https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/144 2026-04-17T19:04:55Z 2026-04-17T19:04:55Z Allemani, Claudia Di Carlo, Veronica Ssenyonga, Naomi Khan Baloch, Fatima Kuehni, Claudia Girardi, Fabio Goić, Carolina Sophiea, Marisa K. Šekerija, Mario Espinoza-Vallejos, Carla Dadouli, Katerina Sugiyama, Hiromi Galceran, Jaume Cañete-Nieto, Adela Ragusa, Rosalia Moreno, Florencia Stiller, Charles Coleman, Michel P. Bouzbid, Sabiha Amarouche, Soumaya Boussouf, Nadir Hamdi-Chérif, Mokhtar Lamia, Kara Ladipo, Akinade Ogunbiyi, Olufemi J. Alcaraz, Claude Chirpaz, Emmanuel Somdyala, Nontuthuzelo I.M. Chaplin, María Agustina Moreno, Florencia Rocke, Kern Sobers, Natasha P. Alexandre-Moreira, Magna S. Barros, Herbert C.S. da Silva, Brenda E.B. Lima, Carlos A. Ferreira Ramos Neto, Walmiro Lima Vazquez, Fabiana Pena, Gil P.M. Nativio, Juliana De Souza, Paulo César F. Chaves, Juliana Laporte, Cyntia A. Daniel, Cristiane B. de Sousa Reis, Márcia Cristina do Valle, Karine Meireles Oliveira, Jose Carlos Veneziano, Claudia L.A. Veneziano, Donaldo B. de Almeida Gil, Roberto Rebelo, Marise S. Azevedo e Silva, Gulnar Armstrong, Heather M. Quesnel-Crooks, Sarah Cossani, Gianfranco Montiel, Alvaro L. Paz Sandoval, María Núñez, Kelly G. Espinoza-Vallejos, Carla Rosas, Karen Herrmann, Denise A. Vargas, Solange M. Goić, Carolina Garcia, Christian R. Cerda, Patricia A. Hormiga Sánchez, Claudia M. Uribe, Claudia J. Cortés Buelvas, Armando D. Grillo Ardila, Elvia Karina Arias-Ortiz, Nelson E. Giraldo-Osorio, Alexandra Bravo Goyes, Luisa M. Casas Cruz, Harold M. Delgado, Sandra Torres, Adriana Fernández Garrote, Leticia M. Galán Alvarez, Yaima H. Campoverde Arevalo, Nicolas Luciano Orbe Muñoz, Maria Jose Jaramillo Feijoo, Leyda Elizabeth Real Cotto, Jhony Joe Castillo, Jhoanna M. Gomez, Anny González, Juan Tarupi, Wilmer Carranza Mena, Monica L. Fuentes-Alabi, Soad Drak Alsibai, Kinan Nacher, Mathieu Bhakkan, Bernard Deloumeaux, Jacqueline Balcarcel, Tatiana Garrido, Claudia P. Joachim, Clarisse Macni, Jonathan Rivera Gomez, Rebeca Medina Fernández, Luis E. Rodriguez Zea, Berenice Perez, Patricia Poquioma, Ebert Ortiz-Ortiz, Karen J. Torres-Cintrón, Carlos R. Felix, Nkese S. Prince-Joseph, Emily Alonso, Rafael Musetti, Carina Eckstrand, Angela Shack, Lorraine Simkin, Jonathan Woods, Ryan R. Fukumura, Sheila Turner, Donna Kumar, Eshwar Zhang, Bin Dowden, Jeff J. Doyle, Gregory P. Jeffrey, Sarah Workman, Peter Saint-Jacques, Nathalie Walsh, Gordon De, Prithwish Norwood, Todd A. McClure, Carol A. Phillips, Karen A.M. Davis, Laci Kozie, Serena Freeman, Tara George, Justin T. Avila, Rosa M. Cleaton, Julie Doyle, Dana Yee, Georgia Collins, Lindsay M. Ramirez Aguilar, Daniela Almon, Lyn Kwong, Sandy Morris, Cyllene Arend, John Somma, Valerie Gonsalves, Lou Nagarajan, Sumitha Ross, Wilhelmina Ruterbusch, Julie Schwartz, Ann G. Woods, Alfreda Lee, David J. Levin, Gary M. Bayakly, Rana Ward, Kevin C. Lichtensztajn, Daphne