Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2010 Aug 9:2:51-6.
doi: 10.2147/clep.s9908.

Existing data sources for clinical epidemiology: the Danish National Pathology Registry and Data Bank

Rune Erichsen  1 , Timothy L Lash, Stephen J Hamilton-Dutoit, Beth Bjerregaard, Mogens Vyberg, Lars Pedersen
Affiliations

Existing data sources for clinical epidemiology: the Danish National Pathology Registry and Data Bank

Rune Erichsen et al. Clin Epidemiol. .

Abstract

Diagnostic histological and cytological specimens are routinely stored in pathology department archives. These biobanks are a valuable research resource for many diseases, particularly if they can be linked to high quality population-based health registries, allowing large retrospective epidemiological studies to be carried out. Such studies are of significant importance, for example in the search for novel prognostic and predictive biomarkers in the era of personalized medicine. Denmark has a wealth of highly-regarded population-based registries that are ideally suited to conduct this type of epidemiological research. We describe two recent additions to these databases: the Danish National Pathology Registry (DNPR) and its underlying national online registration database, the Danish Pathology Data Bank (DPDB). The DNPR and the DPDB contain detailed nationwide records of all pathology specimens analyzed in Denmark since 1997, and an incomplete but nonetheless valuable record of specimens from some pathology departments dating back to the 1970s. The data are of high quality and completeness and are sufficient to allow precise and efficient localization of the specimens. We describe the relatively uncomplicated procedures required to use these pathology databases in clinical research and to gain access to the archived specimens.

Keywords: cohort profile; epidemiology; paraffin blocks; pathology.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Storm HH, Michelsen EV, Clemmensen IH, Pihl J. The Danish Cancer Registry-history, content, quality and use. Dan Med Bull. 1997;44(5):535–539. - PubMed
    1. Frank L. Epidemiology. When an entire country is a cohort. Science. 2000;287(5462):2398–2399. - PubMed
    1. Vyberg M, Bjerregaard B, Bak M, Gram I, Hvolris H. Pathology database. Danish Society of Pathologic Anatomy and Cytology [In Danish] Dan Med Bull. 2005;167(12–13):1401. - PubMed
    1. Coordinating Group for Individual Patient Registration Common content for registration of histopathology investigations. Report No.: 5. 3rd ed. 2002. [In Danish]. The Danish National Board of Health. Available from: http://www.sst.dk/~/media/Indberetning%20og%20statistik/Sundhedsstyrelse.... Accessed on January 11, 2010.
    1. College of American Pathologists, Chicago Illinois Systemized Nomenclature of Medicine (SNOMED) 2nd ed. 1979. Available from: http://www.cap.org/. Accessed on January 11, 2010.