Publications by authors named "Anna T Gavin"
Background: There is little evidence on variation in radiotherapy use in different countries, although it is a key treatment modality for some patients with cancer. Here we aimed to examine such variation.
Methods: This population-based study used data from Norway, the four UK nations (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales), nine Canadian provinces (Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, and Saskatchewan), and two Australian states (New South Wales and Victoria).
Background: There are few data on international variation in chemotherapy use, despite it being a key treatment type for some patients with cancer. Here, we aimed to examine the presence and size of such variation.
Methods: This population-based study used data from Norway, the four UK nations (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales), eight Canadian provinces (Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, and Saskatchewan), and two Australian states (New South Wales and Victoria).
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic was managed in Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ) by a COVID-19 elimination policy, involving border closure and an initial national lockdown. This was different to most other countries including Northern Ireland (NI) and the Netherlands (NED). We quantify the effect of these policies on the diagnosis of three major cancers, comparing NZ with these two European countries.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Radiation cardiotoxicity is a dose-limiting toxicity and major survivorship issue for patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) completing curative-intent radiotherapy, however patients' cardiovascular baseline is not routinely optimised prior to treatment. In this study we examined the impact of statin therapy on overall survival and post-radiotherapy cardiac events.
Methods: Patients treated between 2015-2020 at a regional center were identified.
Article Synopsis
- The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted regular cancer diagnosis, leading to a study that aimed to create more timely estimates of cancer incidence using pathologically confirmed cancers (PDC) in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
- The study analyzed the number of various cancer types diagnosed in 2020 and 2021 compared to pre-pandemic data from 2019, revealing a significant decrease in malignancies during the pandemic, particularly in Scotland.
- The findings suggest that PDC can provide quicker reporting of cancer incidence than traditional methods, although further research is needed to confirm their accuracy against standard registration processes.
Background: The pandemic disrupted society and health services through lockdowns and resource reallocation to care for COVID-19 patients. Reductions in numbers of cancer patients having surgery, being diagnosed pathologically or via 2-week wait, and screening programs pauses have been described. The effect on emergency presentation, which represents an acute episode with poor outcomes, has not been investigated.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- The International Cancer Benchmarking Partnership studied how ovarian cancer is diagnosed and the time from symptom onset to treatment across five countries, analyzing data from over 1,100 patients.
- Key findings revealed no significant differences in initial diagnosis symptoms, but there were notable inconsistencies in urgent referral rates and intervals from diagnosis to treatment, particularly when compared to Denmark.
- The research emphasizes the need for improvements in the diagnostic process and encourages learning from different healthcare systems to enhance timely ovarian cancer diagnosis and treatment.
Risk factors and prognostic implications of diagnosis of cancer within 30 days after an emergency hospital admission (emergency presentation): an International Cancer Benchmarking Partnership (ICBP) population-based study.
Lancet Oncol
May 2022
Background: Greater understanding of international cancer survival differences is needed. We aimed to identify predictors and consequences of cancer diagnosis through emergency presentation in different international jurisdictions in six high-income countries.
Methods: Using a federated analysis model, in this cross-sectional population-based study, we analysed cancer registration and linked hospital admissions data from 14 jurisdictions in six countries (Australia, Canada, Denmark, New Zealand, Norway, and the UK), including patients with primary diagnosis of invasive oesophageal, stomach, colon, rectal, liver, pancreatic, lung, or ovarian cancer during study periods from Jan 1, 2012, to Dec 31, 2017.
Objective: To provide the first international comparison of oesophageal and gastric cancer survival by stage at diagnosis and histological subtype across high-income countries with similar access to healthcare.
Methods: As part of the ICBP SURVMARK-2 project, data from 28 923 patients with oesophageal cancer and 25 946 patients with gastric cancer diagnosed during 2012-2014 from 14 cancer registries in seven countries (Australia, Canada, Denmark, Ireland, New Zealand, Norway and the UK) were included. 1-year and 3-year age-standardised net survival were estimated by stage at diagnosis, histological subtype (oesophageal adenocarcinoma (OAC) and oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC)) and country.
Background: The restructuring of healthcare systems to cope with the demands of the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a reduction in clinical services such as cancer screening and diagnostics.
Methods: Data from the four Northern Ireland pathology laboratories were used to assess trends in pathological cancer diagnoses from 1st March to 12th September 2020 overall and by cancer site, sex and age. These trends were compared to the same timeframe from 2017 to 2019.
Article Synopsis
- Pediatric Barrett's esophagus (BE) is rare, with only 42 cases identified in Northern Ireland from 1993 to 2010, equating to an incidence of less than 2 per 100,000 children.
- Most of the pediatric BE patients were male (85.7%), indicating a significant gender difference compared to adult cases.
- None of the pediatric patients progressed to high-grade dysplasia or esophageal adenocarcinoma, suggesting that routine surveillance for these conditions might not be necessary until they reach adulthood.
Introduction: Survival from oesophageal cancer remains poor, even across high-income countries. Ongoing changes in the epidemiology of the disease highlight the need for survival assessments by its two main histological subtypes, adenocarcinoma (AC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).
Methods: The ICBP SURVMARK-2 project, a platform for international comparisons of cancer survival, collected cases of oesophageal cancer diagnosed 1995 to 2014, followed until 31 December 2015, from cancer registries covering seven participating countries with similar access to healthcare (Australia, Canada, Denmark, Ireland, New Zealand, Norway and the UK).
Objectives: As part of the International Cancer Benchmarking Partnership (ICBP) SURVMARK-2 project, we provide the most recent estimates of colon and rectal cancer survival in seven high-income countries by age and stage at diagnosis.
