Decreased incidence and shift in stage distribution for colorectal cancers in Belgium during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background And Study Aims: The COVID-19 pandemic substantially impacted the healthcare system and society in 2020. This study assessed its possible impact on occurrence and stage of colorectal cancer diagnoses in Belgium.

Methods: Population-based data from the Belgian Cancer Registry were used to extrapolate 2017-2019 trends in incidence and stage distribution to expected counts for 2020 that were subsequently compared to the observed values.

Neuroendocrine tumors in the stomach: An epidemiological analysis of Belgian Cancer Registry data 2010-2019.

The prevalence of gastric NEN is estimated worldwide at 8.9% of all gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasm (GEP-NEN) and only 0.3%-1% of all gastric neoplasms, but is rising in the last decades.

Higher relative survival in breast cancer patients treated in certified and high-volume breast cancer centres - A population-based study in Belgium.

Objectives: The study was undertaken to assess the association between certification and volume of breast centres on the one hand and survival on the other in patients with invasive breast cancer (IBC).

Methods: The study comprises a cohort of 46,035 patients diagnosed with IBC between 2014 and 2018, selected from the nation-wide Belgian Cancer Registry (BCR) database, which was linked with health insurance, hospital discharge and vital status data. Overall and relative survival probabilities were obtained with Kaplan-Meier method and an actuarial approach based on Ederer II, respectively.

Coverage with evidence development program on stereotactic body radiotherapy in Belgium (2013-2019): a nationwide registry-based prospective study.

Background: Although stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) was progressively adopted in clinical practice in Belgium, a reimbursement request in 2011 was not granted because of remaining clinical and economic uncertainty. A coverage with evidence development (CED) program on SBRT started in 2013, with the aim to assess clinical and technical patterns-of-care in Belgium and monitor survival per indication, in view of supporting inclusion in the reimbursement system.

Methods: The Belgian National Institute for Health and Disability Insurance (NIHDI) initiated this prospective observational registry.

Delayed treatment in breast cancer patients during the COVID-19 pandemic: a population health information research infrastructure (PHIRI) case study.

Background: The indirect impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic on healthcare services was studied by assessing changes in the trend of the time to first treatment for women 18 or older who were diagnosed and treated for breast cancer between 2017 and 2021.

Methods: An observational retrospective longitudinal study based on aggregated data from four European Union (EU) countries/regions investigating the time it took to receive breast cancer treatment. We compiled outputs from a federated analysis to detect structural breakpoints, confirming the empirical breakpoints by differences between the trends observed and forecasted after March 2020.

Correction: Evaluating the health and health economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on delayed cancer care in Belgium: A Markov model study protocol.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.

Pharmacological modulation of septins restores calcium homeostasis and is neuroprotective in models of Alzheimer's disease.

Abnormal calcium signaling is a central pathological component of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Here, we describe the identification of a class of compounds called ReS19-T, which are able to restore calcium homeostasis in cell-based models of tau pathology. Aberrant tau accumulation leads to uncontrolled activation of store-operated calcium channels (SOCCs) by remodeling septin filaments at the cell cortex.

Functional Outcomes and Quality of Life in High-risk Prostate Cancer Patients Treated by Robot-assisted Radical Prostatectomy with or Without Adjuvant Treatments.

Background: Robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (RALP) is used frequently to treat prostate cancer; yet, prospective data on the quality of life and functional outcomes are lacking.

Objective: To assess the quality of life and functional outcomes after radical prostatectomy in different risk groups with or without adjuvant treatments.

Design, Setting, And Participants: The Be-RALP database is a prospective multicentre database that covers 9235 RALP cases from 2009 until 2016.

Breast cancer incidence, stage distribution, and treatment shifts during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic: a nationwide population-level study.

Background: The first COVID-19 wave in 2020 necessitated temporary suspension of non-essential medical services including organized cancer screening programs in Belgium. This study assessed the impact of the pandemic on breast cancer (BC) incidence, stage at diagnosis, and management in Belgium in 2020.

Methods: All Belgian residents diagnosed with in situ or invasive BC in 2015-2020 in the nationwide, population-based cancer registry database were included.

Incidence, survival, and mortality of cancer in children and young adolescents in Belgium and the Netherlands in 2004-2015: A comparative population-based study.

International comparisons of cancer surveillance measures may provide insight into inequalities in registration practices, etiological factors, and treatment strategies. This study aimed to compare incidence, survival, and mortality of cancer in children and young adolescents between Belgium and the Netherlands. All children (0-14 years) and young adolescents (15-17 years) diagnosed with cancer between 2004 and 2015 were selected from the population-based cancer registries of Belgium (N = 4739) and the Netherlands (N = 7322).

Survival of patients with unfavorable prognosis cutaneous melanoma with increased use of immunotherapy agents: a population-based study in Belgium.

Background: Although metastatic cutaneous melanoma is associated with an unfavorable prognosis, innovative therapies including immunomodulating agents and targeted therapies have shown survival benefits in clinical trials. We assessed the impact of the introduction of innovative drugs into clinical practice on the survival of patients with metastatic cutaneous melanoma during the period 2004-2017, in Belgium. The evolution of associated expenses was also analyzed.

Practice patterns, time trends and quality of care of uterine cancer in Belgium: An analysis of the EFFECT database.

Objectives: To investigate the practice patterns and quality of care for uterine cancer on a national level in Belgium, including trends in practice over the period 2012-2016.

Methods: Quality indicators were measured using the EFFectiveness of Endometrial Cancer Treatment (EFFECT) database. Multivariable logistic mixed regression was used to test for associations between the quality indicators and year of diagnosis, adjusted for potential confounders and intra-cluster correlations.