McKinley, Meg Rees, Judy R. Shrestha, Anshu Hernandez, Brenda Y. Yamamoto, Amy M.M. Johnson, Christopher J. Morawski, Bozena M. Koch, Lori Aiypkhanova, Ainur Eisele, Taylor Bentler, Suzanne Charlton, Mary E. Garimella, Sarma Lai, Sue-Min Durbin, Eric B. Huang, Bin Tucker, Thomas C. Liu, Lihua Hsieh, Mei-Chin Wu, Xiao-Cheng Bancroft, Carolyn Hayes, Jennifer H. Leo, Benjamin R. Knowlton, Richard C. Alverson, Georgetta Weaver, Tamara Desai, Jay Highsmith, Mona Rogers, Deirdre B. Zachary, Iris Lemons, Debbi Zimmerman, Heather J. Ross, Wilhelmina Watson, Mark Ogushi, Aundrea Reed, Rani Hammond, Whitney Rees, Judith R. Paddock, Lisa E. Stroup, Antoinette M. Meisner, Angela W. Wiggins, Charles Insaf, Tabassum Z. Qiao, Baozhen Rao, Chandrika Simsek, Fatma Christina Oancea, S. Zheng, Yun Bunt, Emily Slocumb, Roberta M. Carter, Meagan Beran, Todd Aldinger, Wendy Oh, Junhie Janes, Tiffany A. Schwartz, Stephen M. Chiodini, Stephanie C. Kase, Bezawit Whiteside, Martin A. Musonda, Keisha L. Pruitt, Sandi L. Herget, Kimberly A. Millar, Morgan M. Flaherty, Michael Kachajian, Jennifer Keitheri Cheteri, Mahesh B. Migliore Santiago, Patti Blankenship, Steven E. Conaway, Jaunita L. Link Reeve, Jessica Swander, Lena C. Espinoza, Julia Grandpre, Joseph O’Neil, Mary Elizabeth Weir, Hannah K. Wilson, Reda Mariotto, Angela Bhakta, Nickhill H. Rodriguez-Galindo, Carlos Ong, Sokking Leong, Elvynna Chen, Wan-Qing Wei, Wenqiang Demetriou, Anna V. Kazanjan, Konstantine Mathur, Prashant Agustina, Julyanti Khairina, Desy Keinan-Boker, Lital Silverman, Barbara G. Ito, Hidemi Koyanagi, Yuriko Sato, Masako Tobori, Fumio Matsuzaka, Masashi Tanaka, Rina Hippo, Yoshitaka Michihata, Nobuaki Teramoto, Norihiro Yamashita, Natsumi Hattori, Masakazu Kaizaki, Yasuharu Kumagai, Hiroshi Nakashima, Junichi Moki, Fumitaka Oda, Takashi Sugiyama, Hiromi Maruyama, Satoru Todo, Nobuki Nishimura, Makiko Yoshida, Keiichi Kurosawa, Katsuki Nemoto, Yuji Narimatsu, Hiroto Watanabe, Kaname Kawamura, Chieko Koduka, Yuji Kanemura, Seiki Yoshida, Masayoshi Kobayashi, Masaaki Naito, Michiko Miyashiro, Isao Nakata, Kayo Mori, Daisuke Yoshitake, Mayuko Nakabayashi, Narue Tamura, Kenji Fujita, Shin Oki, Izumi Kinjo, Aya Osaki, Yoneatsu Fukushima, Norimasa Shibata, Akiko Iwasa, Keiichiro Ono, Chie Matsuda, Tomohiro Alawadhi, Eiman Elbasmi, Amani Nansalmaa, Erdenekhuu Tudev, Undarmaa Ochir, Chimedsuren Al Khater, Al Hareth M. El Mistiri, Mufid M. Alkhalawi, Eman Al Asiri, Mushabbab A. Cai, Mingshi Li Foo, Ling Jung, Kyu-Won Park, Eun-Hye Chiang, Chun-Ju Lee, Wen-Chung Harnprakopsuk, Chirapong Maneesai, Puttachart Santong, Chalongpon Daoprasert, Karnchana Pongnikorn, Donsuk Leklob, Atit Sangkitipaiboon, Somphob Geater, Sarayut L. Toh, Chanavee Boztaş, Güledal Ceylan, Okan Aksoy, Gülşen Karakilinç, Hülya Çidan, Rabia Kahraman, Ayşe Gurbuz, Tulın Emine Karaşahin, Füsun Turhan, Duygu Karagöz, Nilüfer Kurnali, Belgin Bağcı, Derya Nilgün