The database of the Danish Renal Cancer Group

Abstract

Aim of the database

The main purpose of the database of the Danish Renal Cancer Group (DaRenCaData) is to improve the quality of renal cancer treatment in Denmark and secondarily to conduct observational research.

Study population

DaRenCaData includes all Danish patients with a first-time diagnosis of renal cancer in the Danish National Pathology Registry since August 1, 2010.

Main variables

DaRenCaData holds data on demographic characteristics, treatments, and pathology collected through linkage to central registries and online registration of a few clinical key variables. Eight quality indicators have been selected for monitoring treatment quality and outcome after renal cancer.

Descriptive data

The incidence of renal cancer in Denmark has increased from 12.7 per 100,000 population-years in 2010–2011 to 15.9 per 100,000 population-years in 2014–2015. A total of 3,977 Danish patients with renal cancer have been enrolled in the database in the period August 1, 2010–July 31, 2015. The completeness of data registration has increased substantially since the first years of the database. A tendency toward smaller and less advanced tumors, less invasive surgery, and a shorter hospital stay was observed, while the postoperative morbidity and mortality remained stable. Concurrently, the 1-year survival has improved and was 84.1% in 2014–2015.

Conclusion

DaRenCaData provides valuable information on quality of and outcome after renal cancer treatment. Efforts to improve collection and registration of data are ongoing.

Keywords:

• kidney cancer
• database
• clinical quality
• indicators
• incidence
• survival
• observational research

Acknowledgments

All former and current members of DaRenCa (Astrid Petersen, Bjarne Kromann-Andersen, Claus V Jensen, Erik H Larsen, Frede Donskov, Gregers G Hermann, Helle W Hendel, Lars Lund, Lars Ulrich Hansen, Mette Nørgaard, Nessn Azawi, Niels Viggo Jensen, Niels Marcussen, Poul G Geertsen, Torben Dørflinger and Ulla Møldrup) have contributed to the development of the database. This paper was funded by the Program for Clinical Research Infrastructure (PROCRIN) established by the Lundbeck Foundation and the Novo Nordisk Foundation and administered by the Danish Regions.

Disclosure

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.