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R. Pritzkuleit



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    MINI 11 - Tobacco Control and Prevention (ID 108)

    • Event: WCLC 2015
    • Type: Mini Oral
    • Track: Prevention and Tobacco Control
    • Presentations: 1
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      MINI11.10 - Quality of Lung Cancer Treatment in Two Neighbouring Regions of Germany and Denmark (ID 374)

      17:25 - 17:30  |  Author(s): R. Pritzkuleit

      • Abstract
      • Presentation
      • Slides

      Background:
      A comparison of lung cancer incidence, mortality, prevalence and survival in two neighbouring regions of Germany, Schleswig-Holstein, and Denmark, Region Zealand, separated by the Fehmarn Belt, was planned based on data recorded as part of routine monitoring with a view to joint research and sharing of patients and treatment facilities

      Methods:
      Altogether 14,080 lung cancer patients were recorded in 2004-2010 in Schleswig-Holstein and 5,009 in Region Zealand. Excluding cases of age 90+ years or only known from death certificates, 1- and 4-year relative survival by stage and sex for the periods 2004-2006 and 2007-2009 (1-year survival only) were calculated.

      Results:
      A very high proportion (19%) of cases in Schleswig-Holstein was only known from death certificates contrary to Region Zealand (0%). The incidence of both, age-standardised and age-specific lung cancer, was much higher in Region Zealand versus Schleswig-Holstein (men 73/100,000 versus 68/100,000, women 58/100,000 versus 32/100,000), also reflected in the mortality figures. Lung cancer incidence was increasing among women during the observation period, more so in Schleswig-Holstein (3% estimated annual change) compared to Zealand (1%). Overall relative survival was lower in Zealand than in Schleswig-Holstein for 1-year survival in 2007-2009 (DK: 33% in men and 39% in women, versus G: 43% in men and 49% in women) and 4-year relative survival for 2004-2006 (DK: 9-13% versus G: 16-21%). Stage, sex and period specific relative survival was rather similar between countries. When restricting the analysis to patients with recorded treatment, stage-specific relative survival differences in 2007-2009 nearly disappeared.

      Conclusion:
      Improved data quality and comparability are needed, especially by lowering the proportion of cases only reported via death certificates in Germany. This would diminish the survival differences as a high proportion of such cases leads to an over-estimation of survival. Smoking is a strong risk factor for lung cancer and smoking prevalence 10 years before our study was high, specifically 37% in men and 22% in women in Germany and 45% in men and 38% in women in Denmark respectively. Smoking prevalence dropped to 24% in men and 21% in women in Denmark 2010, but only to 31% in men and 24% in women respectively in Germany. Such dramatic changes over a short period of time in Denmark are over time expected to be reflected in the overall incidence, mortality and even survival. International benchmarking studies are needed to understand lung cancer trends and to improve prevention and treatment of this serious cancer disease. Research presented here was partly funded by EU INTERREG 4a Fehmarn Belt 2011-2014.

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