Melanie Kaiser

Risk of Subsequent Bone Cancers Among 69 460 Five-Year Survivors of Childhood and Adolescent Cancer in Europe

Introduction We investigate the risks of subsequent primary bone cancers after childhood and adolescent cancer in 12 European countries. For the first time, we satisfactorily address the risks beyond 40 years from diagnosis and beyond 40 years of age among all survivors. Methods This largest-ever assembled cohort comprises 69 460 five-year survivors of cancer diagnosed before age 20 years. Standardized incidence ratios, absolute excess risks, and multivariable-adjusted relative risks and relative excess risks were calculated. All statistical tests were two-sided. Results Overall, survivors were 21.65 times (95% confidence interval = 18.97 to 24.60 times) more likely to be diagnosed with a subsequent primary bone cancer than expected from the general population. The greatest excess numbers of bone cancers were observed after retinoblastoma, bone sarcoma, and soft tissue sarcoma. The excess number of bone cancers declined linearly with both years since diagnosis and attained age (all P < .05). Beyond 40 years from diagnosis and age 40 years, there were at most 0.45 excess bone cancers among all survivors per 10 000 person-years at risk; beyond 30 years from diagnosis and age 30 years, there were at most 5.02 excess bone cancers after each of retinoblastoma, bone sarcoma, and soft tissue sarcoma, per 10 000 person-years at risk. Conclusions For all survivors combined and the cancer groups with the greatest excess number of bone cancers, the excess numbers observed declined with both age and years from diagnosis. These results provide novel, reliable, and unbiased information about risks and risk factors among long-term survivors of childhood and adolescent cancer.

Invitation to cervical cancer screening does increase participation in Germany: Results from the MARZY study.

The effect of different invitation models on participation in cervical cancer screening (CCS) was investigated in a randomized population‐based cohort study in Germany. Participants were randomly selected via population registries and randomized into intervention Arm A (invitation letter) and Arm B (invitation letter and information brochure) or control Arm C (no invitation). The intervention and control arms were compared with regard to 3‐year participation and the two invitation models were compared between intervention arms. Of the 7,758 eligible women aged 30–65 years, living in the city of Mainz and in the rural region of Mainz‐Bingen, 5,265 were included in the analysis. Differences in proportions of women attending CCS were investigated and logistic regression was performed to analyze various factors influencing participation. In the intervention group, 91.8% participated in CCS compared to 85.3% in the control group (p < 0.0001), with a 6.6 percentage point increase in participation [95% confidence interval (CI) 4.6–8.6] and an adjusted odds ratio (OR) of 2.69 (95% CI 2.15–3.37). Effect estimators increased to 21.9 percentage points (95% CI 16.7–27.1) and an OR of 3.64 (95% CI 2.74–4.82), respectively, when women who participated in screening annually were excluded from the analysis. The invitation letter was particularly effective among women with lower school education, migrant women and older women. No difference in participation was found between the intervention Arm A and Arm B. An accompanying information brochure did not motivate more women to undergo CCS. However, a written invitation statistically significantly increased participation in CCS in Germany.

Risk of Soft-Tissue Sarcoma Among 69 460 Five-Year Survivors of Childhood Cancer in Europe

Abstract Background Childhood cancer survivors are at risk of subsequent primary soft-tissue sarcomas (STS), but the risks of specific STS histological subtypes are unknown. We quantified the risk of STS histological subtypes after specific types of childhood cancer. Methods We pooled data from 13 European cohorts, yielding a cohort of 69 460 five-year survivors of childhood cancer. Standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) and absolute excess risks (AERs) were calculated. Results Overall, 301 STS developed compared with 19 expected (SIR = 15.7, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 14.0 to 17.6). The highest standardized incidence ratios were for malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNST; SIR = 40.6, 95% CI = 29.6 to 54.3), leiomyosarcomas (SIR = 29.9, 95% CI = 23.7 to 37.2), and fibromatous neoplasms (SIR = 12.3, 95% CI = 9.3 to 16.0). SIRs for MPNST were highest following central nervous system tumors (SIR = 80.5, 95% CI = 48.4 to 125.7), Hodgkin lymphoma (SIR = 81.3, 95% CI = 35.1 to 160.1), and Wilms tumor (SIR = 76.0, 95% CI = 27.9 to 165.4). Standardized incidence ratios for leiomyosarcoma were highest following retinoblastoma (SIR = 342.9, 95% CI = 245.0 to 466.9) and Wilms tumor (SIR = 74.2, 95% CI = 37.1 to 132.8). AERs for all STS subtypes were generally low at all years from diagnosis (AER < 1 per 10 000 person-years), except for leiomyosarcoma following retinoblastoma, for which the AER reached 52.7 (95% CI = 20.0 to 85.5) per 10 000 person-years among patients who had survived at least 45 years from diagnosis of retinoblastoma. Conclusions For the first time, we provide risk estimates of specific STS subtypes following childhood cancers and give evidence that risks of MPNSTs, leiomyosarcomas, and fibromatous neoplasms are particularly increased. While the multiplicative excess risks relative to the general population are substantial, the absolute excess risk of developing any STS subtype is low, except for leiomyosarcoma after retinoblastoma. These results are likely to be informative for both survivors and health care providers.

Fertility Among Female Survivors of Childhood, Adolescent, and Young Adult Cancer: Protocol for Two Pan-European Studies (PanCareLIFE)

Background Despite a significant number of studies on female fertility following childhood, adolescent, and young adult (CAYA) cancer, studies establishing precise (dose-related) estimates of treatment-related risks are still scarce. Previous studies have been underpowered, did not include detailed treatment information, or were based on self-report only without any hormonal assessments. More precise assessments of who is at risk for sub- or infertility are needed. Objective The objective of our study is to describe the design and methods of 2 studies on female fertility (a cohort study and a nested case-control study) among female survivors of CAYA cancer performed within the European PanCareLIFE project. Methods For the cohort study, which aims to evaluate the overall risk of fertility impairment, as well as the risk for specific subgroups of female CAYA cancer survivors, 13 institutions from 9 countries provide data on fertility impairment. Survivors are defined as being fertility impaired if they meet at least one of 8 different criteria based on self-reported and hormonal data. For the nested case-control study, which aims to identify specific treatment-related risk factors associated with fertility impairment in addition to possible dose-response relationships, cases (fertility impaired survivors) are selected from the cohort study and matched to controls (survivors without fertility impairment) on a 1:2 basis. Results Of the 10,964 survivors invited for the cohort study, data are available from 6619 survivors, either questionnaire-based only (n=4979), hormonal-based only (n=72), or both (n=1568). For the nested case-control study, a total of 450 cases and 882 controls are identified. Conclusions Results of both PanCareLIFE fertility studies will provide detailed insight into the risk of fertility impairment following CAYA cancer and diagnostic- or treatment-related factors associated with an increased risk. This will help clinicians to adequately counsel both girls and young women, who are about to start anticancer treatment, as well as adult female CAYA cancer survivors, concerning future parenthood and to timely refer them for fertility preservation. Ultimately, we aim to empower patients and survivors and improve their quality of life. Registered Report Identifier RR1-10.2196/10824