European Journal of Cancer: Highlights of Issue 38:05

'SAS macro' - the key to using period analyses?

Raltitrexed or 5-fluorouracil for the treatment of advanced colorectal cancer

Period analysis is a new method of survival analysis. It reflects the survival of patients within a recent calender period, using the survival experience of patients diagnosed previously. It can therefore be more up to date taking into consideration recent changes in treatment. However, its application has been hindered due to a lack of computer programs to facilitate carrying out such analyses. Brenner and colleagues have therefore designed a program which they designate ‘SAS macro’ that can be used to produce period analyses of both absolute and relative survival rates using data that is commonly available in population- based cancer registries. They used data from the nationwide Finnish cancer registry to examine its applicability and present their results, as well as the design of the program, in this issue. Thus, their program could provide ‘the key’ to the more widespread use of period analyses.

Update on the molecular mechanisms involved in paediatric embryonic brain tumours.

Dr. Gilbertson’s review in this issue (as part of our Paediatric Update series I) of the molecular pathways of childhood tumours is timely because chemotherapy has less of an impact on the course of intra-cranial tumours as on the extra-cranial solid tumours and the acute leukaemias. The rapidly increasing knowledge about chromosomal analyses raises the possibility of deriving targeted molecular therapies that could help in the diagnosis of patients or become available for therapeutic trials. Dr. Gilbertson concludes that “these goals will only be met by close collaboration between the clinic and laboratory” and “that consistent cure of these terrible childhood diseases with minimal long-term side-effects is the final objective”.

Launch of a series of reviews from data presented at ECCO11!

A series of reviews were commissioned based on the teaching lectures given by renown experts at the ECCO11 conference in Lisbon this year. The first of these reviews by Dr. Schlumberger is included in this issue and describes epidemiological, clinical and experimental aspects of thyroid cancer after radiation exposure. He discusses the modification of risk associated with age at exposure, gender and individual susceptibility and provides an update on the consequences of the Chernobyl accident. Dr. Schlumberger summarises that exposure to children should be avoided, as well as exposure through the treatment of benign lesions or through diagnostic techniques and that children should receive immediate prophylaxis treatment with potassium iodide following accidental exposure.

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