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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Natalia Melnikova, MD, PhD, Division of Health Studies, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, 1600 Clifton Rd, Mail Stop E-31, Atlanta, GA 30333, 404-498-0581, nbm6@cdc.gov, Lisa M. Roche, MPH, PhD, State of New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, Cancer Epidemiology Services, P.O. BOX 369, Trenton, NJ 08625-0369, and Karen Pawlish, ScD, State of New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, Cancer Epidemiology Services, P.O.BOX 369, Trenton, NJ 08625-0369.

Mesothelioma is an aggressive tumor of mesothelial tissue that in a majority of cases is caused by exposure to asbestos. The purpose of this study was to determine if population-based cancer registries are a good source of newly diagnosed mesothelioma cases to identify and interview for possible exposure information. Cases were NJ residents with mesothelioma (ICD-O histology codes 9050-9053) diagnosed between October 1, 2002-March 31, 2004. Cases were rapidly ascertained through monthly visits and phone calls to NJ hospitals. The NJSCR database was periodically checked for cases missed by rapid case ascertainment, including cases diagnosed and treated out-of-state. Because of the high mortality rate among the mesothelioma cases, we attempted to contact the cases as soon as possible. The criterion of success was at least 25% completed interviews from the total number of mesothelioma cases reported. Of the 199 eligible cases, only 18 % completed the interview; 58% were deceased before they could be interviewed, 8% refused (or their physician refused), and 15% were unable to be interviewed, usually because they were too ill. Conclusion: Additional methods of obtaining information on patients with mesothelioma and other aggressive malignancies are needed. One option is next-of-kin interviews which were also conducted in this study. Future analyses will include a comparison of case interviews with their next-of-kin interviews.

Learning Objectives:

• Evaluation of using a population based Cancer Registries for agressive malignancies case identification and interview.

Keywords: Surveillance, Methodology

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered