Contemporary accuracy of death certificates for coding prostate cancer as a cause of death: Is reliance on death certification good enough? A comparison with blinded review by an independent cause of death evaluation committee.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Accurate cause of death assignment is crucial for prostate cancer epidemiology and trials reporting prostate cancer-specific mortality outcomes.

Methods

We compared death certificate information with independent cause of death evaluation by an expert committee within a prostate cancer trial (2002-2015).

Results

Of 1236 deaths assessed, expert committee evaluation attributed 523 (42%) to prostate cancer, agreeing with death certificate cause of death in 1134 cases (92%, 95% CI: 90%, 93%). The sensitivity of death certificates in identifying prostate cancer deaths as classified by the committee was 91% (95% CI: 89%, 94%); specificity was 92% (95% CI: 90%, 94%). Sensitivity and specificity were lower where death occurred within 1 year of diagnosis, and where t

SUBMITTER: Turner EL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4931376 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature