Cancer epidemiology

Question 1

What is relative survival?

Answer 1

A measure representing the length of survival with cancer in a theoretical situation when there is no other cause of death.

Question 2

Why do survival rates need to be standardised?

Answer 2

All types of cancer have a different mean onset and risk of death. e.g. Later onset cancer carries a higher risk of death due to the increased age

Question 3

What is the main focus of cancer survivorship?

Answer 3

Quality of survival, particularly in childhood cancer survivors as they have many decades left to live

Question 4

Why have survival rates increased?

Answer 4

Multiagent chemo and improved radiotherapy
Earlier detection due to screening
Better diagnostic tests
Healthier populations in general
Socioeconomic status - more deaths in more deprived but deprivation is slowly reducing

Question 5

What did the British Cancer survivor study look at?

Answer 5

• Estimate risk of adverse health and social outcomes among survivors and their offspring
• Risk of recurrence in first degree relatives of survivors
• Effects on pregnancy

Question 6

What happens to the recurrence of mortality rate with each year since childhood diagnosis?

Answer 6

Decreases - become more likely to die from other causes than primary cancer

Question 7

What are the most common second primary cancers to occur?

Answer 7

Digestive
Genitourinary
Breast
Lung

Question 8

What causes provide a higher risk of death than cancer with increases survivorship?

Answer 8

Cardiovascular, respiratory, second primary cancers, non-neoplastic

Question 9

What is the change in smoking behaviour of cancer survivors?

Answer 9

50% less likely to smoke

Question 10

What did the Cancer study provide evidence for?

Answer 10

Counselling, education and guidelines
Clinical follow ups
Care plans
Advice and education for HCP
Identifying low risk groups
Health economic evaluations