Epidemiology
British Journal of Cancer (2005) 92, 576–579. doi:10.1038/sj.bjc.6602323 www.bjcancer.com
Published online 18 January 2005
Population-based monitoring of cancer patient survival in situations with imperfect completeness of cancer registration
- 1Department of Epidemiology, German Centre for Research on Ageing, Bergheimer Strasse 20, D-69115 Heidelberg, Germany
- 2Finnish Cancer Registry, Institute for Statistical and Epidemiological Cancer Research, Liisankatu 21 B, FIN-00170 Helsinki, Finland
Correspondence: Dr H Brenner, E-mail: Brenner@dzfa.uni-heidelberg.de
Received 19 October 2004; Revised 15 November 2004; Accepted 17 November 2004; Published online 18 January 2005.
Abstract
Selective underascertainment of cases may bias estimates of cancer patient survival. We show that the magnitude of potential bias strongly depends on the time periods affected by underascertainment and on the type of survival analysis (cohort analysis vs period analysis). We outline strategies on how to minimise or overcome potential biases.
Keywords:
cancer registries, prognosis, statistical methods, survival analysis
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