Hisashige A; Health Technology Assessment International. Meeting (2nd : 2005 : Rome, Italy).
Ital J Public Health. 2005; 2: 251.
Institute of Healthcare Technology Assessment, 2-24-10 Shomachi, Tokushima, 770-0044 Japan Tel: 81-88-631-3313, Fax: 81-88-631-3313, E-mail: akih@k3.dion.ne.jp
Objectives: Neuroblastoma (NB) is one of the most malignant neoplasms in childhood. In Japan, a nationwide screening program at six months of age was introduced in 1985. We have conducted a retrospective cohort study to evaluate the efficacy of HPLC screening for NB, and previously mortality reduction due to this screening, last year. This time, we present the results of the incidence of NB. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was carried out by collecting data of HPLC screening and NB patients in twenty-five prefectures of Japan, and compared an incidence rate of NB in total, and classified by stage, after 6 months old, between screened children (participants of the program) and concurrent non-screened children (non-participants) in the same study population. The study cohort consisted of 4.31 million children, and the total number of observed person-years was 23 million. Results: The hazard ratios (95% CI) of incidence of NB in the early stage (i.e., I, II and IVs), between the screened group and the non-screened group, were 9.6 (4.8-19.2) for children aged less than 1 year, and 0.7 (0.3-1.4) for children aged 1 to 4. Those of NB in the advanced stage (i.e., III and IV) were 1.8 (1.0-3.2) for children aged less than 1 year, 0.4 (0.3-0.6) for children aged 1 to 4, and 0.4 (0.1-1.6) for aged 5 to 7. In the case of NB in the stage of IV only, they were 0.8 (0.4-1.9) for children aged less than 1 year, 0.3 (0.3-0.6) for children aged 1 to 4, and 0.6 (0.1-3.0) for aged 5 to 7. Discussion: In this study, the screening identified a large number of NB in the early stage and resulted in marked increase of its incidence in the screened group. However, after that, it decreased the incidence of NB in the advanced stage among them. These findings strongly suggest the efficacy of this screening, and were consistent with the results on mortality.
Publication Types:
Keywords:
- Aged
- Aging
- Child
- Cohort Studies
- Humans
- Incidence
- Japan
- Mass Screening
- Neoplasm Staging
- Nervous System Neoplasms
- Neuroblastoma
- Retrospective Studies
- Weights and Measures
- epidemiology
- hsrmtgs
UI: 103141291
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