Methods: Data from 386 870 patients diagnosed during 2010-2014 from 19 cancer registries in seven countries (Australia, Canada, Denmark, Ireland, New Zealand, Norway and the UK) were analysed. 1-year and 5-year net survival from colon and rectal cancer were estimated by stage at diagnosis, age and country, RESULTS: (One1-year) and 5-year net survival varied between (77.
Aims: To evaluate patient management following stage pT1 colorectal cancer (CRC) diagnosis, and to determine if surgical resection improved outcome compared with local excision, within a population-based study.
Methods: Data were collected from the Northern Ireland Cancer Registry. Cases of stage pT1 CRC diagnosed from 2007 to 2012 were identified.
Background: A risk prediction model containing sex, smoking history, Barrett's oesophagus length and presence of low-grade dysplasia was found to identify individuals at a higher risk of progression to oesophageal adenocarcinoma or high-grade dysplasia.
Aim: To externally validate the model predicting risk of progression from Barrett's oesophagus to neoplasia and assess the predictive utility of additional factors.
Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study among individuals from the population-based Northern Ireland Barrett's register with a histologically confirmed diagnosis of Barrett's oesophagus (with intestinal metaplasia) between 1993 and 2005.
Article Synopsis
- The study compares colorectal cancer diagnosis routes and treatment start times across 10 jurisdictions in six countries, revealing significant international differences in CRC survival and stage at diagnosis.
- Data was collected from 14,664 patients, focusing on symptomatic and screened cases, using questionnaires and medical records to analyze time intervals from symptom onset to treatment.
- Results showed that most patients were diagnosed through symptoms like bleeding, with diagnosis intervals varying significantly (21-49 days for patients; total intervals up to 168 days), indicating a need for shorter diagnosis timelines in certain regions.
Background: A systematic review suggests that 25% of oesophageal adenocarcinomas (OAC) are 'missed' at index endoscopy for Barrett's oesophagus (BO); however, this included few population-based studies and may be an overestimate.
Objective: The objective of this article is to quantify the 'missed' rates of high-grade dysplasia (HGD) and OAC at index BO endoscopy.
Methods: Patients from the Northern Ireland BO register diagnosed between 1993 and 2010 ( = 13,159) were linked to the Northern Ireland Cancer Registry to identify patients who developed OAC or HGD.
Purpose: We investigated associations between treatment decision making (TDM) and global health-related-quality-of-life (gHRQoL) among prostate cancer (PCa) survivors.
Methods: Postal questionnaires were sent to 6559 PCa survivors 2-18 years post-diagnosis, identified through population-based cancer registries in Ireland. The Control Preference Scale was used to investigate respondents' 'actual' and 'preferred' role in TDM.
Background: As the incidence of prostate cancer has, until recently, increased in most developed countries, the rates of prostate biopsies, required for histological diagnosis, will also have increased. Little is known about the physical after-effects of prostate biopsy outside randomised control trials. We investigate reports on the physical effect of prostate biopsy undertaken in men in routine practice.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: The aims of this study were to compare time trends in ovarian cancer incidence and mortality in populations with (1) similar genetics but different health care systems (Ireland and Northern Ireland [NI]) and (2)different genetics but similar health care system (Israeli Jews and Arabs) and to interpret the results.
Methods: Age-standardized rates of ovarian cancer incidence and mortality for 1994-2013 in the 3 countries were obtained from national cancer registries and national statistics. Time trends in incidence, mortality, and incidence-to-mortality ratio were assessed by linear regression models applied to each country and between populations (Ireland-NI, Ireland-Israeli Jews, Israeli Jews-Arabs).
Article Synopsis
- The study aimed to analyze cancer trial participation in Northern Ireland since the establishment of the Cancer Trials Network and identify factors influencing this participation.
- A cohort of over 51,000 cancer patients was linked to data on 1,316 trial participants, with findings indicating that trial participation increased three-fold with the network's introduction but remained low overall, especially among adults.
- Factors affecting participation included age, sex, cancer type, distance to treatment centers, and disease stage, with children showing the highest participation rate at 21% compared to 2.05% for adults.
Background: Statin use after colorectal cancer diagnosis may improve survival but evidence from observational studies is conflicting. The anti-cancer effect of statins may be restricted to certain molecular subgroups. In this population-based cohort study, the interaction between p53 and 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme-A reductase (HMGCR) expression, KRAS mutations, and the association between statin use and colon cancer survival was assessed.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: The association between aspirin use and improved survival after colorectal cancer diagnosis may be more pronounced in tumors that have PIK3CA mutations or high PTGS2 expression. However, the evidence of a difference in association by biomarker status lacks consistency. In this population-based colon cancer cohort study the interaction between these biomarkers, aspirin use, and survival was assessed.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAim: To investigate effects on men's health and well-being of higher prostate cancer (PCa) investigation and treatment levels in similar populations.
Participants: PCa survivors in Ireland where the Republic of Ireland (RoI) has a 50% higher PCa incidence than Northern Ireland (NI).
Method: A cross-sectional postal questionnaire was sent to PCa survivors 2-18 years post-treatment, seeking information about current physical effects of treatment, health-related quality of life (HRQoL; EORTC QLQ-C30; EQ-5D-5L) and psychological well-being (21 question version of the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale, DASS-21).
Background And Aims: Machine learning techniques for the text mining of cancer-related clinical documents have not been sufficiently explored. Here some techniques are presented for the pre-processing of free-text breast cancer pathology reports, with the aim of facilitating the extraction of information relevant to cancer staging.
Materials And Methods: The first technique was implemented using the freely available software RapidMiner to classify the reports according to their general layout: 'semi-structured' and 'unstructured'.