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Non-cancer mortality among people diagnosed with lymphohaematopoietic neoplasm in Australia
Peter D Baade1, Jill A Royle, David J Joske
1Viertel Centre for Research in Cancer Control, Cancer Council of Queensland, PO Box 201, Spring Hill, QLD 4001, Australia. peterbaade@cancerqld.org.au
Objectives:
There is some evidence that people diagnosed with cancer have increased risks of dying from other diseases. This may particularly be so for cancers such as the lymphohaematopoietic neoplasms (LHN) which are now managed more as chronic diseases than acute events.
Methods:
The non-cancer mortality of people diagnosed with LHN in Australia between 1982 and 2006 was compared to the mortality of the age- and sex-matched Australian population.
Results:
Australians diagnosed with LHN had about an 80% higher risk (SMR = 1.82; 95% CI = 1.79-1.85) of dying from a non-cancer cause of death than the general population, with this increased risk particularly evident in the first 3-12 months after diagnosis. While the relative risk varied by LHN subtypes, all had an inflated relative risk. Despite younger patients having a lower absolute mortality risk, their relative mortality risk was particularly high; this decreased as age increased. The causes of death with the highest relative risks were infections and diseases of blood and blood-forming organs.
Conclusions:
The consistently increased risks of non-cancer causes of death compared to the general population for patients diagnosed with LHN highlight the importance that general practitioners and haematologists should bear in mind the patient's other medical conditions as well as the LHN diagnosis.
