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Cause of death and long-term survival in
patients with neuro-epithelial brain tumours: a population-based study
T. B. Johannesena,b, F. Langmarka
and K. Loteb
aThe Norwegian Cancer Registry, Institute of
Population-based Cancer Research, Montebello, N-0310, Oslo, Norway.
bDepartment of Medical Oncology and Radiotherapy, The Norwegian
Radium Hospital, N-0310, Oslo, Norway.
Received 17 December 2002; revised 19 March 2003; accepted 23 March
2003. Available online 6 September 2003
Long-term survivors of neuro-epithelial brain tumours have a
higher death rate compared with the general population and the aims of this
study were to investigate the causes of death and analyse long-term survival
using population-based material.
A total of 6209 patients were registered in the period of 1970–1993 with a
primary intracranial neuro-epithelial tumour in the The Norwegian Cancer
Registry.
In a pilot study, a high level of agreement with regard to the cause of death
was found between clinical data and the registered cause of death.
Underlying causes of death in the whole population were therefore
analysed.
Most deaths were caused by the primary neuro-epithelial brain tumour within 10
years of diagnosis.
Although the numbers were small, the proportion of patients dying from other
cancers, vascular disease, infections and accidents continued to rise with
time.
Survival was computed using the Kaplan–Meier method.
For children, survival at 5, 10 and 15 years significantly improved from the
time period of 1970–1981 to 1982–1993 (47.9, 43.6 and 43.3% versus 63.8,
59.8 and 59.8%, respectively, P <0.0001).
Similar improvements in survival at 5, 10 and 15 years were observed for young
adults aged 15–49 years (32.7, 21.3 and 16.5% versus 50.1, 37.5 and 33.1%, for
the same time periods, P<0.0001).
No such improvement for those aged 50 years and over was observed (corresponding
figures of 6.6, 3.8 and 2.8% versus 7.7, 4.8 and 3.4%).
Prognosis for those with childhood medulloblastomas improved significantly, as
did the prognosis of younger adults with low-grade gliomas and unbiopsied/
unclassifiable grade gliomas.
Author Keywords: Long-term survival; Brain tumour; Cause
of death; Adults; Children
Copyright © 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Source: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/B6T68-49G5N87-7/1/b727d32e459143620cc120d6a652993e
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