Incidence and survival patterns of rare anal canal neoplasms using the surveillance epidemiology and end results registry.

Small cell, neuroendocrine tumors, and melanoma of the anus are rare. Limited data exist on the incidence and management for these rare tumors. A large, prospective, population-based database was used to determine incidence and survival patterns of rare anal neoplasms.

Understanding the limits of large datasets.

Many health professionals use large datasets to answer behavioral, translational, or clinical questions. Understanding the impact of missing data in large databases, such as disease registries, can avoid erroneous interpretations of these data. Using the California Cancer Registry, the authors selected seven common cancers, seven sociodemographic and clinical variables, and the top three reporting sources, as examples of the type of data that would be deemed critical to most studies.

Penile Kaposis sarcoma in the state of California.

Introduction: Penile Kaposi's sarcoma (PKS) is a rare and poorly characterized disease. Kaposi's sarcoma is common in HIV disease and is an AIDS-defining illness. This study aimed to review epidemiologic characteristics and changes in the incidence of PKS using a total population-based database.

Adenoid cystic breast carcinoma: is axillary staging necessary in all cases? Results from the California Cancer Registry.

Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is an uncommon type of breast cancer. There are limited data about its epidemiology, tumor characteristics, and outcomes. Using a large, population-based data base, this study aimed to identify specific characteristics of patients with adenoid cystic breast cancer, investigate its natural history, and determine its long-term prognosis.

Prostate cancer postoperative nomogram scores and obesity.

Purpose: Nomograms are tools used in clinical practice to predict cancer outcomes and to help make decisions regarding management of disease. Since its conception, utility of the prostate cancer nomogram has more than tripled. Limited information is available on the relation between the nomograms' predicted probabilities and obesity.

Racial/ethnic differences in early detection of breast cancer: a study of 250,985 cases from the California Cancer Registry.

Aims: This study analyzed early breast cancer detection rates as a surrogate for breast cancer mortality rates. Stage at diagnosis was broken down by race/ethnicity and year of diagnosis for the cases of female breast cancer in the California Cancer Registry from 1988 to 2002.

Methods: A quarter million cases of breast cancer in women > or =50 years of age recorded in the California Cancer Registry over the period 1988-2002 were classified as early (in situ and localized stages) or late (regional and distant stages).

Squamous cell carcinoma of the breast: a review of 177 cases.

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the breast is an uncommon breast neoplasm. There are limited data about its epidemiology and few studies focusing on outcomes. This study aims to identify specific characteristics of patients with breast SCC, investigate its natural history, and determine its long-term prognosis.

Renal tumors in the second decade of life: results from the California Cancer Registry.

Background: Renal tumors are rare in adolescents and young adults. The aim of this study was to characterize the histologic condition, epidemiology, and survival of renal tumors in patients aged 11 to 20 years old using a large, population-based database.

Methods: The California Cancer Registry was reviewed from the years 1988 to 2004.

Renal cell carcinoma in the pediatric population: Results from the California Cancer Registry.

Background: Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a rare disease in children and adolescents. This study aimed to review epidemiologic characteristics and survival for pediatric RCC patients using a large, population-based database.

Procedure: The California Cancer Registry (CCR) was reviewed from 1988 to 2004.

Racial/ethnic and gender disparities in renal cell carcinoma incidence and survival.

Purpose: We used a population based cancer registry to examine trends in renal cell carcinoma incidence and survival among 4 racial/ethnic groups (white, black, Hispanic and Asian/Pacific Islander) and both genders.

Materials And Methods: Race/ethnicity, gender, age, staging, length of survival and cause of death data were analyzed using 39,434 cases of renal cell carcinoma from 1988 to 2004 from the California Cancer Registry. Annual age adjusted incidence rates and relative survival rates were calculated for the racial/ethnic and gender groups.

Late age (85 years or older) peak incidence of bladder cancer.

Purpose: We examined the incidence rates of bladder cancer using California Cancer Registry data to determine if any trends exist.

Materials And Methods: Complete records of the 55,159 cases of invasive bladder cancer were examined from the original 92,677 bladder cancer cases recorded in the California Cancer Registry between 1988 and 2004.

Results: California Cancer Registry data showed a universal late age peak in age specific incidence of bladder cancer in men and women, and across ethnic boundaries.

A comparison of merkel cell carcinoma and melanoma: results from the california cancer registry.

Introduction: Melanoma and Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) are both aggressive skin malignancies associated with immunosuppression and possible UV exposure. Both tumors get similar surgical treatment; however, MCC is a relatively rare tumor in which less is known about prognosis and clinical behavior.

Methods: The California Cancer Registry (CCR), a population-based registry, was reviewed from the years 1988-2003.

Age and time as factors in the left-to-right shift of the subsite of colorectal adenocarcinoma: a study of 213,383 cases from the California Cancer Registry.

Goals: Using a data set of more than 200,000 cases, we can measure the effects of age, time, sex, and race/ethnicity on the shift of the site of origin of colorectal adenocarcinoma from the left to the right side.

Background: As people become older, there is a shift of the site of origin of adenocarcinoma of the colorectum from the left to the right side. Although some studies do show some relationship of this shift, in addition to age, to race/ethnicity and to sex, there are no large, total population-based data studying the effects of these factors and time trends in this shift.

Early cancer detection among rural and urban Californians.

Background: Since the stage of cancer detection generally predicts future mortality rates, a key cancer control strategy is to increase the proportion of cancers found in the early stage. This study compared stage of detection for members of rural and urban communities to determine whether disparities were present.

Methods: The California Cancer Registry (CCR), a total population based cancer registry, was used to examine the proportion of early stage presentation for patients with breast, melanoma, and colon cancer from 1988 to 2003.

Reduced mammographic screening may explain declines in breast carcinoma in older women.

Objectives: To examine whether declines in breast cancer in the oldest-old women correspond with declines in the use of cancer testing.

Design: Cross-sectional evaluation of three databases.

Setting: Public access data.

A half century of breast cancer: one life's experience.

Over the past 50 years, great changes had occurred in the circumstances surrounding breast cancer, including clinical presentation, treatment, and outcome. Not only are patients being seen at lower stages, but over the past ten years there finally has been a drop in the mortality rate from the almost flat line from 1940 to 1990. The author has been involved personally in this half century of change, both as a participant and as an observer.

5- and 10-year survival in cancer patients aged 90 and older: a study of 37,318 patients from SEER.

Background And Objectives: Uncertainty exists about the value of cancer therapy in patients aged 90 years and older. Because of the relative paucity of these patients, as well as the possibility of selection bias in any one institution, the use of a large, total population-based cancer registry was employed.

Methods: The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) offers a large, total population-based cancer registry.