Cancer registration data and quality indicators in low and middle income countries: their interpretation and potential use for the improvement of cancer care

Cancer registration data plays a major role in the design and monitoring of cancer control activities and policies, and population-based cancer registries (PBCR) are the main source of information. In developed countries, the healthcare infrastructure enables the registration of quality cancer data. In low and middle Income countries (LMIC), where health care facilities are limited or scarce, cancer registration data may be of low quality. The aim of this article is to demonstrate the value of cancer incidence data for LMIC, even when quality is questionable, as well as to attempt to interpret the messages that the quality indicators convey both for cancer registration and the healthcare system. The study of data submitted to the Cancer incidence in five continents, volume nine (CI5-IX) leads to the conclusion that when PBCR from LMIC cannot provide good quality data it may indicate a deficiency that goes above and beyond the registrar ability. The quality control indicators evaluated provide insight on local conditions for cancer diagnosis and care. Low data quality not only signals lack of collaboration among reporting sources and the inability of the registrar to perform quality abstracting, but also points to specific weaknesses of the cancer care system and can guide improvement goals and efforts.     

Medical oncology manpower training: a position statement of the American Society of Clinical Oncology

The evolution of Medical Oncology is facing its first major crisis, that of oversupply of trained oncologists. The tabulated number of certified medical oncologists does not constitute all of the physicians practicing Medical Oncology in the United States. Because of the adequate supply of medical oncologists in clinical practice, but a deficiency of academic oncologists dedicated to research careers, a reduction in training programs should emphasize those programs that lack research opportunities. These recommendations are in keeping with the report of the Long-Range Planning Committee of the American Society of Clinical Oncology of March 21, 1984. Plans to expedite these goals are being established.     

Tumour lysis syndrome and the anaesthesiologist: intensive care aspects of paediatric oncology

Children presenting with advanced leukaemia and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma may develop life-threatening complications in the early stages of management. Major metabolic disturbances with encephalopathy, septicaemic shock, pneumonitis, massive haemorrhage, or the physical effects of tumour masses may on occasion warrant intensive therapy. Close liaison between paediatric oncologists, oncological surgeons, and anesthesiologists is essential in establishing admission criteria for such cases and in defining therapeutic end points in the event of multisystem failure. This paper discusses the principles of intensive care management of patients with haematological malignancies by considering two cases who developed the tumour lysis syndrome with respiratory and renal failure. A case associated with metabolic encephalopathy is also described.     

Clinical presentation and diagnostic workup for community-acquired pneumonia: the Gulf Corporation Council CAP Working Group consensus statement

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is diagnosed on the basis of a suggestive history and compatible physical findings and new infiltrates on a chest radiograph. No criteria or combination of criteria based on history and physical examination have been found to be gold standard. With the rise in elderly Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) residents, CAP is likely to present with non-classical manifestations such as somnolence, new anorexia, and confusion and carries a worse outcome than CAP in their younger counterparts. Tuberculosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of unresolving CAP in the GCC region. Diagnostic work up depends on severity of CAP, clinical course and underlying risk factors.     

Guidance for the management of breast cancer treatment-induced bone loss: a consensus position statement from a UK Expert Group

In postmenopausal women, the use of aromatase inhibitors increases bone turnover and induces bone loss at sites rich in trabecular bone at an average rate of 1-3% per year leading to an increase in fracture incidence compared to that seen during tamoxifen use. The bone loss is much more marked in young women with treatment-induced ovarian suppression followed by aromatase inhibitor therapy (average 7-8% per annum). Pre-treatment with tamoxifen for 2-5 years may reduce the clinical significance of the adverse bone effects associated with aromatase inhibitors, particularly if this leads to a shortening in the duration of exposure to an aromatase inhibitor. However, skeletal status should still be assessed at the commencement of aromatase inhibitor therapy. The rate of bone loss in women who experience a premature menopause before the age of 45 or are receiving ovarian suppression therapy is accelerated by the concomitant use of aromatase inhibitors. These patients are considered to be at high risk of clinically important bone loss and should have a baseline dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) assessment of bone mineral density (BMD). Randomised clinical trials in postmenopausal women indicate that bisphosphonates prevent the bone loss and accelerated bone turnover associated with aromatase inhibitor therapy and are a promising strategy for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis in this setting. Treatment initiation recommendations are based on a combination of risk factors for osteoporotic fracture and BMD levels. Bisphosphonates, along with a healthy lifestyle and adequate intake of calcium and vitamin D are the treatments of choice to prevent bone loss. Due to the rate of bone loss associated with breast cancer treatments, and uncertainties about the interaction between aromatase inhibitor use and BMD for fracture risk, the threshold for intervention has been set at a higher level than that generally recommended for postmenopausal osteoporosis. Management recommendations have been summarised in two algorithms, one for women experiencing a premature menopause and the other for postmenopausal women requiring adjuvant aromatase inhibitor therapy.     

Palliative care activity in a medical oncology unit: the implications for oncology training

There has been a nationwide reorganization of cancer services since publication of the Calman-Hine report, which encourages the integration of high-quality palliative care into all areas of cancer provision. Details of the daily clinical care activity for medical oncology inpatients are not collected routinely. A prospective survey of activity was carried out in a large teaching hospital, in order to ascertain the extent to which palliative care is exercised in a medical oncology unit, alongside other aspects of care provision. Almost a quarter (23%) of the admissions were for palliative care, either alone or in combination with another aspect of care. Palliative care activity accounted for 34% (169 bed-days) of daily activity, compared with 32% (163 bed-days) for the administration of chemotherapy. A high proportion of patients receive palliative care on medical oncology wards, consideration therefore needs to be given to the place of formal training in palliative medicine for oncology trainees.