A European project on incidence, treatment, and outcome of sarcoma
Open Access
- 11 April 2010
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Springer Science and Business Media LLC in BMC Public Health
- Vol. 10 (1), 188
- https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-10-188
Abstract
Background: Sarcomas are rare tumors (1-2% of all cancers) of mesenchymal origin that may develop in soft tissues and viscera. Since the International Classification of Disease (ICD) attributes visceral sarcomas (VS) to the organ of origin, the incidence of sarcoma is grossly underestimated. The rarity of the disease and the variety of histological types (more than 70) or locations account for the difficulty in acquiring sufficient personal experience. In view of the above the European Commission funded the project called Connective Tissues Cancers Network (CONTICANET), to improve the prognosis of sarcoma patients by increasing the level of standardization of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures through a multicentre collaboration. Methods/Design: Two protocols of epidemiological researches are here presented. The first investigation aims to build the population-based incidence of sarcoma in a two-year period, using the new 2002 WHO classification and the "second opinion" given by an expert regional pathologist on the initial diagnosis by a local pathologist. A three to five year survival rate will also be determined. Pathology reports and clinical records will be the sources of information. The second study aims to compare the effects on survival or relapse-free period - allowing for histological subtypes, clinical stage, primary site, age and gender - when the disease was treated or not according to the clinical practice guidelines (CPGs). Discussion: Within CONTICANET, each group was asked to design a particular study on a specific objective, the partners of the network being free to accept or not the proposed protocol. The first protocol was accepted by the other researchers, therefore the incidence of sarcoma will be assessed in three European regions, Rhone-Alpes and Aquitaine (France) and Veneto (Italy), where the geographic distribution of sarcoma will be compared after taking into account age and gender. The conformity of the clinical practice with the recommended guidelines will be investigated in a French (Rhone Alps) and Italian (Veneto) region since the CPGs were similar in both areas.Keywords
This publication has 23 references indexed in Scilit:
- Current soft-tissue sarcoma classificationsEuropean Journal Of Cancer, 2004
- Consultative (Expert) Second Opinions in Soft Tissue PathologyAmerican Journal of Clinical Pathology, 2001
- The local management of soft tissue sarcomaSeminars in Radiation Oncology, 1999
- Disease Incidence and Results of Extremity Lesion Treatment: Mersey Region Soft Tissue Sarcomas (1975–1985)Sarcoma, 1998
- Variable management of soft tissue sarcoma: Regional audit with implications for specialist careBritish Journal of Surgery, 1997
- Management of soft tissue sarcomaBritish Journal of Surgery, 1994
- Soft tissue sarcoma should be treated at a tumor center: A comparison of quality of surgery in 375 patientsActa Orthopaedica, 1994
- The Quality of CareJAMA, 1988
- The quality of care. How can it be assessed?JAMA, 1988
- Nonparametric Estimation from Incomplete ObservationsJournal of the American Statistical Association, 1958