Geert Silversmit1, Freija Verdoodt1, Hava Izci2, Tim Tambuyzer1, Jessica Vandeven1, Jérôme Xicluna1, Hans Wildiers3,4, Kevin Punie3,4, Nynke Willers5, Eva Oldenburger3,6, Els Van Nieuwenhuysen3,7, Patrick Berteloot7, Ann Smeets3,8, Ines Nevelsteen3,8, Anne Deblander7, Harlinde De Schutter1, Patrick Neven3,5. 1. Belgian Cancer Registry, Research Department, Brussels, Belgium. 2. Department of Oncology, KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Herestraat 49 box 7003-06, B-3000, Leuven, Belgium. hava.izci@kuleuven.be. 3. Department of Oncology, KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Herestraat 49 box 7003-06, B-3000, Leuven, Belgium. 4. Department of General Medical Oncology, University Hospitals Leuven, B-3000, Leuven, Belgium. 5. Department of Gynecological Oncology, University Hospitals Leuven, B-3000, Leuven, Belgium. 6. Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospitals Leuven, B-3000, Leuven, Belgium. 7. Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospitals Leuven, B-3000, Leuven, Belgium. 8. Department of Surgical Oncology, University Hospitals Leuven, B-3000, Leuven, Belgium.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Registration and coding of cause of death is prone to error since determining the exact underlying condition leading directly to death is challenging. In this study, causes of death from the death certificates were compared to patients' medical files interpreted by experts at University Hospitals Leuven (UHL), to assess concordance between sources and its impact on cancer survival assessment. METHODS: Breast cancer patients treated at UHL (2009-2014) (follow-up until December 31st 2016) were included in this study. Cause of death was obtained from death certificates and expert-reviewed medical files at UHL. Agreement was calculated using Cohen's kappa coefficient. Cause-specific survival (CSS) was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method and the relative survival probability (RS) using the Ederer II and Pohar Perme method. RESULTS: A total of 2862 patients, of whom 354 died, were included. We found an agreement of 84.7% (kappa-value of 0.69 (95% C.I.: 0.62-0.77)) between death certificates and medical files. Death certificates had 10.7% false positive and 4.5% false negative rates. However, five-year CSS and RS measures were comparable for both sources. CONCLUSION: For breast cancer patients included in our study, fair agreement of cause of death was seen between death certificates and medical files with similar CSS and RS estimations.
BACKGROUND: Registration and coding of cause of death is prone to error since determining the exact underlying condition leading directly to death is challenging. In this study, causes of death from the death certificates were compared to patients' medical files interpreted by experts at University Hospitals Leuven (UHL), to assess concordance between sources and its impact on cancer survival assessment. METHODS:Breast cancerpatients treated at UHL (2009-2014) (follow-up until December 31st 2016) were included in this study. Cause of death was obtained from death certificates and expert-reviewed medical files at UHL. Agreement was calculated using Cohen's kappa coefficient. Cause-specific survival (CSS) was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method and the relative survival probability (RS) using the Ederer II and Pohar Perme method. RESULTS: A total of 2862 patients, of whom 354 died, were included. We found an agreement of 84.7% (kappa-value of 0.69 (95% C.I.: 0.62-0.77)) between death certificates and medical files. Death certificates had 10.7% false positive and 4.5% false negative rates. However, five-year CSS and RS measures were comparable for both sources. CONCLUSION: For breast cancerpatients included in our study, fair agreement of cause of death was seen between death certificates and medical files with similar CSS and RS estimations.
Entities:
Keywords:
Breast cancer; Cause of death; Cause-specific survival; Death certificates; Misclassification; Relative survival
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