Keloğlu, Saime Eser, Sultan Yakut, Cankut I. Altinisik, Merve Cavusoglu, Yasar Türkköylü, Ayşe Üçüncü, Nurşen Hackl, Monika Ihle, Petra Borisevich, Marina Savich, Tatyana Henau, Kris Van Eycken, Liesbet Atanasov, Trayan Y. Valerianova, Zdravka Ivanko, Pero Šekerija, Mario Mužík, Jan Zvolský, Miroslav Friis, Søren Kønig, Simon M. Storm, Hans Kristensen, Sheila Innos, Kaire Mägi, Margit Lacour, Brigitte Poulalhon, Claire Arndt, Volker Hermann, Silke E. Peters, Frederik Schultz, Annemarie Kajueter, Hiltraud Stang, Andreas Holleczek, Bernd Rath, Natalie B. Garami, Miklos Jakab, Zsuzsanna Murray, Deirdre E. Redaniel, Maria Theresa Sundseth, Hildrun Harney, Mary Galasso, Rocco Sampietro, Giuseppe Melis, Massimo Calì, Camilla Savoia, Fabio Ragusa, Rosalia M. Torrisi, Antonina Falcini, Fabio Ravaioli, Alessandra Taborelli, Martina Dal Maso, Luigino Casella, Claudia Puppo, Antonella Cozzi, Ilaria Santelli, Enrica Ballotari, Paola Giacomazzi, Erica Manasse, Sonia Pompili, Marco Gervasi, Federico Russo, Antonio G. Cavalieri d’Oro, Luca Rognoni, Magda Abbate, Rossella Vitale, Maria Francesca Pinna, Pasquala Usala, Mario Mazzucco, Walter Vitale, Francesco Manzoni, Federica Maule, Milena M. Migliore, Enrica Bisceglia, Lucia Cuccaro, Francesco Cascone, Giuseppe Spata, Eugenia Rashid, Ivan Valenti Clemente, Santa Piras, Daniela Bella, Francesca Tumino, Rosario Mian, Michael Vittadello, Fabio Candela, Giuseppa Scuderi, Tiziana Adalgisa Gentilini, Maria Mantovani, William Caldarella, Adele Manneschi, Gianfranco Bianconi, Fortunato Stracci, Fabrizio Sbaraglia, Marta Zorzi, Manuel Vicentini, Massimo Baltane, Zane Maurina, Anita Smailyte, Giedre Steponaviciene, Laura Azzopardi, Miriam J. Calleja, Neville Geleijnse, Gijs Siesling, Sabine Johannesen, Tom B. Larønningen, Siri Trojanowski, Maciej Macek, Paweł Mierzwa, Tomasz Rosińska, Agnieszka Kępska, Kamila Niewęgłowska, Justyna Barna, Katarzyna Kołodziejczyk, Zofia Sulkowska, Urszula Owsiak, Danuta Garbowska, Edyta Meina, Małgorzata Motnyk, Marcin Patro, Anna Gos, Anna Sikorska, Karolina Didkowska, Joanna A. Wojciechowska, Urszula Forjaz de Lacerda, Gonçalo Macedo, João Berenguer, Pedro Camacho, Carolina Oliveira, Joana Pais, Ana Bento, Maria José Rodrigues, Ana Catarina Lourenço, Antonio Mayer-da-Silva, Alexandra Bucurenci, Mihaela S. Neaga, Alexandra Bogdanov, Dmitry V. Valkov, Mikhail Y. Egorova, Alla Orlov, Andrey Pikalova, Lidiya V. Zhuikova, Lilia D. Nazarova, Ekaterina Zadnik, Vesna Žagar, Tina Peterle, Alojz De-La-Cruz, Marta Lopez-de-Munain, Arantza Garrido, Montserrat Vizcaíno, Ana Sabater, Consol Alamo Sanz, Rufino Gutiérrez Meléndez, Pilar Jiménez Chillarón, Rosario Navarro, Ana Isabel Marcos M. Marcos-Gragera, Rafael Trallero, Jan Redondo-Sanchez, Daniel Sánchez Perez, María-José Palacios-Castaño, María-Isabel Ramalle-Gómara, Enrique Aragonés, Nuria Parra, David Chirlaque López, Maria Dolores Sánchez Gil, Antonia Ardanaz, Eva Guevara, Marcela