BACKGROUND: Pleural mesothelioma is a rare tumour associated with exposure to asbestos fibres. Fewer than than one-quarter of cases registered in the Quebec Tumour Registry (QTR) have been compensated as work-related. While establishing a surveillance system, this led to questioning as to whether there has been over-registration of cases that are not authentic pleural mesotheliomas in the QTR. OBJECTIVE: To assess whether registered cases of pleural mesothelioma could be confirmed. METHODS: A medical chart review was designed to assess the proportion of mesothelioma cases newly registered in the QTR in 2001⁄2002 that could be confirmed. For each registered case, clinical, medical imaging and pathology information were sought and, occasionally, additional immunohistochemistry staining was obtained. Three specialists - a chest physician, a radiologist and a pathologist - reviewed the available information and material, coding each mesothelioma case as to degree of certainty of the mesothelioma diagnosis. RESULTS: The QTR reported 190 incident cases of mesothelioma (81% males) for the period. The specialists classified 81% of charts as 'certain⁄probable' or 'possible' mesotheliomas, 8% as 'unlikely to be a mesothelioma' and 11% as 'not a mesothelioma'. After excluding chart summaries of unsatisfactory quality, 87% to 88% of the charts were classified as 'certain⁄probable' or 'possible' mesotheliomas, and 9% to 11% were still considered 'not a mesothelioma'. CONCLUSION: Tumour registry data are a valid source of information for mesothelioma surveillance. While there is some over-registration of mesothelioma cases in the QTR, a significant majority of registered cases appeared to be authentic. Over-registration cannot explain the greater proportion of cases that were not compensated.
BACKGROUND:Pleural mesothelioma is a rare tumour associated with exposure to asbestos fibres. Fewer than than one-quarter of cases registered in the Quebec Tumour Registry (QTR) have been compensated as work-related. While establishing a surveillance system, this led to questioning as to whether there has been over-registration of cases that are not authentic pleural mesotheliomas in the QTR. OBJECTIVE: To assess whether registered cases of pleural mesothelioma could be confirmed. METHODS: A medical chart review was designed to assess the proportion of mesothelioma cases newly registered in the QTR in 2001⁄2002 that could be confirmed. For each registered case, clinical, medical imaging and pathology information were sought and, occasionally, additional immunohistochemistry staining was obtained. Three specialists - a chest physician, a radiologist and a pathologist - reviewed the available information and material, coding each mesothelioma case as to degree of certainty of the mesothelioma diagnosis. RESULTS: The QTR reported 190 incident cases of mesothelioma (81% males) for the period. The specialists classified 81% of charts as 'certain⁄probable' or 'possible' mesotheliomas, 8% as 'unlikely to be a mesothelioma' and 11% as 'not a mesothelioma'. After excluding chart summaries of unsatisfactory quality, 87% to 88% of the charts were classified as 'certain⁄probable' or 'possible' mesotheliomas, and 9% to 11% were still considered 'not a mesothelioma'. CONCLUSION:Tumour registry data are a valid source of information for mesothelioma surveillance. While there is some over-registration of mesothelioma cases in the QTR, a significant majority of registered cases appeared to be authentic. Over-registration cannot explain the greater proportion of cases that were not compensated.
Authors: D A Ferguson; G Berry; T Jelihovsky; S B Andreas; A J Rogers; S C Fung; A Grimwood; R Thompson Journal: Med J Aust Date: 1987-08-17 Impact factor: 7.738
Authors: Fabio Montanaro; Freddie Bray; Valerio Gennaro; Enzo Merler; Jerzy E Tyczynski; Donald Maxwell Parkin; Marija Strnad; Marie Jechov'a; Hans H Storm; Tiiu Aareleid; Timo Hakulinen; Michel Velten; Hacina Lef'evre; Arlette Danzon; Antoine Buemi; Jean-Pierre Daur'es; François Ménégoz; Nicole Raverdy; Martine Sauvage; Hartwig Ziegler; Harry Comber; Eugenio Paci; Marina Vercelli; Vincenzo De Lisi; Rosario Tumino; Roberto Zanetti; Franco Berrino; Giorgio Stanta; Frøydis Langmark; Jadwiga Rachtan; Ryszard Mezyk; Jerzy Blaszczyk; Plesko Ivan; Maja Primic-Zakelj; Alvaro Cañada Martínez; Isabel Izarzugaza; Joan Borràs; Carmen Martínez Garcia; Isabel Garau; Navarro Carmen Sánchez; Ardanaz Aicua; Lotti Barlow; Joachim Torhorst; Christine Bouchardy; Fabio Levi; Thomas Fisch; Nicole Probst; Otto Visser; Mike Quinn; Anna Gavin; David Brewster; Marica Mikov Journal: Cancer Causes Control Date: 2003-10 Impact factor: 2.506
Authors: Aliya N Husain; Thomas V Colby; Nelson G Ordóñez; Thomas Krausz; Alain Borczuk; Philip T Cagle; Lucian R Chirieac; Andrew Churg; Francoise Galateau-Salle; Allen R Gibbs; Allen M Gown; Samuel P Hammar; Leslie A Litzky; Victor L Roggli; William D Travis; Mark R Wick Journal: Arch Pathol Lab Med Date: 2009-08 Impact factor: 5.534
Authors: A Andrion; C Magnani; P G Betta; A Donna; F Mollo; M Scelsi; P Bernardi; M Botta; B Terracini Journal: J Clin Pathol Date: 1995-09 Impact factor: 3.411