Open AccessCancer of the breast, colon, ovary, and testis in the United States: rates 1970-78 from a hospital reporting system.
Author(s) -
Jane Porter,
Alexander M. Walker,
Hershel Jick
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
american journal of public health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.284
H-Index - 264
eISSN - 1541-0048
pISSN - 0090-0036
DOI - 10.2105/ajph.74.6.585
Subject(s) - incidence (geometry) , medicine , breast cancer , cancer , gynecology , ovarian cancer , ovary , hospital discharge , cancer registry , colorectal cancer , oncology , demography , physics , sociology , optics
We have explored the use of data from the Commission on Professional and Hospital Activities-Professional Activity Study ( CPHA -PAS) for ascertaining information on cancer incidence, with regional breakdowns. Extirpative surgical procedures were linked with discharge diagnoses to provide estimates of numbers of incident cases. We calculated incidence rates for four cancers: breast, colon, ovary, and testis. CPHA -PAS inferred rates corresponded closely to those of other reporting systems for breast cancer in most age groups, and for colonic and testicular cancer in some age groups. Ovarian cancer rates were consistently underestimated. We conclude that a cancer incidence reporting scheme based on hospital discharge data can work for certain cancers, and be very inexpensive and efficient. It must, however, be used with care.