Use of an emulated trial to investigate the association between use of nitrogen-based bisphosphonates and risk of epithelial ovarian cancer.

Background: Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is the eighth most common cancer in women, with poor survival outcomes. Observational evidence suggests that nitrogen-based bisphosphonate (NBB) use may be associated with reduced risk of EOC, particularly the endometrioid and serous histotypes; however, confounding by indication is a concern. An alternative approach to investigate the chemo-preventive potential of NBBs is to emulate a target trial by identifying all women who initiate use of NBBs and investigate the risk of EOC for continued users compared with discontinued users.

Association between antihypertensive medicine use and risk of ovarian cancer in women aged 50 years and older.

Background: Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) has few modifiable risk factors. There is evidence that some antihypertensive medicines may have cancer preventive and/or therapeutic actions; therefore, we assessed the associations between use of different antihypertensive medicines and risk of specific EOC histotypes.

Methods: Our nested case-control study of linked administrative health data included 6070 Australian women aged over 50 years diagnosed with EOC from 2004 to 2013, and 30,337 matched controls.

Perioperative Beta-Blocker Supply and Survival in Women With Epithelial Ovarian Cancer and a History of Cardiovascular Conditions.

Purpose: Surgery for epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) may activate stress-inflammatory responses that stimulate tumor growth and increase metastatic growth. Animal and in vitro studies have shown that inhibition of the catecholamine-induced inflammatory response via beta-adrenergic receptor blockade has antitumor potential in EOC. However, observational studies have reported mixed results.

Nitrogen-based Bisphosphonate Use and Ovarian Cancer Risk in Women Aged 50 Years and Older.

Background: There are few readily modifiable risk factors for epithelial ovarian cancer; preclinical studies suggest bisphosphonates could have chemopreventive actions. Our study aimed to assess the association between use of nitrogen-based bisphosphonate medicine and risk of epithelial ovarian cancer, overall and by histotype.

Methods: We conducted a case-control study nested within a large, linked administrative dataset including all Australian women enrolled for Medicare, Australia's universal health insurance scheme, between July 2002 and December 2013.

A Simple Clinical Tool for Stratifying Risk of Clinically Significant CKD after Nephrectomy: Development and Multinational Validation.

Background: Clinically significant CKD following surgery for kidney cancer is associated with increased morbidity and mortality, but identifying patients at increased CKD risk remains difficult. Simple methods to stratify risk of clinically significant CKD after nephrectomy are needed.

Methods: To develop a tool for stratifying patients' risk of CKD arising after surgery for kidney cancer, we tested models in a population-based cohort of 699 patients with kidney cancer in Queensland, Australia (2012-2013).

Tumor size and postoperative kidney function following radical nephrectomy.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) following nephrectomy for kidney tumors is common, and both patient and tumor characteristics may affect postoperative kidney function. Several studies have reported that surgery for large tumors is associated with a lower likelihood of postoperative CKD, but others have reported CKD to be more common before surgery in patients with large tumors. The aim of this study was to clarify inconsistencies in the literature regarding the prognostic significance of tumor size for postoperative kidney function.

Incident Chronic Kidney Disease After Radical Nephrectomy for Renal Cell Carcinoma.

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) after surgery for kidney cancer is common, and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to identify factors associated with incident CKD in patients managed with radical nephrectomy.

Patients And Methods: All patients diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma between January 2012 and December 2013 were ascertained from state-based cancer registries in Queensland and Victoria.

Predictors of new-onset chronic kidney disease in patients managed surgically for T1a renal cell carcinoma: An Australian population-based analysis.

Background: New-onset chronic kidney disease (CKD) following surgical management of kidney tumors is common. This study evaluated risk factors for new-onset CKD after nephrectomy for T1a renal cell carcinoma (RCC) in an Australian population-based cohort.

Methods: There were 551 RCC patients from the Australian states of Queensland and Victoria included in this study.

