net survival (NS). However, cancer patients may face an increased risk of non-cancer death compared to cancer-free individuals. We evaluate the impact of considering this relative risk (RR) on NS estimation.

Long-term survival and cure fraction estimates for paediatric central nervous system tumours in 31 European countries (EUROCARE-6): a population-based study.

Background: Clinically relevant survival outcomes, including cure fraction estimates, and long-term survival outcomes of paediatric CNS tumours from large-scale databases have not been reported for Europe. Moreover, various biases hinder direct geographical comparisons, thereby limiting the effective translation of population-based findings into cancer care, surveillance, and research. We aimed to estimate these survival outcomes across Europe through the EUROCARE database.

Cancer incidence, mortality, and survival estimates in Italy: Methodological approaches.

Italy, home to one of the world's oldest populations, has traditionally shown geographic differences in cancer incidence, with rates decreasing from north to south. The cancer registries that have been accredited by the Italian Cancer Registry Network (AIRTUM), during the last 20 years altogether cover the 90 % of the Italian population, aiming to improve data quality, standardize procedures, and promote research. This study presents the methodological approaches used for data collection, quality control, and analysis to describe current patterns of cancer incidence, mortality, and survival across Italy's three macro-areas (North, Central, South).

Estimating cure and risk of death from other causes of adolescent and young adult cancer patients in Europe.

Background: Adolescents and young adults (AYAs), aged 15-39, face unique challenges as cancer survivors, including long-term health issues treatment. This study applies a novel approach to estimate the relative risk (RR) of mortality from non-cancer causes in AYA cancer patients compared to the general population and the cure fraction (CF) for AYA patients.

Methods: Conventional and new mixture cure models with various parametric survival functions were applied to the most common AYA cancers.

Incidence and survival of rare female genital tract cancers in Europe: The EUROCARE-6 study.

Cancers of female genital tract (FGTC) account in Europe for 14 % of all female malignancies, and many of them are rare. FGTC epidemiological indicators are usually reported by anatomical site, but they are a heterogeneous group of diseases in terms of morphological characteristics and clinical management. We show incidence and survival population-based estimates and time trends in the European population for FGTC, defined combining topography and morphology codes.

Incidence and survival of rare adult solid cancers in Europe (EUROCARE-6): A population-based study.

Background: Rare cancers correspond to approximately 200 clinical entities, which can be grouped into 12 families. Updated data are available for childhood and haematological cancers, ie, for only two of the 12 families of rare cancer. We provide incidence and survival for the remaining ten families of rare adult solid cancers (RAC), across 29 EU Member States and over time.

Protocol for investigating data quality and reporting outcomes of pediatric gliomas in population-based cancer registry research.

Cancer registry data on pediatric gliomas come with inherent limitations as inclusion criteria and registration practices of these tumors differ between registries due to specific guidelines that are lacking. These limitations can lead to biased estimates in incidence and survival outcomes. Here, we present a protocol to investigate data quality and comparability for retrospective population-based pediatric glioma studies.

Prediction of Risk of Metastatic Recurrence for Female Breast Cancer Patients in the Presence of Competing Causes of Death.

Background: To estimate risk of recurrence for women diagnosed with nonmetastatic breast cancer considering the risks of other causes mortality.

Methods: We extend a method based on the diagnosis-metastasis-death pathway to include risks of other causes mortality. We estimate three probabilities as cumulative incidence of: (i) being alive and recurrence-free, (ii) death for other causes before a recurrence, and (iii) recurrence.

Descriptive epidemiology of the head and neck cancers in old patients.

Background: In Europe, as in other high-income (HI) countries, quite half of the newly diagnosed patients with head and neck (H and N) cancers are older than 65 years of age and their proportion within the prevalent cases is even higher. Moreover, the incidence rate (IR) for all H and N cancers sites increased with age and the survival rate is lower in older patients (≥65), compared with younger patients (<65). The number of older patients affected by H and N cancers will increase because of the increase in life expectancy.

A new cure model that corrects for increased risk of non-cancer death: analysis of reliability and robustness, and application to real-life data.

Background: Non-cancer mortality in cancer patients may be higher than overall mortality in the general population due to a combination of factors, such as long-term adverse effects of treatments, and genetic, environmental or lifestyle-related factors. If so, conventional indicators may underestimate net survival and cure fraction. Our aim was to propose and evaluate a mixture cure survival model that takes into account the increased risk of non-cancer death for cancer patients.

Long-term survival and cure fraction estimates for childhood cancer in Europe (EUROCARE-6): results from a population-based study.

Background: The EUROCARE-5 study revealed disparities in childhood cancer survival among European countries, giving rise to important initiatives across Europe to reduce the gap. Extending its representativeness through increased coverage of eastern European countries, the EUROCARE-6 study aimed to update survival progress across countries and years of diagnosis and provide new analytical perspectives on estimates of long-term survival and the cured fraction of patients with childhood cancer.

