title: Urinary tract cancer survival in Europe 1999-2007: Results of the population-based study EUROCARE-5.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This work presents relative survival estimates regarding urinary tract tumours among adult patients (age⩾15years) diagnosed in Europe. It reports on survival estimates of cases diagnosed in 2000-2007, and on survival time trends from 1999-2001 to 2005-2007.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data on 677,340 adult urinary tract tumour patients, (429,154 cases of invasive and non-invasive bladder and 248,186 cases of invasive kidney cancers) diagnosed between 2000 and 2007 were provided by 86 population-based cancer registries from 29 European countries. The complete approach was used to estimate survival in 2000-2007; the period approach was used to estimate survival over time.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The age-standardised 5-year relative survival for patients with kidney tumours diagnosed in Europe during 2000-2007 was 60%. The best prognosis was observed in Southern and Central Europe and prognosis improved in all regions along the time period. For invasive and non-invasive patients with bladder tumours combined the age-standardised 5-year relative survival in Europe was 68%. The best prognosis was observed in Southern and Northern Europe. However, in Scotland and The Netherlands the relative survival was significantly lower, although the survival estimates for these two countries were based on invasive tumours only.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Differences in registration practices affect comparisons of survival values between European countries, especially in patients with urinary bladder cancers. The between-country variation in survival is influenced by the varying use of diagnostic investigation in urinary tract tumours. Further data on stage at diagnosis can help to elucidate the influence of diagnostic intensity or early diagnosis on the survival patterns.
authors.affiliation: Epidemiology Unit and Girona Cancer Registry (Oncology Coordination Plan), Department of Health, Autonomous Government of Catalonia, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Girona Biomedical Research Institute, Girona, Spain. Electronic address: rmarcos@iconcologia.net.
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Marcos-Gragera
authors.affiliation: National Centre for Epidemiology Surveillance and Health Promotion (CNESPS), National Institute of Health (Istituto Superiore di Sanità), Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mallone
authors.affiliation: Radboud University Medical Centre, Radboud Institute for Health Sciences, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Lambertus A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Kiemeney
authors.affiliation: Epidemiology Unit and Girona Cancer Registry (Oncology Coordination Plan), Department of Health, Autonomous Government of Catalonia, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Girona Biomedical Research Institute, Girona, Spain.
authors.forename: Loreto
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vilardell
authors.affiliation: Genetic and Molecular Epidemiology, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Núria
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Malats
authors.affiliation: APHP, Hôpitaux Universitaires Henri Mondor, Créteil, France.
authors.forename: Yves
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Allory
authors.affiliation: Analytical Epidemiology and Health Impact Unit, Department of Preventive and Predictive Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Milena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sant
keywords: Cancer survival; EUROCARE; Kidney cancer; Population-based cancer registries; Urinary bladder tumours