The features of this new volume, in line with previous monographs of IICC and the Cancer Incidence in Five Continents series, will help to ensure the high quality and comparability of the published data:
- The methodologies of data collection, validation, analysis, and evaluation follow international standards recommended by IACR.
- A set of criteria has been useed to evaluate the quality and comparability of each submitted dataset, taking into account the variations in the existing standards in the world regions.
- The datasets selected for publication in IICC-3 complied with the requirements of the peer review process developed by the Editors of the publication.
- Specific software automated the processing of the datasets as much as possible.
While the new monograph will continue the existing series, it will be distinguished by the following characteristics:
- The target period covers the years starting with 1990. Thus, the length of the reporting period may be extended to 20 years, compared with the 10-year target period in IICC-1 and IICC-2, according to the availability of data in the registries.
- An age range of 0-19 years are targeted instead of the 0-14 years age range in IICC-1 and IICC-2, but the age range continues to be 0-14 years for those paediatric cancer registries, which do not collect data on patients older than 15 years.
- Tumours are classified according to the International Classification of Childhood Cancer, 3rd edition (ICCC-3) [21], based on the coding system of the International Classification of Diseases for Oncology, 3rd edition (ICD-O-3) [7]. An update of ICCC-3 is prepared in view of the publication of the updated WHO classifications of tumours of the central nervous system [10], of haematopoietic malignancies [28], and other concurrent updates: tumours of the digestive system [3], tumours of the breast [9], tumours of soft tissue and bone [4], tumours of female reproductive organs [8], tumours of the lung, pleura, thymus and heart [29], tumours of the central nervous system [11], and tumours of the urinary system and male genital organs [13].
- Only population-based registries were invited and accepted to contribute.
- All contributing registries were expected to be members of IACR.
- The volume will be published in both print and electronic formats.
The choice of the age range 0-19 years for IICC-3 wherever available was motivated by several factors:
- Some tumour types that are common among children peak in the age group 15-19 years.
- ICCC-3 is arguably better adapted to classify tumours occurring in adolescence than the ICD coding system used in Cancer Incidence in Five Continents for tumours in people of all ages.
- There is a need for a common treatment strategy of many cancer types occurring in children (age 0-14 years) and adolescents (age 15-19 years) [2]; awareness of cancer in the neglected age group of adolescents will be facilitated.
- There is a growing tendency to consider cancers in adolescents alongside those in children, notably after a SEER Program publication that included both [20]. Some childhood cancer registries are planning or starting collection of data for the age group 15-19 years.
Inclusion of the age group 15-19 years requires adaptation of data processing and presentation; for example:
- more records per registry to process;
- a larger number of registries (e.g. in countries with large paediatric cancer registries as well as general cancer registries);
- modified layout of tables to accommodate a larger number of statistics; and
- inclusion of data checks specific for the age group 15-19 years.