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Incidence of neuroepithelial primary brain tumors among adult population of Emilia-Romagna Region, Italy

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An Erratum to this article was published on 10 December 2016

Abstract

Incidence of neuroepithelial Primary Brain Tumors (nPBT) varies, ranging from 7.3 to 11.6 cases/100,000/year across Europe. We present incidence and survival of nPBT in the Emilia-Romagna region (ER), Italy. This study is the largest in Southern Europe. Specialists in neurosurgery, neurology, neuroradiology, oncology, radiotherapy, genetics, and pathology of ER notified all suspected nPBT adult cases residing in ER (4,337,966 inhabitants) observed during 2009. Furthermore, through ICD-9 discharge codes, we identified and reviewed all possible cases. Neuroepithelial PBT diagnosis was based on histological or radiological findings. We included 400 incident nPBT cases, of which 102 (25%) were retrospectively identified. These latter were significantly older. The standardized incidence was 10.5/100,000/year (95% CI 9.4–11.5), higher for men. It was 9.2/100,000/year (95% CI 8.3–10.2) for astrocytic tumors, 0.6/100,000/year (95% CI 0.4–0.9) for oligodendroglial tumors, and 7.1 (95% CI 6.3–8.0) for glioblastoma (GBM). Among GBM patients, median survival was 249 days if prospectively identified vs. 132 days when identified through ICD-9 codes (p < 0.0001). The incidence of nPBT in the ER region is among the highest in the literature. Older patients were more likely to escape an active surveillance system. This should be considered when comparing incidence rates across studies, giving the increasing number of elderly people in the general population.

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Acknowledgements

The PERNO Study group (Affiliations are indicated between brackets).

Steering committee:

Baruzzi A. (Chair), Albani F., Calbucci F., D’Alessandro R., Michelucci R. (IRCCS Institute of Neurological Sciences, Bologna, Italy), Brandes A. (Department of Medical Oncology, Bellaria-Maggiore Hospitals, Bologna, Italy), Eusebi V. (Department of Hematology and Oncological Sciences “L. & A. Seragnoli” Section of Anatomic Pathology at Bellaria Hospital, Bologna, Italy), Ceruti S., Fainardi E., Tamarozzi R. (Neuroradiology Unit, Department of Neurosciences and Rehabilitation, S. Anna Hospital, Ferrara, Italy), Emiliani E. (Istituto Oncologico Romagnolo, Departmentof Medical Oncology, Santa Maria delle Croci Hospital, Ravenna, Italy), Cavallo M. (Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Neurosciences and Rehabilitation, S. Anna Hospital, Ferrara, Italy).

Executive committee:

Franceschi E., Tosoni A. (Department of Medical Oncology, Bellaria-Maggiore Hospitals, Bologna, Italy), Cavallo M. (Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Neurosciences and Rehabilitation, S. Anna Hospital,Ferrara, Italy), Fiorica F. (Department of Radiation Oncology, S. Anna Hospital, Ferrara, Italy), Valentini A. (Division of Neurosurgery, Nuovo Ospedale Civile S. Agostino-Estense, Baggiovara, Modena, Italy), Depenni R. (Department of Oncology, Policlinico di Modena, Italy), Mucciarini C. (Department of Oncology, Ramazzini Hospital, Carpi, Modena, Italy), Crisi G. (Department of Neuroradiology, Maggiore Hospital, Parma, Italy), Sasso E. (Department of Neurological Sciences, Maggiore Hospital, Parma, Italy), Biasini C., Cavanna L. (Department of Oncology and Hematology, Guglielmo da Saliceto Hospital, Piacenza, Italy), Guidetti D. (Department of Neurology, Guglielmo da Saliceto Hospital, Piacenza,Italy), Marcello N., Pisanello A. (Department of Neurology, Istituto tecnologie avanzate e modelli assistenziali in oncologia, IRCCS, S. Maria Nuova Hospital, Reggio Emilia, Italy), Cremonini A. M., Guiducci G. (Division of Neurosurgery, M. Bufalini Hospital, Cesena, Italy).

Registry Coordination Office: de Pasqua S., Testoni S. (IRCCS Institute of Neurological Sciences, Bologna, Italy).

Participants:

Agati R., Ambrosetto G., Bacci A., Baldin E., Baldrati A., Barbieri E., Bartolini S., Bellavista E., Bisulli F., Bonora E., Bunkheila F., Carelli V., Crisci M., Dall’Occa P., Ferro S., Franceschi C., Frezza G., GrassoV., Leonardi M., Mostacci B., Palandri G., Pasini E., Pastore Trossello M., Poggi R, Riguzzi P., Rinaldi R., Rizzi S., Romeo G., Spagnolli F., Tinuper P., Trocino C. (Bologna), Dall’Agata M., Faedi M., Frattarelli M., Gentili G., Giovannini A., Iorio P., Pasquini U., Galletti G., Guidi C., Neri W., Patuelli A., Strumia S. (Forlı`-Cesena), Casmiro M., Gamboni.A., Rasi F.(Faenza, RA), Cruciani G. (Lugo, RA), Cenni P., Dazzi C., Guidi AR., Zumaglini F. (Ravenna), Amadori A., Pasini G., Pasquinelli M., Pasquini E., Polselli A., Ravasio A., Viti B. (Rimini), Sintini M. (Cattolica, RN), Ariatti A., Bertolini F., Bigliardi G., Carpeggiani P., Cavalleri F., Meletti S., Nichelli P., Pettorelli E., Pinna G., Zunarelli E. (Modena), Artioli F., Bernardini I., Costa M., Greco G., Guerzoni R., Stucchi C. (Carpi, MO), Iaccarino C., Ragazzi M., Rizzi R., Zuccoli G. (Reggio Emilia), Api P., Cartei F., Fallica E., Granieri E., Latini F., Lelli G., Monetti C., Saletti A., Schivalocchi R., Seraceni S., Tola M.R., Urbini B. (Ferrara), Giorgi C., Montanari E. (Fidenza, PR), Cerasti D., Crafa P., Dascola I., Florindo I., Giombelli E., Mazza S., Ramponi V., Servadei F., Silini EM., Torelli P. (Parma), Immovilli P., Morelli N., Vanzo C. (Piacenza), Nobile C. (Padova).

Full affiliations and e-mail addresses of PERNO participants are available on the study Website: www.perno.it.

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Correspondence to Roberto D’Alessandro.

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Funding

This study was funded by the “Research Program Regione-Università 2007–2009” Area 1a: Innovative Research-Progetto Emiliano-Romagnolo di Neuro-Oncologia (PERNO) (Emilia-Romagna region project). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

Conflict of interest

None of the authors have any financial interest in relation to this study or its results.

Additional information

Membership of the PERNO Study Group is provided in the Acknowledgments.

An erratum to this article is available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10072-016-2786-4.

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Baldin, E., Testoni, S., de Pasqua, S. et al. Incidence of neuroepithelial primary brain tumors among adult population of Emilia-Romagna Region, Italy. Neurol Sci 38, 255–262 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-016-2747-y

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