Methods: In this population-based study, we analysed 135 847 children (aged 0-14 years) diagnosed during 2000-13 and followed up to the end of 2014, recruited from 80 population-based cancer registries in 31 European countries.

Neuroblastoma in Spain: Linking the national clinical database and epidemiological registries - A study by the Joint Action on Rare Cancers.

Purpose: Linkage between clinical databases and population-based cancer registries may serve to evaluate European Reference Networks' (ERNs) activity, by monitoring the proportion of patients benefiting from these and their impact on survival at a population level. To test this, a study targeting neuroblastoma (Nb) was conducted in Spain by the European Joint Action on Rare Cancers.

Material And Methods: Subjects: Nb cases, incident 1999-2017, aged < 15 years.

Estimating Country-Specific Incidence Rates of Rare Cancers: Comparative Performance Analysis of Modeling Approaches Using European Cancer Registry Data.

Estimating incidence of rare cancers is challenging for exceptionally rare entities and in small populations. In a previous study, investigators in the Information Network on Rare Cancers (RARECARENet) provided Bayesian estimates of expected numbers of rare cancers and 95% credible intervals for 27 European countries, using data collected by population-based cancer registries. In that study, slightly different results were found by implementing a Poisson model in integrated nested Laplace approximation/WinBUGS platforms.

Staging childhood cancers in Europe: Application of the Toronto stage principles for neuroblastoma and Wilms tumour. The JARC pilot study.

Background: The 'Toronto consensus principles and guidelines' (TG) provided paediatric-specific staging system affordable by population-based cancer registries (CRs). Within the European Rare Cancers Joint Action, a pilot study of the application of TG for childhood cancer (CC) was conducted to test the ability of CRs to reconstruct stage, describe stage across countries and assess survival by stage.

Procedure: Twenty-five CRs representing 15 countries contributed data on a representative sample of patients with neuroblastoma (NB) and Wilms tumour (WT) <15 years, diagnosed between 2000 and 2016.

Childhood cancer epidemiology in the Czech Republic (1994-2016).

Background: The knowledge of cancer burden in the population, its time trends and the possibility of international comparison is an important starting point for cancer control programmes. Our study aimed to evaluate trends in childhood cancer epidemiology of patients aged 0-14 years in the period 1994-2016 in the Czech Republic.

Methods: Data on childhood cancers have been obtained from the Czech National Cancer Registry.

Cancer cure for 32 cancer types: results from the EUROCARE-5 study.

Background: Few studies have estimated the probability of being cured for cancer patients. This study aims to estimate population-based indicators of cancer cure in Europe by type, sex, age and period.

Methods: 7.

Trends and projections of pleural mesothelioma incidence and mortality in the national priority contaminated sites of Sicily (Southern Italy).

Objectives: to evaluate short-medium term incidence and mortality projections of pleural malignant mesothelioma (PMM) in Sicily Region (Southern Italy) and in its four National Priority Contaminated Sites (NPCSs).

Design: population-based prediction study.

Setting And Participants: PMM cases from 1998 to 2016 registered by the Regional Operations Centre of the Sicilian Region.

Incidence and survival of rare cancers in the US and Europe.

Geographical variability of cancer burden was almost exclusively estimated for common cancers. Since rare cancers (RC) have become an area of priority for basic and clinical research and public health organizations, this paper provides, using a common methodology, a detailed comparison of incidence and survival for RC in the US and Europe. We estimated incidence and net survival of 199 malignant RC from data of 2 580 000 patients collected by 18 US-SEER and 94 European registries, diagnosed within the most recent common period 2000-2007.

Incidence and Survival of Patients With Conjunctival Melanoma in Europe.

Importance: Conjunctival melanoma (CM) is a rare ocular tumor. Estimates of incidence and survival of patients with CM are important to researchers and policy makers.

Objective: To estimate incidence and survival of patients with CM in Europe.

Role of gastrointestinal endoscopy in the screening of digestive tract cancers in Europe: European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE) Position Statement.

In Europe at present, but also in 2040, 1 in 3 cancer-related deaths are expected to be caused by digestive cancers. Endoscopic technologies enable diagnosis, with relatively low invasiveness, of precancerous conditions and early cancers, thereby improving patient survival. Overall, endoscopy capacity must be adjusted to facilitate both effective screening programs and rigorous control of the quality assurance and surveillance systems required.

Changes in life expectancy for cancer patients over time since diagnosis.

The aims of this study were to provide life expectancy (LE) estimates of cancer patients at diagnosis and LE changes over time since diagnosis to describe the impact of cancer during patients' entire lives. Cancer patients' LE was calculated by standard period life table methodology using the relative survival of Italian patients diagnosed in population-based cancer registries in 1985-2011 with follow-up to 2013. Data were smoothed using a polynomial model and years of life lost (YLL) were calculated as the difference between patients' LE and that of the age- and sex-matched general population.