Association of early-stage incidence and mortality in malignant melanoma - a population-based ecological study.

Background: Germany-wide skin cancer screening was introduced in 2008 to reduce skin cancer mortality and morbidity. However, the effectiveness of the program is still unclear. We explore the relationship between early-stage melanoma incidence and melanoma mortality in subsequent years, using early-stage melanoma incidence as surrogate for screening participation and early detection.

Residential proximity to oil and gas production sites and hematologic malignancies: A case-control study.

Background: We investigated the association between residential proximity to oil and gas production sites and hematologic malignancies, due to a cancer cluster in the German state of Lower Saxony.

Methods: A registry-based case-control study was conducted including 3978 cases of hematologic malignancies diagnosed within 2013-2016 and 15,912 frequency-matched controls randomly drawn by population registries. Residential proximity to 5333 oil and gas production sites at the time of diagnosis was calculated.

Record linkage of claims and cancer registries data-Evaluation of a deterministic linkage approach based on indirect personal identifiers.

Purpose: In Germany, record linkage of claims and cancer registry data is cost- and time-consuming, since up until recently no unique personal identifier was available in both data sources. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and performance of a deterministic linkage procedure based on indirect personal identifiers included in the data sources.

Methods: We identified users of glucose-lowering drugs with residence in four federal states in Northern and Southern Germany (Bavaria, Bremen, Hamburg, Lower Saxony) in the German Pharmacoepidemiological Research Database (GePaRD) and assessed colorectal and thyroid cancer cases.

[Linkage of claims data with data from epidemiological cancer registries: possibilities and limitations in the German federal states].

Background: In recent years, there has been an increasing demand for the reuse of research data in accordance with the so-called FAIR principles. This would allow researchers to conduct projects on a broader data basis and to investigate new research questions by linking different data sources.

Objectives: We explored if nationwide linking of claims data from statutory health insurances (SHI) with data from population-based cancer registries can be used to obtain additional information on cancer that is missing in claims data and to assess the validity of SHI tumour diagnoses.

Differences in Prostate Cancer Incidence and Mortality in Lower Saxony (Germany) and Groningen Province (Netherlands): Potential Impact of Prostate-Specific Antigen Testing.

Background: Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most frequent cancer among men in Europe. Differences in PCa incidence around the world can be partly explained by variations in recommendations for prostate-specific antigen (PSA), particularly for early detection. For example, the PSA testing policy is more conservative in the Netherlands than in Germany.

Estimation of the Potentially Avoidable Excess Deaths Associated with Socioeconomic Inequalities in Cancer Survival in Germany.

Many countries have reported survival inequalities due to regional socioeconomic deprivation. To quantify the potential gain from eliminating cancer survival disadvantages associated with area-based deprivation in Germany, we calculated the number of avoidable excess deaths. We used population-based cancer registry data from 11 of 16 German federal states.

Good Practice Data Linkage (GPD): A Translation of the German Version.

The data linkage of different data sources for research purposes is being increasingly used in recent years. However, generally accepted methodological guidance is missing. The aim of this article is to provide methodological guidelines and recommendations for research projects that have been consented to across different German research societies.

Divergent Patterns and Trends in Breast Cancer Incidence, Mortality and Survival Among Older Women in Germany and the United States.

Background: Breast cancer treatment has changed tremendously over the last decades. In addition, the use of mammography screening for early detection has increased strongly. To evaluate the impact of these developments, long-term trends in incidence, mortality, stage distribution and survival were investigated for Germany and the United States (US).

Survival of malignant mesothelioma and other rare thoracic cancers in Germany and the United States: A population-based study.

Evidence on survival of malignant mesothelioma (MM) and other rare thoracic cancers is limited due to the rarity of these cancer sites. Here, we provide a comprehensive overview of MM incidence and survival after MM and other rare thoracic cancers in Germany and the United States (US). Incidence was estimated from a German National Cancer Database and from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) 18 database for 2000-2014.

Assessing and Explaining Geographic Variations in Mammography Screening Participation and Breast Cancer Incidence.

Investigating geographic variations in mammography screening participation and breast cancer incidence help improve prevention strategies to reduce the burden of breast cancer. This study examined the suitability of health insurance claims data for assessing and explaining geographic variations in mammography screening participation and breast cancer incidence at the district level. Based on screening unit data (1,181,212 mammography screening events), cancer registry data (13,241 incident breast cancer cases) and claims data (147,325 mammography screening events; 1,778 incident breast cancer cases), screening unit and claims-based standardized participation ratios (SPR) of mammography screening as well as cancer registry and claims-based standardized incidence ratios (SIR) of breast cancer between 2011 and 2014 were estimated for the 46 districts of the German federal state of Lower Saxony.

