Less pitfalls and variation in population based cancer survival comparisons within the European Union: Lessons from colorectal cancer patients in neighbouring regions in Denmark and Germany – The Fehmarn Belt project

Abstract Background International comparisons of cancer registry based survival are often used as a marker of the performance of health care services on cancer. These are debated for comparability, validity and lack of detail with respect to prognostic factors. With a view to cross border collaborat...

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Published in:European journal of cancer (1990) 2015-06, Vol.51 (9), p.1188-1198
Main Authors: Storm, Hans H, Engholm, Gerda, Pritzkuleit, Ron, Kejs, Anne Mette T, Katalinic, Alexander, Dunst, Jürgen, Holländer, Niels H
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Cancer control
Cancer registries
Child
Child, Preschool
Colorectal Neoplasms - mortality
Cross border
Denmark - epidemiology
European Union - statistics & numerical data
Female
Follow-up
Germany - epidemiology
Hematology, Oncology and Palliative Medicine
Humans
Incidence
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Male
Middle Aged
Registries - standards
Registries - statistics & numerical data
Stage specific
Survival Analysis
Treatment
Young Adult
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Summary:Abstract Background International comparisons of cancer registry based survival are often used as a marker of the performance of health care services on cancer. These are debated for comparability, validity and lack of detail with respect to prognostic factors. With a view to cross border collaborative cancer research and care in the European Union (EU), we used the established routine registration systems for cancer in the neighbouring regions Zealand, Denmark, and Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, to study if available routine registration suffices for the study of diagnosis, treatment and follow-up for colorectal cancer patients. The aim was to assess to which extent differences in survival between the regions could be explained. Methods Colorectal cancer patients recorded 2004–2010 in Schleswig-Holstein (colon: 10,631; rectum 5683) and region Zealand (colon: 3205; rectum 1747) were studied. Excluding cases aged 90+ or only known from death certificates, one- and four-year relative survival by stage for the periods 2004–2006 and 2007–2009 (one-year) were calculated. Findings A high proportion of patients in Schleswig-Holstein were known only from death certificates (colon 11%; rectum 6.9%) compared to
ISSN:0959-8049
1879-0852
DOI:10.1016/j.ejca.2014.11.006