Outcomes from low-risk ductal carcinoma in situ: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Purpose: The current standard of treatment for ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is surgery with or without adjuvant radiotherapy. With a growing debate about overdiagnosis and overtreatment of low-risk DCIS, active surveillance is being explored in several ongoing trials. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the recurrence of low-risk DCIS under various treatment approaches.

Erlotinib or Gefitinib for Treating Advanced Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Mutation-Positive Lung Cancer in Aotearoa New Zealand: Protocol for a National Whole-of-Patient-Population Retrospective Cohort Study and Results of a Validation Substudy.

Background: Starting in 2010, the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) kinase inhibitors erlotinib and gefitinib were introduced into routine use in Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ) for treating advanced lung cancer, but their impact in this setting is unknown.

Objective: The study described in this protocol aims to understand the effectiveness and safety of these new personalized lung cancer treatments and the contributions made by concomitant medicines and other factors to adverse outcomes in the general NZ patient population. A substudy aimed to validate national electronic health databases as the data source and the methods for determining patient eligibility and identifying outcomes and variables.

Comparison of Cancer Mortality and Incidence Between New Zealand and Australia and Reflection on Differences in Cancer Care: An Ecological Cross-Sectional Study of 2014-2018.

Background: Despite many background similarities, New Zealand showed excess cancer deaths compared to Australia in previous studies. This study extends this comparison using the most recent data of 2014-2018.

Methods: This study used publicly available cancer mortality and incidence data of New Zealand Ministry of Health and Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, and resident population data of Statistics New Zealand.

Trends in brain cancers (glioma) in New Zealand from 1995 to 2020, with reference to mobile phone use.

Background: Some case-control studies have suggested substantial increased risks of glioma in association with mobile phone use; these risks would lead to an increase in incidence over time.

Methods: Incidence rates of glioma from 1995 to 2020 by age, sex, and site in New Zealand (NZ) recorded by the national cancer registry were assessed and trends analysed. Phone use was based on surveys.

Cancer of the nasopharynx in Aotearoa New Zealand from 1994 to 2018: Incidence and survival in a population-based, national registry cohort study.

Background: Cancer of the nasopharynx has remarkable geographic and ethnic variation in incidence and outcomes globally. Recent advances in diagnostic and therapeutic technologies provide new opportunities for early detection and improved outcomes. This study aimed to determine the incidence, demographics, outcomes and time trends of cancer of the nasopharynx in Aotearoa New Zealand over the last 25 years.

Population-based incidence rates and increased risk of EGFR mutated non-small cell lung cancer in Māori and Pacifica in New Zealand.

Background: Non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) mutation benefit from targeted treatments. Previous studies reported EGFR mutation-positive proportions among tested non-squamous NSCLC patients. However, incidence rates and population risk of EGFR mutation-positive and EGFR mutation-negative non-squamous NSCLC have not been assessed.

Use of Non-Cancer Medications in New Zealand Women at the Diagnosis of Primary Invasive Breast Cancer: Prevalence, Associated Factors and Effects on Survival.

Background: Assessing the use of multiple medications in cancer patients is crucial as such use may affect cancer outcomes. This study reports the prevalence of non-cancer medication use at breast cancer diagnosis, its associated factors, and its effect on survival.

Methods: We identified all women diagnosed with primary invasive breast cancer between 1 January 2007 and 31 December 2016, from four population-based breast cancer registries, in Auckland, Waikato, Wellington, and Christchurch, New Zealand.

Factors associated with overall survival in a population-based cohort of non- squamous NSCLC patients from northern New Zealand: A comparative analysis by EGFR mutation status.

Background: Previous studies have reported inconsistent results regarding the effect of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations on overall survival in patients with non-squamous non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This study assesses the effect of EGFR mutation on overall survival, and how the effects of other survival predictors differ by EGFR mutation status.

Methods: The study used a population- based cohort of 1534 non-squamous NSCLC patients diagnosed in northern New Zealand between 1st February 2010 and 31st July 2017.

Development and validation of a predictive model for estimating EGFR mutation probabilities in patients with non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer in New Zealand.

Background: Targeted treatment with Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) is superior to systemic chemotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with EGFR gene mutations. Detection of EGFR mutations is a challenge in many patients due to the lack of suitable tumour specimens for molecular testing or for other reasons. EGFR mutations are more common in female, Asian and never smoking NSCLC patients.

Serial tests of T-cell function predict long-term survival in an elderly cohort from a Scottish general practice.

INTRODUCTION The care of the elderly presents serious challenges to general practice. In 1979, the first author took over the care of a general practice in Scotland where 21% of registered patients were elderly. This resulted in a high workload and prompted research into how this might be mitigated.

High incidence of medulloblastoma in Māori and Pacific populations in New Zealand.

In New Zealand from 1995-2010, the incidence of medulloblastoma at ages 1-19 years was significantly higher in Māori (relative risk 2.0) and in Pacific peoples (RR 2.1) than in New Zealand Europeans.

Increasing Disadvantages in Cancer Survival in New Zealand Compared to Australia, between 2000-05 and 2006-10.

New Zealand has lower cancer survival compared to its neighbour Australia. If this were due to long established differences between the two patient populations, it might be expected to be either constant in time, or decreasing, as improving health services deals with inequities. In this study we compared trends in relative cancer survival ratios in New Zealand and Australia between 2000-05 and 2006-10, using data from the New Zealand Cancer Registry and the Australian Institute for Health and Welfare.

Endorsement of the CONSORT guidelines, trial registration, and the quality of reporting randomised controlled trials in leading nursing journals: A cross-sectional analysis.

Objective: To establish the reporting quality of trials published in leading nursing journals and investigate associations between CONSORT Statement or trial registration endorsment and reporting of design elements.

Methods: The top 15 nursing journals were searched using Medline for randomised controlled trials published in 2012. Journals were categorised as CONSORT and trial registration promoting based on requirements of submitting authors or the journal's webpage as at January 2014.