Testicular germ-cell tumours and penile squamous cell carcinoma: Appropriate management makes the difference
Germ-cell tumours (GCT) of the testis and penile squamous cell carcinoma (PeSCC) are a rare and a very rare uro-genital cancers, respectively. Both tumours are well defined entities in terms of management, where specific recommendations - in the form of continuously up-to-dated guide lines- are provided. Impact of these tumour is relevant. Testicular GCT affects young, healthy men at the beginning of their adult life. PeSCC affects older men, but a proportion of these patients are young and the personal consequences of the disease may be devastating. Deviation from recommended management may be a reason of a significant prognostic worsening, as proper treatment favourably impacts on these t…
Epidemiology of rare cancers and inequalities in oncologic outcomes
Rare cancers epidemiology is better known compared to the other rare diseases. Thanks to the long history of the European population-based cancer registries and to the EUROCARE huge database, the burden of rare cancers has been estimated the European (EU28) population. A considerable fraction of all cancers is represented by rare cancers (24%). They are a heterogeneous group of diseases, but they share similar problems: uncertainty of diagnosis, lack of therapies, poor research opportunities, difficulties in clinical trials, lack of expertise and of centres of reference. This paper analyses the major epidemiological indicators of frequency (incidence and prevalence) and outcome (5-year surv…
Changing geographical patterns and trends in cancer incidence in children and adolescents in Europe, 1991–2010 (Automated Childhood Cancer Information System): a population-based study
List of ACCIS contributors = Monika Hackl, Anna Zborovskaya, Nadya Dimitrova, Zdravka Valerianova, Ladislav Dušek, Margit Mägi, Alain Monnereau, Jacqueline Clavel, Michel Velten, Anne-Valérie Guizard, Véronique Bouvier, Xavier Troussard, Anne-Sophie Woronoff, Emilie Marrer, Brigitte Trétarre, Marc Colonna, Olivier Ganry, Pascale Grosclaude, Berndt Holleczek, Zsuzsanna Jakab, Laufey Tryggvadóttir, Lucia Mangone, Franco Merletti, Stefano Ferretti, Bianca Caruso, Maria Michiara, Rosario Tumino, Fabio Falcini, Roberto Zanetti, Giovanna Tagliabue, Otto Visser, Giske Ursin, Ryszard Mężyk, Kamila Kepska, José Laranja Pontes, Maja Primic Žakelj, Rafael Fernández-Delgado, Marisa L Vicente Raneda, En…
Treatment challenges in and outside a network setting: Head and neck cancers.
Head and neck cancer (HNC) is a rare disease that can affect different sites and is characterized by variable incidence and 5-year survival rates across Europe. Multiple factors need to be considered when choosing the most appropriate treatment for HNC patients, such as age, comorbidities, social issues, and especially whether to prefer surgery or radiation-based protocols. Given the complexity of this scenario, the creation of a highly specialized multidisciplinary team is recommended to guarantee the best oncological outcome and prevent or adequately treat any adverse effect. Data from literature suggest that the multidisciplinary team-based approach is beneficial for HNC patients and lea…
Treatment challenges in and outside a specialist network setting: Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumours
Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Neoplasms comprise a group of rare tumours with special biology, an often indolent behaviour and particular diagnostic and therapeutic requirements. The specialized biochemical tests and radiological investigations, the complexity of surgical options and the variety of medical treatments that require individual tailoring, mandate a multidisciplinary approach that can be optimally achieved through an organized network. The present study describes currents concepts in the management of these tumours as well as an insight into the challenges of delivering the pathway in and outside a Network.
Mesothelioma and thymic tumors: Treatment challenges in (outside) a network setting.
The management of patients with mesothelioma and thymic malignancy requires continuous multidisciplinary expertise at any step of the disease. A dramatic improvement in our knowledge has occurred in the last few years, through the development of databases, translational research programs, and clinical trials. Access to innovative strategies represents a major challenge, as there is a lack of funding for clinical research in rare cancers and their rarity precludes the design of robust clinical trials that could lead to specific approval of drugs. In this context, patient-centered initiatives, such as the establishment of dedicated networks, are warranted. International societies, such as IMI…
Childhood cancer survival in Europe 1999-2007: results of EUROCARE-5-a population-based study.
To access publisher's full text version of this article. Please click on the hyperlink in Additional Links field. Survival and cure rates for childhood cancers in Europe have greatly improved over the past 40 years and are mostly good, although not in all European countries. The EUROCARE-5 survival study estimates survival of children diagnosed with cancer between 2000 and 2007, assesses whether survival differences among European countries have changed, and investigates changes from 1999 to 2007. We analysed survival data for 157,499 children (age 0-14 years) diagnosed between Jan 1, 1978 and Dec 31, 2007. They came from 74 population-based cancer registries in 29 countries. We calculated …
Burden and centralised treatment in Europe of rare tumours: results of RARECAREnet—a population-based study
Background: Rare cancers pose challenges for diagnosis, treatments, and clinical decision making. Information about rare cancers is scant. The RARECARE project defined rare cancers as those with an annual incidence of less than six per 100 000 people in European Union (EU). We updated the estimates of the burden of rare cancers in Europe, their time trends in incidence and survival, and provide information about centralisation of treatments in seven European countries. Methods: We analysed data from 94 cancer registries for more than 2 million rare cancer diagnoses, to estimate European incidence and survival in 2000–07 and the corresponding time trends during 1995–2007. Incidence was calcu…
Survival for haematological malignancies in Europe between 1997 and 2008 by region and age: results of EUROCARE-5, a population-based study.
More effective treatments have become available for haematological malignancies from the early 2000s, but few large-scale population-based studies have investigated their effect on survival. Using EUROCARE data, and HAEMACARE morphological groupings, we aimed to estimate time trends in population-based survival for 11 lymphoid and myeloid malignancies in 20 European countries, by region and age.In this retrospective observational study, we included patients (aged 15 years and older) diagnosed with haematological malignancies, diagnosed up to Dec 31, 2007, and followed up to Dec 31, 2008. We used data from the 30 cancer registries (across 20 countries) that provided continuous incidence and …
Quality analysis of population-based information on cancer stage at diagnosis across Europe, with presentation of stage-specific cancer survival estimates: A EUROCARE-5 study.
Abstract Background Cancer registries (CRs) are fundamental for estimating cancer burden, evaluating screening and monitoring health service performance. Stage at diagnosis—an essential information item collected by CRs—has been made available, for the first time, by CRs participating in EUROCARE-5. We analysed the quality of this information and estimated stage-specific survival across Europe for CRs with good data quality. Data and methods Sixty-two CRs sent stage (as TNM, condensed TNM or extent of disease) for 15 cancers diagnosed in 2000–2007. We assessed the quality, partly by comparing stage according to the three systems. We also developed procedures to reconstruct stage (categories…