Alfonso-Camos, Pau Cañete-Nieto, Adela Carulla, Marià Galceran, Jaume Almela, Fernando Dickman, Paul Kuehni, Claudia E. Sommer, Grit Cavalli, Franco Lorez, Matthias Stähelin, Katharina Broggio, John Stevens, Sarah Stiller, Charles Bennett, Damien Fitzpatrick, Deirdre Morrison, David S. Stanner, Greig Huws, Dyfed W. Smits, Stephanie Grayson, Margaret Allemani, Claudia Coleman, Michel P. Dadouli, Katerina Di Carlo, Veronica Espinoza-Vallejos, Carla Khan Baloch, Fatima Matz, Melissa Minicozzi, Pamela Sanz, Natalia Sophiea, Marisa K. Ssenyonga, Naomi Stephens, Richard Chalker, Elizabeth Smith, Mirka Johnston, Amy O’Brien, Tracey You, Hui Boyd, Rowena Dugdale, Sarah Moore, Julie Philpot, Shoni Flak, Stephanie Mead, Karen Roydhouse, Jessica Ragaini, Bruna Silva Evans, Sue M. Te Marvelde, Luc Çakan, Hamza Handley, Karen Aitken, Joanne Fowler, Christine Lewis, Chris Estève, Jacques de Oliveira Santos, Marceli https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/145718 2026-04-17T08:07:05Z 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Progress towards the WHO Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer target of 60% 5-year survival for all childhood cancers combined, 1990–2019 (CONCORD-4) : a Cancer Survival Index derived for 68 countries by analysis of individual records for 613 021 children from 307 population-based cancer registries Authors: Allemani, Claudia; Di Carlo, Veronica; Ssenyonga, Naomi; Khan Baloch, Fatima; Kuehni, Claudia; Girardi, Fabio; Goić, Carolina; Sophiea, Marisa K.; Šekerija, Mario; Espinoza-Vallejos, Carla; Dadouli, Katerina; Sugiyama, Hiromi; Galceran, Jaume; Cañete-Nieto, Adela; Ragusa, Rosalia; Moreno, Florencia; Stiller, Charles; Coleman, Michel P.; Bouzbid, Sabiha; Amarouche, Soumaya; Boussouf, Nadir; Hamdi-Chérif, Mokhtar; Lamia, Kara; Ladipo, Akinade; Ogunbiyi, Olufemi J.; Alcaraz, Claude; Chirpaz, Emmanuel; Somdyala, Nontuthuzelo I.M.; Chaplin, María Agustina; Moreno, Florencia; Rocke, Kern; Sobers, Natasha P.; Alexandre-Moreira, Magna S.; Barros, Herbert C.S.; da Silva, Brenda E.B.; Lima, Carlos A.; Ferreira Ramos Neto, Walmiro; Lima Vazquez, Fabiana; Pena, Gil P.M.; Nativio, Juliana; De Souza, Paulo César F.; Chaves, Juliana; Laporte, Cyntia A.; Daniel, Cristiane B.; de Sousa Reis, Márcia Cristina; do Valle, Karine Meireles; Oliveira, Jose Carlos; Veneziano, Claudia L.A.; Veneziano, Donaldo B.; de Almeida Gil, Roberto; Rebelo, Marise S.; Azevedo e Silva, Gulnar; Armstrong, Heather M.; Quesnel-Crooks, Sarah; Cossani, Gianfranco; Montiel, Alvaro L.; Paz Sandoval, María; Núñez, Kelly G.; Espinoza-Vallejos, Carla; Rosas, Karen; Herrmann, Denise A.; Vargas, Solange M.; Goić, Carolina; Garcia, Christian R.; Cerda, Patricia A.; Hormiga Sánchez, Claudia M.; Uribe, Claudia J.; Cortés Buelvas, Armando D.; Grillo Ardila, Elvia Karina; Arias-Ortiz, Nelson E.; Giraldo-Osorio, Alexandra; Bravo Goyes, Luisa M.; Casas Cruz, Harold