Seasonal Variations in the Diagnosis of Testicular Germ Cell Tumors: A National Cancer Registry Study in Austria

Cancers

Monika Hackl¹  Josef Fritz²  Stephan Madersbacher³  Lukas Lusuardi⁴  Karl Grubmüller⁵  Andreas Berger⁶  Walter Albrecht⁷  David D’Andrea⁸  Shahrokh F. Shariat⁸  Kilian Gust⁸  Herbert Augustin⁹  Sebastian Graf^1,10  Wolfgang Horninger^1,11  Gennadi Tulchiner^1,11  Nina Staudacher^1,11  Renate Pichler^1,11  Maximilian Seles^1,12  Wolfgang Loidl^1,13  Martin Pichler^1,14 

[1] Austrian National Cancer Registry, Statistics Austria, 1110 Vienna, Austria;Department of Medical Statistics, Informatics and Health Economics, Medical University of Innsbruck, Schöpfstraße 41, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria;Department of Urology and Andrology, Kaiser-Franz-Josef Spital, 1100 Vienna, Austria;Department of Urology and Andrology, Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg, Müllner Hauptstrasse 48, 5020 Salzburg, Austria;Department of Urology and Andrology, University Hospital Krems, Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences, 3500 Krems, Austria;Department of Urology, Academic Teaching Hospital Feldkirch, 6800 Feldkirch, Austria;Department of Urology, Austria and Public Health Agency of Lower Austria, 2130 Mistelbach, Austria;Department of Urology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria;Department of Urology, General Hospital of the City of Klagenfurt, 9020 Klagenfurt, Austria;Department of Urology, Johannes Kepler University Linz, 4040 Linz, Austria;Department of Urology, Medical University Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria;Department of Urology, Medical University of Graz, 8036 Graz, Austria;Department of Urology, Ordensklinikum Linz GmbH Elisabethinen, 4020 Linz, Austria;Research Unit of Non-Coding RNAs and Genome Editing in Cancer, Comprehensive Cancer Center Graz, Division of Clinical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University of Graz, 8036 Graz, Austria;

关键词: detection;    diagnosis;    seasonal variation;    testicular cancer;    vitamin D;    screening;   

DOI  :  10.3390/cancers13215377

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

We conducted a retrospective National Cancer Registry study in Austria to assess a possible seasonal variation in the clinical diagnosis of testicular germ cell tumors (TGCT). In total, 3615 testicular cancer diagnoses were identified during an 11-year period from 2008 to 2018. Rate ratios for the monthly number of TGCT diagnoses, as well as of seasons and half-years, were assessed using a quasi-Poisson model. We identified, for the first time, a statistically significant seasonal trend (p < 0.001) in the frequency of monthly newly diagnosed cases of TGCT. In detail, clear seasonal variations with a reduction in the tumor incidence during the summer months (Apr–Sep) and an increase during the winter months (Oct–Mar) were observed (p < 0.001). Focusing on seasonality, the incidence during the months of Oct–Dec (p = 0.008) and Jan–Mar (p < 0.001) was significantly higher compared to the months of Jul–Sep, respectively. Regarding histopathological features, there is a predominating incidence in the winter months compared to summer months, mainly concerning pure seminomas (p < 0.001), but not the non-seminoma or mixed TGCT groups. In conclusion, the incidence of TGCT diagnoses in Austria has a strong seasonal pattern, with the highest rate during the winter months. These findings may be explained by a delay of self-referral during the summer months. However, the hypothetical influence of vitamin D3 in testicular carcinogenesis underlying seasonal changes in TGCT diagnosis should be the focus of further research.

【 授权许可】

Unknown