Correction: Evaluating the health and health economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on delayed cancer care in Belgium: A Markov model study protocol.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.

Surgery of the primary tumor in patients with de novo metastatic breast cancer: a nationwide population-based retrospective cohort study in Belgium.

Purpose: We aimed to assess the impact of surgery of primary tumor in overall survival (OS) of women with de novo metastatic breast cancer.

Methods: Nationwide, population-based retrospective cohort study of women diagnosed with de novo metastatic breast cancer in Belgium, between Jan/2010-Dec/2014. Data was obtained from the Belgian Cancer Registry and administrative databases.

Belgian guidelines for pathology reporting of neuroendocrine neoplasms of the pancreaticobiliary and gastrointestinal tract.

Since neuroendocrine neoplasms are rare tumors, registration of patient data in national and multinational registries is recommended. Indeed, this will facilitate multicenter studies on the epidemiology, efficacy and safety of diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumors as well as for neuroendocrine carcinomas. In Belgium, data on patient and tumor characteristics of all newly diagnosed malignancies have been collected in the Belgian Cancer Registry since 2004 including anonymized full pathological reports.

The Upgrade Risk of B3 Lesions to (Pre)Invasive Breast Cancer After Diagnosis on Core Needle or Vacuum Assisted Biopsy. A Belgian National Cohort Study.

Introduction: Flat epithelial atypia (FEA), lobular neoplasia (LN), papillary lesions (PL), radial scar (RS) and atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH) are lesions of uncertain malignant potential and classified as B3 lesions by the European guidelines for quality assurance in breast cancer screening and diagnosis. Current management is usually wide local excision (WE), surveillance may be sufficient for some. We investigated the upgrade rate of B3 lesions to breast malignancy in a subsequent resection specimen after diagnosis on core needle-or vacuum assisted biopsy (CNB-VAB) in a national population-based series.

A Belgian Population-Based Study Reveals Subgroups of Right-sided Colorectal Cancer with a Better Prognosis Compared to Left-sided Cancer.

Background: Patients with left-sided colorectal cancer (L-CRC) are known to have a significantly better prognosis than those with right-sided CRC (R-CRC). It has been hypothesized that RAS, BRAF mutations, or deficient mismatch repair status (MMR) might be responsible for the prognostic effect of primary tumor location (PTL). This study aims to evaluate the prognostic effect of PTL in the Belgian population and to determine the role of biomarkers (MMR, BRAF, and RAS status) in this effect.

Belgian observational survival data (incidence years 2004-2017) and expenditure for innovative oncology drugs in twelve cancer indications.

Background: The Food and Drug Administration and European Medicines Agency typically approve market access for cancer drugs based on surrogate end-points, which do not always translate into substantiated improvements in outcomes that matter the most to patients, i.e. survival and quality of life.

Survival in stage IV ovarian cancer with increased use of debulking surgery and bevacizumab.

Objectives: Advanced ovarian cancer has a poor prognosis, with a 5 year survival probability of <30%. Attempts to improve survival have focused on debulking surgery and systemic therapy. We assessed the evolution of treatment patterns and survival of patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer with specific attention to changes in survival after introducing bevacizumab.

Towards Unsupervised Rehabilitation: Development of a Portable Compliant Device for Sensorimotor Hand Rehabilitation.

Sensorimotor impairments of the hand after stroke can drastically reduce the ability to perform activities of daily living. Recently, there has been an increased interest in minimally supervised and unsupervised rehabilitation to increase therapy dosage and to complement conventional therapy. Several devices have been developed that are simple to use and portable.

Overall and stage-specific survival of patients with screen-detected colorectal cancer in European countries: A population-based study in 9 countries.

Background: An increasing proportion of colorectal cancers (CRCs) are detected through screening due to the availability of organised population-based programmes. We aimed to analyse survival probabilities of patients with screen-detected CRC in European countries.

Methods: Data from CRC patients were obtained from 16 population-based cancer registries in nine European countries.

Completeness and selection bias of a Belgian multidisciplinary, registration-based study on the EFFectiveness and quality of Endometrial Cancer Treatment (EFFECT).

Background: With the aim of obtaining more uniformity and quality in the treatment of corpus uteri cancer in Belgium, the EFFECT project has prospectively collected detailed information on the real-world clinical care offered to 4063 Belgian women with primary corpus uteri cancer. However, as data was collected on a voluntary basis, data may be incomplete and biased. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the completeness and potential selection bias of the EFFECT database.

Proportion and stage distribution of screen-detected and non-screen-detected colorectal cancer in nine European countries: an international, population-based study.

Background: The effects of recently implemented colorectal cancer screening programmes in Europe on colorectal cancer mortality will take several years to be fully known. We aimed to analyse the characteristics and parameters of screening programmes, proportions of colorectal cancers detected through screening, and stage distribution in screen-detected and non-screen-detected colorectal cancers to provide a timely assessment of the potential effects of screening programmes in several European countries.

Methods: We conducted this population-based study in nine European countries for which data on mode of detection were available (Belgium, Denmark, England, France, Italy, Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia, and Spain).

Tumour characteristics of screen-detected and interval cancers in the Flemish Breast Cancer Screening Programme: A mammographic breast density study.

Objective: The objective is to investigate tumour prognostic factors versus breast density in screen-detected cancers and interval cancers. The results may highlight the need for more personalised screening protocols based on breast density in organized screening programmes.

Study Design: A retrospective study was performed of tumour characteristics of screen-detected cancers (n=468) and interval cancers (n=515) of 983 women who participated in the Flemish Breast Cancer Screening Programme in 2009-2010.