[Good Practice Data Linkage].

Individual data linkage of different data sources for research purposes is being increasingly used in Germany in recent years. However, generally accepted methodological guidance is missing. The aim of this article is to define such methodological standards for research projects.

[Time trend in programme sensitivity within the German mammography screening programme in North Rhine-Westphalia and Lower Saxony].

Background: The programme sensitivity is a performance indicator for evaluating the quality of the mammography screening programme (MSP).

Objectives: We analysed the development of the programme sensitivity over time in two federal states of Germany, North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and Lower Saxony (NDS).

Materials And Methods: Data from 2,717,801 (NRW) and 1,197,660 (NDS) screening examinations between 2006 and 2011 were linked with data of the State Cancer Registry NRW and the Epidemiological Cancer Registry NDS, respectively.

Digital breast tomosynthesis plus synthesised images versus standard full-field digital mammography in population-based screening (TOSYMA): protocol of a randomised controlled trial.

Introduction: Development of digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) provides a technology that generates three-dimensional data sets, thus reducing the pitfalls of overlapping breast tissue. Observational studies suggest that the combination of two-dimensional (2D) digital mammography and DBT increases diagnostic accuracy. However, because of duplicate exposure, this comes at the cost of an augmented radiation dose.

Sequential tests for monitoring methods to detect elevated incidence - a simulation study.

Background: Common cancer monitoring practice is seldom prospective and rather driven by public requests. This study aims to assess the performance of a recently developed prospective cancer monitoring method and the statistical tools used, in particular the sequential probability ratio test in regard to specificity, sensitivity, observation time and heterogeneity of size of the geographical unit.

Methods: A simulation study based on a predefined selection of cancer types, geographical unit and time period was set up.

[Quo Vadis Data Linkage in Germany? An Initial Inventory].

In recent years, linking different data sources, also called data linkage or record linkage, to address scientific questions, is being increasingly used in Germany. However, there are very few published reports and new projects develop the necessary tools independently of each other. Therefore, a team of researchers joined together to exchange their experiences on data linkage and to give suggestions on how linkage could be done for scientists, reviewers as well as members of data privacy boards and ethics committees.

Comparison of prostate cancer survival in Germany and the USA: can differences be attributed to differences in stage distributions?

Objectives: To better understand the influence of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening and other health system determinants on prognosis of prostate cancer, up-to-date relative survival (RS), stage distributions, and trends in survival and incidence in Germany were evaluated and compared with the United States of America (USA).

Patients And Methods: Incidence and mortality rates for Germany and the USA for the period 1999-2010 were obtained from the Centre for Cancer Registry Data at the Robert Koch Institute and the USA Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database. For analyses on stage and survival, data from 12 population-based cancer registries in Germany and from the SEER-13 database were analysed.

Recent Trends in Survival of Patients With Pancreatic Cancer in Germany and the United States.

Objectives: Survival improvement for pancreatic cancer has not been observed in the last 4 decades. We report the most up-to-date population-based relative survival (RS) estimates and recent trends in Germany and the United States.

Methods: Data for patients diagnosed in 1997 to 2010 and followed up to 2010 were drawn from 12 population-based German cancer registries and the US SEER (Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results) 13 registries database.

Incidence patterns and trends of malignant gonadal and extragonadal germ cell tumors in Germany, 1998-2008.

Background: Malignant gonadal (GGCT) and extragonal germ cell tumors [GCT (EGCT)] are thought to originate from primordial germ cells. In contrast to well reported population-based data of GGCTs in males, analyses of GGCTs in females and EGCTs in both sexes remain limited.

Methods: In a pooling project of nine population-based cancer registries in Germany for the years 1998-2008, 16,883 malignant GCTs and their topographical sites were identified using ICD-O morphology and topography for persons aged 15 years and older.

Experiences with a workstation prototype for softcopy reading within the Bavarian mammography recertification program: workstations and education.

Rationale And Objectives: In January 2002, the Bavarian Statutory Health Care Administration ("Kassenärztliche Vereinigung Bayerns", KVB) started a recertification program for quality assurance and quality improvement in mammography reading.

Materials And Methods: All accredited radiologists and gynecologists are asked to prove their qualification every 1-2 years. The recertification program requires the physicians to read 50 cases randomly selected from a larger collection of high-quality test cases.