Childhood leukemia near nuclear sites in Belgium: An ecological study at small geographical level.

Background: A previous investigation of the occurrence of childhood acute leukemia around the Belgian nuclear sites has shown positive associations around one nuclear site (Mol-Dessel). In the following years, the Belgian Cancer Registry has made data available at the smallest administrative unit for which demographic information exists in Belgium, i.e.

Occurrence and characteristics of faecal immunochemical screen-detected cancers vs non-screen-detected cancers: Results from a Flemish colorectal cancer screening programme.

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) and its precursor lesions are detected at an early stage by CRC screening programmes, which reduce CRC-related mortality. An important quality indicator for CRC screening is the occurrence of interval CRC (IC) between screening rounds. Currently there is no guideline regarding acceptable levels of ICs in CRC screening programmes, and ICs reported in prior work vary considerably.

Benefits of switching from guaiac-based faecal occult blood to faecal immunochemical testing: experience from the Wallonia-Brussels colorectal cancer screening programme.

Background: Faecal immunochemical tests (FITs) have replaced guaiac-based faecal occult blood test (gFOBTs) in several colorectal cancer (CRC) screening programmes. We aimed to evaluate the benefits of this transition based on the Wallonia-Brussels-organised CRC screening programme.

Methods: A total of 1,569,868 individuals aged 50-74 years, who were invited to screening during 2009-2017, were studied by linking their screening records with insurance, pathology and cancer data in the Belgian Cancer Registry.

Trends in net survival from cervical cancer in six European Latin countries: results from the SUDCAN population-based study.

Cancer survival is a key measure of the effectiveness of a healthcare system. As differences in healthcare systems are present among European Latin countries, it is of interest to look specifically at their similarities and differences in terms of cancer survival. Incident cases were extracted from the EUROCARE-V database for France, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Portugal, and Belgium.

Childhood leukaemia near nuclear sites in Belgium, 2002-2008.

This paper describes an ecological study investigating whether there is an excess incidence of acute leukaemia among children aged 0-14 years living in the vicinity of the nuclear sites in Belgium. Poisson regression modelling was carried out for proximity areas of varying sizes. In addition, the hypothesis of a gradient in leukaemia incidence with increasing levels of surrogate exposures was explored by means of focused hypothesis tests and generalized additive models.

Melanoma burden by melanoma stage: Assessment through a disease transition model.

Background: The total burden of melanoma has already been studied but little is known about the distribution of this burden amongst localised, node metastatic and distant metastatic stages.

Methods: Disability-adjusted life years (DALY) assesses disease burden, being the sum of years of life with disability (YLD) and years of life lost (YLL). A melanoma disease model was developed in order to predict the evolution of patients from diagnosis until death.

Is melanoma survival influenced by month of diagnosis?

Background: Despite being a well-documented phenomenon, seasonal variation in the incidence of cutaneous melanoma is poorly understood, and data on the seasonality of melanoma survival are scarce. We sought to explore the seasonal variation in melanoma incidence and survival in Belgium and to assess the characteristics and outcomes of cases diagnosed during the seasonal peak.

Methods: All cases of invasive cutaneous melanoma-patients over 15 years of age and registered by the Belgian Cancer Registry (BCR) from 2004 to 2009-were included (n=9782).

Regional variation in thyroid cancer incidence in Belgium is associated with variation in thyroid imaging and thyroid disease management.

Context: Increased thyroid cancer incidence is at least partially attributed to increased detection and shows considerable regional variation.

Objective: We investigated whether regional variation in cancer incidence was associated with variations in thyroid disease management.

Design: We conducted a retrospective population-based cohort study that involved linking data from the Belgian Health Insurance database and the Belgian Cancer Registry to compare thyroid-related procedures between regions with high and low cancer incidence.

Consistency and inconsistency in testing biomarkers in breast cancer. A GRELL study in cut-off variability in the Romance language countries.

Purpose: Biological markers are crucial factors in order to differentiate female breast cancers and to determine the right therapy. This study aims at evaluating whether testing for biomarkers for female breast cancer has similar frequency and characteristics across and within countries.

Methods: Population-based cancer registries of the Association for cancer registration and epidemiology in Romance language countries (GRELL) were asked to complete a questionnaire on biomarkers testing.

Progression-free survival rate as primary end point for phase II cancer clinical trials: application to mesothelioma--The EORTC Lung Cancer Group.

Purpose: Phase II cancer clinical trials play a key role in the development of new drugs. These trials should be designed to accurately determine if the drug should be abandoned or if it is sufficiently promising for further investigation in phase III trials. With new cytostatic agents or when the response assessment is difficult, using the progression-free survival rate (PFSR) at a fixed time point, such as 3, 4, 5, or 6 months, instead of the response rate (RR) as the primary end point is an alternative approach.

Evaluation of peritoneal transport properties at onset of peritoneal dialysis and longitudinal follow-up.

Background: The clinical determinants of baseline peritoneal membrane (PM) transport characteristics, as evaluated by a hypertonic peritoneal equilibration test (PET), remain ill-defined. Likewise, the longitudinal evolution of PM transport properties in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients given automated PD (APD) and icodextrin still needs to be determined precisely. The aims of the present study were (1) to determine the clinical and biological factors affecting PM transport characteristics at PD onset and (2) to assess the longitudinal evolution of these markers.

Growth in extremely low birth weight infants up to three years.

Objective: To evaluate postnatal growth of extremely low birth weight infants (ELBW, <1,000 g) until 36 months of corrected age (CA), and to relate growth outcome to anthropometric parameters at birth, sex, fetal growth status (small or appropriate for gestational age--SGA/AGA), period of admission and major perinatal events.

Study Design/method: Weight (Wt), height (Ht) and head circumference (HC) were assessed in 159 ELBW infants. Data were standardized with Z-scores following Usher and McLean and Sempe growth curves.