Cost savings for elective laparoscopic resection compared with open resection for colorectal cancer in a region of high uptake.

Background: Previous cost analyses of laparoscopic resection for colorectal cancer (CRC) reported slightly higher or similar costs to those of open resection. These analyses were based on randomised controlled trials when the laparoscopic approach was newly adopted. This study compared costs for laparoscopic versus open resection in a region of high uptake where adoption is mature.

Australia is continuing to make progress against cancer, but the regional and remote disadvantage remains.

Objective: To measure progress, over the past decade, in reducing the disadvantage in cancer death rates among people living in regional and remote areas of Australia.

Design: Analysis of routinely collected death certificate and corresponding population data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Setting: Population-based, Australia-wide comparison of mortality rates in regional and remote areas compared with metropolitan areas from 1 January 2001 to 31 December 2010.

Has the association between hysterectomy and ovarian cancer changed over time? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Until recently most studies suggested that hysterectomy with ovarian conservation was associated with a decreased risk of ovarian cancer. However, several recent studies have reported modestly increased risks of ovarian cancer following hysterectomy. Given that as many as 35% of women will have a hysterectomy, the nature of the association requires clarification.

A study of head and neck cancer treatment and survival among indigenous and non-indigenous people in Queensland, Australia, 1998 to 2004.

Background: Overall, Indigenous Australians with cancer are diagnosed with more advanced disease, receive less cancer treatment and have poorer cancer survival than non-Indigenous Australians. The prognosis for Indigenous people with specific cancers varies however, and their prognosis for cancers of the head and neck is largely unknown. We therefore have compared clinical characteristics, treatment and survival between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people diagnosed with head and neck cancer in Queensland, Australia.

National trends in the uptake of laparoscopic resection for colorectal cancer, 2000-2008.

Objective: To examine the trends in the uptake of laparoscopic resection for colorectal cancer.

Design And Setting: Retrospective analysis of Australia-wide data on elective resections for colorectal cancer over the 8 financial years 2000-01 to 2007-08, obtained from the National Hospital Morbidity Database.

Main Outcome Measures: National trends in annual percentage of colorectal resections for cancer that were conducted laparoscopically for each year, stratified by hospitals conducting a high volume of elective resections (40 or more/year) versus a low volume, and by public versus private hospitals.

Urban-rural differences in prostate cancer outcomes in Australia: what has changed?

Objective: To update our previous analysis of trends for prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing, prostate cancer incidence, radical prostatectomy and prostate cancer mortality to assess whether men in rural and regional areas of Australia now have more equitable access to prostate cancer services, and improved outcomes.

Design, Setting And Participants: Descriptive study using population-based data for Australian men aged 50-79 years from 1982 to the 2008-09 financial year (depending on data availability for each outcome measure).

Main Outcome Measures: Age-standardised rates per 100,000 men and 5-year survival rates.

Cancer incidence and mortality in Indigenous Australians in Queensland, 1997-2006.

Objective: To examine cancer incidence and mortality in Indigenous Queenslanders.

Design, Setting And Patients: Assessment of indirectly standardised incidence and mortality ratios for Indigenous Australians in Queensland diagnosed with cancer from 1997 to 2006, compared with the total Queensland population.

Main Outcome Measures: Standardised incidence and mortality ratios.

Survival from haematological malignancy in childhood, adolescence and young adulthood in Australia: is the age-related gap narrowing?

Objectives: To examine 5-year survival from haematological malignancies in children, adolescents and young adults in Australia and determine if there has been any improvement in survival for the older age groups compared with children (the age-related "survival gap").

Design, Setting And Participants: Population-based study of all Australian children (aged 0-14 years), adolescents (15-19 years) and young adults (20-29 years) diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) between 1982 and 2004, with follow-up to 2006.

Main Outcome Measures: 5-year survival from ALL, AML, HL and NHL analysed for four periods of diagnosis (1982-1989, 1990-1994, 1995-1999 and 2000-2004).