Cancer Registries In Japan Research Articles

EPID-10. THE INCIDENCE OF PRIMARY BRAIN TUMORS IN JAPAN IN 2016-2019

Abstract The national cancer registries in Japan have started since 2016 and the actual number of cancer patients in including primary central nervous system (CNS) tumors in Japan was revealed. Average number of primary CNS tumors in 2016-2019 was 29,492 and the crude incidence rate per 100,000 people (CIR) was 23.30. Malignant and benign CNS tumors was 6,696 (22.7%) and 22,796 (77.3%) and each CIR was 5.29 and 18.00, respectively. Among 29,492 tumors, 10,537 (35.7%) meningioma, 5,217 (17.7%) pituitary adenoma, 4,537 (15.4%) neuroepithelial tumor, 2,730 (9.3%) neurinoma and 1,166 (4.0%) primary CNS lymphoma (PCNSL) were reported. Regarding to malignant brain tumors, 2,071 glioblastoma, 362 astrocytoma grade II, 390 anaplastic astrocytoma grade III, 138 pilocytic astrocytoma,182 oligodendroglioma grade II, 154 anaplastic oligodendroglioma grade III, 140 ependymal tumors, 128 embryonal tumors including 91 medulloblastoma, 211 germ cell tumor (GCT) were found. CIR of neuroepithelial tumor, glioblastoma, PCNSL, embryonal tumors and GCT were 3.64, 1.68, 0.93, 0.10 and 0.17, respectively. According to the Central Brain Tumor Registry of the United States (CBTRUS) (2016-2020), CIR in the US was 26.73, and age-adjusted incidence rates of primary CNS tumors per 100,000 population in the US based on the US population in 2000 (AIR) was 24.83 and AIR in Japan was 17.15. AIR of glioblastoma in the US and Japan was 3.27 and 1.05, AIR of PCNSL was 0.44 and 0.51, AIR of embryonal tumors was 0.21 and 0.16, AIR of GCTs was 0.08 and 0.27, and AIR of meningioma was 9.73 and 5.11, respectively. This report demonstrated that the incidence of neuroepithelial tumors and embryonal tumors in Japan was approximately half to one-third, whereas that of GCTs in Japan was approximately 3 times comparing to the US.

Clear cell sarcoma in Japan: an analysis of the population-based cancer registry in Japan.

Clear cell sarcoma is rare, so no reports have previously characterized its national profiles. We examined the nationwide epidemiology and clinical outcomes of patients with clear cell sarcoma based on the National Cancer Registry in Japan. Overall, 23 522 patients with soft tissue sarcoma-entered in the National Cancer Registry in 2016-2019 using the International Classification of Diseases for Oncology, Third Edition cancer topography and morphology codes-were enrolled in either the clear cell or the non-clear cell sarcoma group. Data extracted included: demographics (sex and age), tumor details (reason for diagnosis, tumor location, histology and stage), hospital volume and facility type, treatment and prognosis for each patient. Of 23 522 soft tissue sarcoma patients, 122 were enrolled in the clear cell sarcoma group and 23 400 in the non-clear cell sarcoma group. The incidence of clear cell sarcoma was 0.52% of all soft tissue sarcoma, with an age-adjusted incidence of 0.024/100 000/year. The age at diagnosis was significantly younger, and more tumors were at the localized stage in the clear cell than the non-clear cell sarcoma group. In addition, the overall survival in the clear cell group was worse than in the non-clear cell group (P<0.001). Of 122 patients with clear cell sarcoma, the localized stage, surgical treatment and treatment without chemotherapy were associated with better overall survival in the univariate analyses. The present study is the first to have clarified the epidemiology, clinical features, treatment, prognosis and significant factors affecting the prognosis of patients with clear cell sarcoma in Japan.

Non-cancer-related Deaths in Cancer Survivors: A Nationwide Population-Based Study in Japan.

Advancements in cancer care have improved survivorship, potentially leading to changes in mortality causes. This study aimed to investigate the causes of death among cancer survivors, specially focusing on non-cancer-related mortality. This nationwide population-based cohort study analyzed the causes of death based on the time since cancer diagnosis using data from the National Cancer Registry in Japan between January 2016 and December 2019. Non-cancer-related deaths were identified, and mortality risks associated with non-cancer diseases were compared to those of the Japanese general population using standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Follow-up period was up to 4 years after cancer diagnosis. A total of 3,990,661 patients (45.8%, women) were included in the analysis, yielding 6,237,269 person-years of follow-up. Of these, 1,001,857 (25.1%) patients died during the study period. Cancer-related and non-cancer-related causes accounted for 86.6% and 13.4% of deaths, respectively. The proportion of non-cancer-related deaths increased from 10.2% at 6 months to 31.6% at 4 years after cancer diagnosis. Heart disease (21.8%), cerebrovascular disease (9.8%), and pneumonia (9.1%) were the leading cause of non-cancer-related deaths: The SMRs for these diseases were 2.69 (95% CI, 2.66-2.72), 2.07 (95% CI, 2.03-2.10), and 2.41 (95% CI, 2.36-2.45), respectively. The SMR for suicide was 1.81 (95% CI, 1.74-1.89); however, it lost significance in males and females 2 and 2.5 years after cancer diagnosis, respectively. The proportion of non-cancer-related deaths among cancer patients has increased over time, emphasizing the need to manage cancer and its comorbidities carefully.

Statistics of bone sarcoma in Japan: report from the population-based cancer registry in Japan.

No previous reports have characterized national bone sarcoma profiles overall. We examined the nationwide statistics for bone sarcoma in Japan using data from the National Cancer Registry (NCR), a population-based cancer registry. We identified 3,755 patients with bone sarcomas entered in the NCR during 2016-2019 using International Classification of Diseases-Oncology, Third Edition codes for cancer topography and morphology. We extracted data on patient demographics, tumor details (reason for diagnosis, tumor location, histology, extent of disease), hospital volume/type, treatment, and prognosis for each patient. Bone sarcoma showed a slight male preponderance. The age distribution peaked at ages 10-20 and 60-80; approximately 44% of patients were aged over 60years. Chordoma, chondrosarcoma, and malignant fibrous histiocytoma of bone peaked in the elderly, and Ewing's sarcoma peaked in children. Osteosarcoma had two peaks in Japan as well as in Western countries. The most frequent tumor locations were the limb (45%) and the pelvis (21%). Extent of disease was categorized as: "localized" (39%), "regional" (27%), and "distant" (11%). We found significant associations between overall survival and age, tumor location, facility type, hospital volume, histologic subtype, reason for diagnosis, and extent of disease. The latter had the poorest survival. This is the first study to outline the epidemiology, clinical features, treatment, prognosis, and significant factors affecting prognosis of bone sarcoma in Japan using the NCR. Documenting our data regarding elderly patients' outcomes is essential so other countries showing similar population-aging trends can learn from our experiences. Prognostic studies, Level III.

Travel burdens to access care among children with cancer between 2016 and 2019: Analysis of a national population-based cancer registry in Japan.

Centralization of cancer care increases survival but increases the travel burden (i.e., travel durations, distances, and expenditures) in visiting hospitals. This study investigated the travel burdens to access cancer care for children aged 18 years and younger in Japan. The study population comprised 10,709 patients diagnosed between 2016 and 2019 obtained from a national population-based cancer registry in Japan. Their residences were classified as urban or rural. We counted the number of patients treated at specialized hospitals and investigated the treatment centralization across diagnostic groups by Pareto plot. Travel burdens to access care were estimated using a route-planner web service and summarized using median values. A multivariable logistic model was performed to investigate factors associated with the events of car travel duration exceeding 1 h. Of the patients, 76.7% lived in urban areas, and 82.5% received treatment in designated hospitals for childhood cancer. The Pareto plot suggested that the top five hospitals treated 63.5% of patients with retinoblastoma. The estimated travel burdens for all patients were 0.62 h (0.57 h in urban areas and 1.00 h in rural areas), 16.9 km, and 0.0 dollars of toll charges. Regarding travel duration, 21.7% of patients had travel exceeding 1 h, and rural areas, retinoblastoma, malignant bone tumors, and childhood cancer-hub hospitals were associated with travel duration exceeding 1 h (adjusted odds ratios of 6.93, 3.59, 1.94, and 1.91, respectively). Most patients were treated in specialized hospitals and the treatments for specific diseases were centralized. However, most patients were estimated to travel less than 1 h, and the travel burden tended to increase for patients in rural areas, those with specific diseases, and those going to specialized hospitals. Cancer control measures in Japan have steadily improved centralized treatment while keeping the travel burden relatively manageable.

Time trend analysis of rare cancer incidence 2011-2018: Nationwide population-based cancer registries in Japan.

Rare cancers collectively account for a significant proportion of the overall cancer burden in Japan. We aimed to describe and examine the incidence of each rare cancer and the temporal changes using the internationally agreed rare cancer classification. Cancer cases registered in regional population-based cancer registries from 2011 to 2015 and the National Cancer Registry (NCR) from 2016 to 2018 were classified into 18 families, 68 Tier-1 cancer groupings, and 216 single cancer entities based on the RARECAREnet list. Crude incidence rates and age-standardized incidence rates (ASR) were calculated for Tier-1 and Tier-2 cancers. The annual percent change and the 95% and 99% confidence limits for annual ASR for each of the 68 Tier-1 cancers were estimated using the log-linear regression of the weighted least squares method. The differences in ASRs between 2011 and 2018 were evaluated as an absolute change. A total of 5,640,879 cases were classified into Tier-1 and Tier-2 cancers. The ASRs of 18 out of 52 Tier-1 cancers in the rare cancer families increased, whereas the ASR for epithelial tumors of gallbladder decreased. The ASRs of 6 out of the 16 Tier-1 cancers in the common cancer families increased, whereas those of epithelial tumors of stomach and liver decreased. There was no significant change in the incidence of the other 40 Tier-1 cancers. The incidence of several cancers increased due to the dissemination of diagnostic concepts, improved diagnostic techniques, changes in coding practice, and the initiation of the NCR.

Subsite-specific trends in mid- and long-term survival for head and neck cancer patients in Japan: A population-based study.

Advances in diagnostic techniques and treatment modalities have impacted head and neck cancer (HNC) prognosis, but their effects on subsite-specific prognosis remain unclear. This study aimed to assess subsite-specific trends in mid- and long-term survival for HNC patients diagnosed from 1993 to 2011 using data from population-based cancer registries in Japan. We estimated the net survival (NS) for HNC by subsite using data from 13 prefectural population-based cancer registries in Japan. Changes in survival over time were assessed by multivariate excess hazard model of mortality. In total, 68,312 HNC patients were included in this analysis. We observed an overall improvement in 5-year NS for HNC patients in Japan. However, survival varied among subsites of HNC, with some, such as naso-, oro- and hypopharyngeal cancers, showing significant improvement in both 5- and 10-year NS, whereas others such as laryngeal cancer showed only a slight improvement in 5-year NS and no significant change in 10-year NS after adjustment for age, sex and stage. In conclusion, the study provides insights into changing HNC survival by site at the population level in Japan. Although advances in diagnostic techniques and treatment modalities have improved survival, these improvements are not shared equally among subsites.

Clinical significance of extrahepatic bile duct resection for T2 gallbladder cancer using data from the Japanese Biliary Tract Cancer Registry between 2014 and 2018.

The present study aimed to determine whether concomitant extrahepatic bile duct resection (EHBDR) improves the prognosis of patients with T2 gallbladder cancer (GBC). Between 2014 and 2018, 4947 patients with GBC were registered in the National Biliary Tract Cancer Registry in Japan. This included 3804 patients (76.9%) who underwent curative-intent surgical resection; 1609 of these patients had pT2 GBC with no distant metastasis. Of the 1609 patients with GBC, 520 underwent EHBDR and 1089 did not. We compared the patients' backgrounds and disease-specific survival rates between the groups. The frequency of lymph node metastasis was significantly higher in the EHBDR group than in the non-EHBDR group (38.2% vs. 20.7%, p < .001). In the entire cohort, however, there was no significant difference in disease-specific survival between the two groups (76% vs. 79%, p = .410). The EHBDR group had a significantly higher incidence of postoperative complications (Clavien-Dindo classification grade = 3) (32.4% vs. 11.7%, p < .001). When we focused on the survival of only T2N1 patients who underwent gallbladder bed resection, the prognosis was significantly improved for the EHBDR group (5-year survival rate: 64% vs. 54%, p = .017). The non-EHBDR group was subcategorized into two groups: D2 dissection and D1 dissection or sampling, and survival curves were compared between these subgroups. Although the EHBDR group tended to have a favorable prognosis compared to the D2 group, this difference was not significant (p = .167). However, the EHBDR group had a significantly greater prognosis than the D1 dissection or sampling group (5 year-survival rate: 64 vs. 49%, p = .027). The EHBDR may improve the prognosis of patients with T2 gall bladder cancer with lymph node metastases; however, its indication should be carefully determined because of the increased risk of postoperative complications.

Analysis of prognosis in different subtypes of invasive lobular carcinoma using the Japanese National Cancer Database-Breast Cancer Registry.

Many studies have shown that the prognosis of invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) is better than that of invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC). However, both disorders exhibit different prognoses according to molecular subtype, and the prognosis of ILC subtypes might depend on their hormone receptor positivity rate. This study clarified the prognosis of ILC and IDC in each subtype and examined the effectiveness of adjuvant chemotherapy (CT) in luminal ILC. We planned the analysis using data from the Breast Cancer Registry in Japan. Because it was presumed that there are differences in characteristics between ILC and IDC, we created matched cohorts using exact matching to compare their prognoses. We compared the prognosis of ILC and IDC for each subtype. We also compared the prognosis of luminal ILC between the CT and non-CT groups. For all subtypes, the disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) of ILC were poorer than those of IDC. In the analysis by each subtype, no statistically significant difference was found in DFS and OS in luminal human epidermal growth factor 2 (HER2), HER2, and triple-negative cohorts; however, luminal ILC had significantly poorer DFS and OS than luminal IDC. The CT effects on the prognosis of luminal ILC were greater in more advanced cases. Luminal ILC had a poorer prognosis than luminal IDC, contributing to the worse prognosis of ILC than that of IDC in the overall cohort. Different therapeutic approaches from luminal IDC are essential for a better prognosis of luminal ILC.

Volume–Outcome Relationship in Cancer Survival Rates: Analysis of a Regional Population-Based Cancer Registry in Japan

There is limited data on the relationship between hospital volumes and outcomes with respect to cancer survival in Japan. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of hospital volume on cancer survival rate using a population-based cohort database. Using the Kanagawa cancer registry, propensity score matching was employed to create a dataset for each cancer type by selecting 1:1 matches for cases from high- and other-volume hospitals. The 5-year survival rate was estimated and the hazard ratio (HR) for hospital volume was calculated using a Cox proportional hazard model. Additional analyses were performed limited to cancer patients who underwent surgical operation, chemotherapy, and other treatments in each tumor stage and at the time of diagnosis. The number of cases with complete data, defined as common cancers (prostate, kidney, bladder, esophagus, stomach, liver, pancreas, colon, breast, and lung), was 181,039. Adjusted HR differed significantly among hospital volume categories for the most common cancers except bladder, and the trends varied according to cancer type. The HR ranged from 0.76 (95%CI, 0.74-0.79) for stomach cancer to 0.85 (0.81-0.90) for colon cancer. This study revealed that a relationship may exist between hospital volume and cancer survival in Japan.

Changes in survival of patients with non-small cell lung cancer in Japan: An interrupted time series study.

The epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) gefitinib and erlotinib were approved for metastatic or relapsed non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in Japan in 2002 and 2007, respectively. EGFR mutation testing was also approved in 2007. Although clinical trials showed efficacy in NSCLC patients harboring activating EGFR mutations, these effects have rarely been reported in real-world practice. We evaluated changes in survival in NSCLC patients following introduction of these agents and EGFR mutation testing by extracting patients diagnosed with NSCLC from 1993 through 2011 from six prefectural population-based cancer registries in Japan. Relative survival (RS) was calculated by sex, histological subtype, and cancer stage. We conducted interrupted time series analysis to assess survival changes following introduction of EGFR-TKIs and EGFR mutation testing. 120,068 patients with NSCLC were analyzed. One- and three-year RS gradually increased in overall NSCLC for men and women. For adenocarcinoma, among men, slopes of 1- and 3-year RS increased steeply in patients diagnosed from 2007 through 2011; among women, significant level increases were seen in 1-year RS in patients diagnosed in 2002 (4.55% [95% confidence interval: 1.76-7.33]) and 2007 (3.40% [1.27-5.52]). These significant level increases were particularly obvious in women with adenocarcinoma at an advanced stage. Our results suggest that recent improvements in survival in men and women with adenocarcinoma are due at least partly to introduction of EGFR-TKIs into real-world practice, and to prescription based on appropriate patient selection following introduction of EGFR mutation testing into real-world practice in Japan.

Comment on "Does Esophagectomy Provide a Survival Advantage to Patients Aged 80 Years or Older? Analyzing 5066 Patients in the National Database of Hospital-based Cancer Registries in Japan".

Comment on "Does Esophagectomy Provide a Survival Advantage to Patients Aged 80 Years or Older? Analyzing 5066 Patients in the National Database of Hospital-based Cancer Registries in Japan".

O12-2 The epidemiology of rare cancers from National Cancer Registry in Japan

Rare cancers are defined as malignancies with an incidence of less than 6 per 100,000 people per year. Approximately 200 different malignancies are categorized as rare cancers, and 15% of all malignancies are represented by rare cancers in Japan. However, epidemiological information, including the incidents, distribution of age, sex, region, were mainly estimated by hospital-based cancer registry and organ-specific cancer registries, and comprehensive actual numbers were insufficient. Especially in rare cancers, the reliability of the estimated epidemiological data may be unstable, because of rarity of disease.

Epidemiology of neuroendocrine neoplasmas in Japan: based on analysis of hospital-based cancer registry data, 2009\u2005\u2013\u20052015

PurposeNeuroendocrine neoplasms are rare disease and could originate from throughout the body, however, there have been little epidemiological studies in Japan, especially the organ distribution. This study was to examine the epidemiological information of neuroendocrine neoplasms in the Japanese population using data from a hospital-based cancer registry.MethodsUsing data from the national database of hospital-based cancer registries, we examined the organ distribution, the stage and initial treatment of neuroendocrine neoplasms newly diagnosed and treated in designated and non-designated cancer care hospitals between 2009 and 2015. In the present study, neuroendocrine neoplasms consisted of neuroendocrine tumors and carcinoma.ResultsA total of 33,215 (17,485 neuroendocrine carcinomas and 15,730 neuroendocrine tumors) cases were diagnosed. The majority in neuroendocrine carcinoma occur in lung (31.1%) followed in decreasing frequency by stomach (12.9%), pancreas (7.5%), rectum (6.7%) and esophagus (5.8%). On the other hand, the half of neuroendocrine tumor originated rectum (50.9%) and followed by pancreas (13.9%), duodenum (9.0%), lung/bronchus (8.9%), and stomach (8.7%). Neuroendocrine carcinoma presented at more advanced stage and higher age than neuroendocrine tumors. Most cases of neuroendocrine tumors were treated surgically, while half of neuroendocrine carcinomas were treated with non-surgical therapy consisting of chemotherapy with or without radiotherapy.ConclusionsOur results demonstrated that neuroendocrine neoplasms could originate from various organs and the site distribution was different between neuroendocrine carcinoma and tumor. The national database of hospital-based cancer registries in Japan is a valuable source for evaluating the organ distribution of the rare systemic disease.

Is young-onset esophageal adenocarcinoma increasing in Japan? An analysis of population-based cancer registries.

