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. 2014 Dec 1;120 Suppl 23(0 23):3815-25.
doi: 10.1002/cncr.29047.

Bladder cancer collaborative stage variables and their data quality, usage, and clinical implications: a review of SEER data, 2004-2010

Mary E Charlton  1 , Margaret Peggy Adamo, Leon Sun, Sundeep Deorah
Affiliations

Bladder cancer collaborative stage variables and their data quality, usage, and clinical implications: a review of SEER data, 2004-2010

Mary E Charlton et al. Cancer. .

Abstract

Background: Several changes were made to bladder cancer staging guidelines between the 6th and 7th editions of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) Staging Manual. Also, Collaborative Stage (CS) Data Collection System version 2 (CSv2) implemented for 2010 Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) cases involved collection of 3 new site-specific factors (SSFs): World Health Organization/International Society of Urological pathology grade (SSF1), size of metastasis in regional lymph nodes (SSF2), and extranodal extension (SSF3). Our objective was to evaluate these new SSFs to assist researchers in their use/interpretation and to describe data quality issues to be addressed moving forward.

Methods: Staging trends were assessed for invasive and noninvasive bladder cancer cases from 2004 to 2010. Among 2010 cases, staging was compared using the AJCC 6th and 7th edition guidelines, and evaluation of completeness/quality of the SSFs was performed in relevant subgroups.

Results: Age-adjusted incidence rates and proportions of cases by stage remained steady from 2004 to 2010. Changes from the AJCC 6th to 7th editions caused no substantial movement between stages. SSF1 had a known value in 82% of cases, which was higher than the traditional SEER grade/differentiation variable. SSF2 and SSF3 were less complete, with 41% and 37% having known values, respectively, among cases with lymph node involvement (according to CS lymph node variable).

Conclusions: SSF1 was more complete and straightforward to interpret than the traditional grade/differentiation variable. SSF2 and SSF3 were less complete, may be associated with data quality issues, and should only be used among cases with known lymph node involvement.

Keywords: SEER; bladder cancer; data quality; staging.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
This flowchart describes the number of cases included in analyses for each objective.
Figure 2
Figure 2
This graph shows age-adjusted bladder cancer rates by stage, AJCC Cancer Staging Manual, 6th Edition, 2004-2010 (per 100 000 population). Note: Rates are per 100 000 and are age-adjusted to the 2000 US standard population (19 age groups). Data source for all figures: NCI's SEER Program's SEER-18 geographic areas (SEER-18, includes: San Francisco [SF]-Oakland standard metropolitan statistical area [SMSA], Connecticut, Detroit [Metropolitan], Hawaii, Iowa, New Mexico, Seattle [Puget Sound], Utah, Atlanta [Metropolitan], San Jose-Monterey [SJM], Los Angeles, Alaska Natives, Rural Georgia, California excluding SF/SJM/Los Angeles, Kentucky, Louisiana, New Jersey, Greater Georgia). 0a refers to Stage 0 tumors classified as noninvasive papillary transitional carcinoma, and 0is refers to Stage 0 tumors classified as urothelial carcinoma in situ.
Figure 3
Figure 3
This graph illustrates bladder cancer distribution by stage, AJCC 6th edition: comparison of 2004 and 2010 cases, SEER-18. 0a refers to Stage 0 tumors classified as noninvasive papillary transitional carcinoma, and 0is refers to Stage 0 tumors classified as urothelial carcinoma in situ.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Distribution (%) of the Grade/Differentiation variable for Ta/Tis bladder cancer cases from 2004 to 2010, SEER-18. Ta refers to noninvasive papillary transitional carcinoma, and Tis refers to urothelial carcinoma in situ.
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