Abstract
e18168 Background: Despite the importance of estimating population level cancer outcomes, most registries do not collect critical events such as relapse and progression. Attempts to use health administrative data to identify these events have focused on older adults and have been mostly unsuccessful. We developed and tested administrative data-based algorithms in a population-based cohort of adolescents and young adults (AYA) with cancer. Methods: We identified all Ontario AYA 15-21 years of age diagnosed with leukemia, lymphoma, sarcoma, or testicular cancer between 1992 and 2012. Chart abstraction was used to determine the end of initial treatment (EOIT) date and subsequent cancer-related events (progression, relapse, second cancer). Linkage to population-based administrative databases identified fee and procedure codes indicating cancer treatment or palliative care. Algorithms that determined EOIT based a time interval free of treatment-associated codes, and new cancer-related events based on billing codes, were compared to chart abstracted data. Results: The cohort comprised 1,404 patients. Time periods free of treatment-associated codes did not validly identify EOIT dates; using subsequent codes to identify new cancer events was thus associated with low sensitivity (56.2%). However, using administrative data codes that occurred after the EOIT date based on chart abstraction, the first cancer-related event was identified with excellent validity (sensitivity 87.0%, specificity 93.3%, PPV 81.5%, negative predictive value 95.5%). Conclusions: While administrative data alone did not validly identify cancer-related events, using administrative data in combination with chart collected EOIT dates was associated with excellent validity. The collection of EOIT dates by cancer registries would significantly expand the potential of administrative data linkage to assess cancer outcomes.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