BackgroundWhile esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is the predominant histological type in Japan, concern has been expressed over an increase in the proportion of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC), especially in middle‐aged populations. This study aimed to assess long‐term trends in esophageal cancer incidence by histological type.MethodsWe used data from three population‐based cancer registries in Japan with 10,642 esophageal cancer cases diagnosed between 1993 and 2014. The multiple imputation approach was used to impute a specific histological type (ESCC, EAC, and others) for cases with “Unknown” or missing status. We calculated the age‐standardized incidence rates by histological type from 1993 to 2014 and fitted age‐period‐cohort models to estimate the annual percent changes (APCs) and adjusted incidence rate ratios (IRRs).ResultsAfter imputation of missing data, the largest mean APC increase was seen in the incidence of EAC in men aged 40–49 years (7.1%) followed by those aged 50–59 years (5.5%). The age‐period‐cohort analysis showed that men who were born in the 1960s and later were more likely to develop EAC relative to men who were born in 1950–1959 (1960–1969 cohort, IRR: 1.42; 1970–1974 cohort, IRR: 2.23), with a period effect indicating a constant increase after 2003. For women, no significant trend in EAC incidence was observed.ConclusionsThe incidence of EAC has increased more prominently compared with that of ESCC, especially in men aged 40–59 years, suggesting the impact of increasing obesity in men and a reduction in H. pylori prevalence in Japan.

Lifetime incidence risk for gastric cancer in the Helicobacter pylori-infected and uninfected population in Japan: A Monte Carlo simulation study.

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is considered the leading cause of gastric cancer. Gastric cancer is currently a common cancer with high incidence and mortality rates, but it is expected that the incidence rate will gradually decrease as the H. pylori infection prevalence decreases in the future. When evaluating the effectiveness of gastric cancer prevention strategies, it is essential to note the differences in long‐term cumulative risks between H. pylori‐infected and uninfected populations, but this has not yet been precisely evaluated. In our study, we aimed to estimate the cumulative incidence risks of developing gastric cancer from birth to 85 years among H. pylori‐infected and uninfected populations by using population‐based cancer registry data and birth year‐specific H. pylori infection prevalence rates. Death from gastric cancer and other causes of death were considered in the estimations of the adjusted cumulative incidence risks stratified by sex and H. pylori infection status. After performing 5000 Monte Carlo simulations with repeated random sampling using observed cancer incidence in selected three prefectures (Fukui, Nagasaki, Yamagata) of prefectural population‐based cancer registry in Japan, the mean adjusted cumulative incidence risk for gastric cancer in the H. pylori‐infected population was 17.0% for males and 7.7% for females and 1.0% for males and 0.5% for females in the uninfected population. These results calculated with Japanese cancer registry data may be useful in considering and evaluating future prevention strategies for gastric cancer in Japan.

Validity of self-reported diagnoses of gynaecological and breast cancers in a prospective cohort study: the Japan Nurses’ Health Study

ObjectivesTo validate the self-reported diagnoses of gynaecological and breast cancers in a nationwide prospective cohort study of nursing professionals: the Japan Nurses’ Health Study (JNHS).Design and settingRetrospective analysis of the...

Activity of daily living of elderly patients with gastric cancer after surgery.

6588 Background: Elderly patients are concerned with the physical burden of cancer treatments. This study aimed at investigating the reduction of the activity of daily living (ADL), length of hospital stay and readmission rate after surgery for gastric cancer. Methods: Insurance claim data linked with hospital-based cancer registries in Japan for gastric cancer patients diagnosed in 2015 from 431 hospitals was used. This data is expected to cover 49.0% of new cancer cases in Japan. To compare the effect of the treatment by age group, we analyzed the reduction of ADL between admission and discharge, length of hospital stay and readmission rate after endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) or endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) for patients with cT1N0M0, and open surgery for patients with cM0. Patients who aged 40 years or older with independent ADL at admission for their first-course treatment was included. ADL was assessed using Barthel index (0-100 points). ADL decrease by 10 points or more was identified as ADL reduction. Results: Overall, 25,521 patients receiving ESD/EMR and 10,527 patients receiving open surgery were identified. ADL reduction after ESD or EMR under 80 years old was less than 1%, while over 80 years old ADL reduction was more than 2.5%. Length of hospital stay (11 days) and unexpected readmission rate (2 to 3 %) was almost similar. ADL reduction after open surgery under 75 years old was less than 3%. This reduction rates have increased with age, 11.5% for over 85 years old. Length of hospital stay also tended to increase by age (21 days for under 65 years old, 29 days for over 85 years old). Unexpected readmission rate for over or 80 years old (1.4%) was slightly higher under 80 years old (less than 1%). Conclusions: The effect of ADL reduction after ESD/EMR was not so significant for patients over 80 years old. While ADL reduction after open surgery tended to increase for aged 80 years and older. Providing these information to elderly patients and their families can be important in deciding treatment options.[Table: see text]

Death by suicide, other externally caused injuries and cardiovascular diseases within 6months of cancer diagnosis (J-SUPPORT 1902).

To conduct the first national population-based study in Japan to characterize risks of death by suicide, other externally caused injuries and cardiovascular diseases within 6months of cancer diagnosis. Cancer patients diagnosed between 1 January and 30 June 2016 and registered in the National Cancer Registry in Japan were followed up until death or 6months after diagnosis. We calculated standardized mortality ratios and excess absolute risks per 10 000 person-years for death by suicide, other externally caused injuries and cardiovascular diseases compared with the Japanese general population. Of 546 148 patients with cancer (249 116 person-years at risk), we observed 145 suicides, 298 deaths due to other externally caused injuries and 2366 cardiovascular deaths during the follow-up period. Standardized mortality ratios within 6months were 2.68 for suicide (95% confidence interval, 2.26-3.16; excess absolute risk, 3.65), 1.49 for other externally caused injuries (95% confidence interval, 1.32-1.67; excess absolute risk, 3.92) and 1.38 for cardiovascular diseases (95% confidence interval, 1.33-1.44; excess absolute risk, 26.85). Risks were highest during the first month after cancer diagnosis (standardized mortality ratios: suicide, 4.06 [95% confidence interval, 2.90-5.53]; other externally caused injuries, 2.66 [95% confidence interval, 2.17-3.12] and cardiovascular diseases, 2.34 [95% confidence interval, 2.18-2.51]). The first 6months, and especially the first month, after cancer diagnosis were found to be a critical period for risks of death by suicide, other externally caused injuries and cardiovascular diseases. Our findings suggest that oncologists need to evaluate suicidal and cardiovascular risks of patients immediately after cancer diagnosis and provide preventive interventions.

Does Esophagectomy Provide a Survival Advantage to Patients Aged 80 Years or Older? Analyzing 5066 Patients in the National Database of Hospital-based Cancer Registries in Japan.

To determine whether esophagectomy provides a survival advantage in octogenarians with resectable thoracic esophageal cancer. Elderly patients with thoracic esophageal cancer do not always receive the full standard treatment; however, advanced age alone should not preclude the use of effective treatment that could meaningfully improve survival. We retrieved the 2008 to 2011 data from the National Database of Hospital-based Cancer Registries from the National Cancer Centerin Japan, divided the patients into a ≥75 group (75-79 years; n = 2935) and a ≥80 group (80 years or older; n = 2131), and then compared the patient backgrounds and survival curves. A multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression model was developed to compare the effects of esophagectomy and chemoradiotherapy in the 2 groups. A significantly greater percentage of patients were treated with esoph-agectomy in the ≥75 group (34.6%) than the ≥80 group (18.4%). Among patients who received esophagectomy, the 3-year survival rate was 51.1% in the ≥ 75 group and 39.0% in the ≥80 group (P < 0.001). However, among patients who received chemoradiotherapy, there was no difference in survival curve between the 2 groups (P = 0.17). Multivariable Cox proportional hazard analysis revealed that esoph-agectomy for clinical Stage ii-iii patients was significantly associated to better survival (adjusted HR: 0.731) (95%CI: 0.645-0.829, P < 0.001) in the ≥75 group but not the ≥ 80 group when compared with chemoradiotherapy. Many octogenarians do not necessarily get a survival benefit from esophagectomy. However, patients should be evaluated based on their overall health before ruling out surgery based on age alone.