M.; Delgado, Sandra; Torres, Adriana; Fernández Garrote, Leticia M.; Galán Alvarez, Yaima H.; Campoverde Arevalo, Nicolas Luciano; Orbe Muñoz, Maria Jose; Jaramillo Feijoo, Leyda Elizabeth; Real Cotto, Jhony Joe; Castillo, Jhoanna M.; Gomez, Anny; González, Juan; Tarupi, Wilmer; Carranza Mena, Monica L.; Fuentes-Alabi, Soad; Drak Alsibai, Kinan; Nacher, Mathieu; Bhakkan, Bernard; Deloumeaux, Jacqueline; Balcarcel, Tatiana; Garrido, Claudia P.; Joachim, Clarisse; Macni, Jonathan; Rivera Gomez, Rebeca; Medina Fernández, Luis E.; Rodriguez Zea, Berenice; Perez, Patricia; Poquioma, Ebert; Ortiz-Ortiz, Karen J.; Torres-Cintrón, Carlos R.; Felix, Nkese S.; Prince-Joseph, Emily; Alonso, Rafael; Musetti, Carina; Eckstrand, Angela; Shack, Lorraine; Simkin, Jonathan; Woods, Ryan R.; Fukumura, Sheila; Turner, Donna; Kumar, Eshwar; Zhang, Bin; Dowden, Jeff J.; Doyle, Gregory P.; Jeffrey, Sarah; Workman, Peter; Saint-Jacques, Nathalie; Walsh, Gordon; De, Prithwish; Norwood, Todd A.; McClure, Carol A.; Phillips, Karen A.M.; Davis, Laci; Kozie, Serena; Freeman, Tara; George, Justin T.; Avila, Rosa M.; Cleaton, Julie; Doyle, Dana; Yee, Georgia; Collins, Lindsay M.; Ramirez Aguilar, Daniela; Almon, Lyn; Kwong, Sandy; Morris, Cyllene; Arend, John; Somma, Valerie; Gonsalves, Lou; Nagarajan, Sumitha; Ross, Wilhelmina; Ruterbusch, Julie; Schwartz, Ann G.; Woods, Alfreda; Lee, David J.; Levin, Gary M.; Bayakly, Rana; Ward, Kevin C.; Lichtensztajn, Daphne; McKinley, Meg; Rees, Judy R.; Shrestha, Anshu; Hernandez, Brenda Y.; Yamamoto, Amy M.M.; Johnson, Christopher J.; Morawski, Bozena M.; Koch, Lori; Aiypkhanova, Ainur; Eisele, Taylor; Bentler, Suzanne; Charlton, Mary E.; Garimella, Sarma; Lai, Sue-Min; Durbin, Eric B.; Huang, Bin; Tucker, Thomas C.; Liu, Lihua; Hsieh, Mei-Chin; Wu, Xiao-Cheng; Bancroft, Carolyn; Hayes, Jennifer H.; Leo, Benjamin R.; Knowlton, Richard C.; Alverson, Georgetta; Weaver, Tamara; Desai, Jay; Highsmith, Mona; Rogers, Deirdre B.; Zachary, Iris; Lemons, Debbi; Zimmerman, Heather J.; Ross, Wilhelmina; Watson, Mark; Ogushi, Aundrea; Reed, Rani; Hammond, Whitney; Rees, Judith R.; Paddock, Lisa E.; Stroup, Antoinette M.; Meisner, Angela W.; Wiggins, Charles; Insaf, Tabassum Z.; Qiao, Baozhen; Rao, Chandrika; Simsek, Fatma; Christina Oancea, S.; Zheng, Yun; Bunt, Emily; Slocumb, Roberta M.; Carter, Meagan; Beran, Todd; Aldinger, Wendy; Oh, Junhie; Janes, Tiffany A.; Schwartz, Stephen M.; Chiodini, Stephanie C.; Kase, Bezawit; Whiteside, Martin A.; Musonda, Keisha L.; Pruitt, Sandi L.; Herget, Kimberly A.; Millar, Morgan M.; Flaherty, Michael; Kachajian, Jennifer; Keitheri Cheteri, Mahesh B.; Migliore Santiago, Patti; Blankenship, Steven E.; Conaway, Jaunita L.; Link Reeve, Jessica; Swander, Lena C.; Espinoza, Julia; Grandpre, Joseph; O’Neil, Mary Elizabeth; Weir, Hannah K.; Wilson, Reda; Mariotto, Angela; Bhakta, Nickhill H.; Rodriguez-Galindo, Carlos; Ong, Sokking; Leong, Elvynna; Chen, Wan-Qing; Wei, Wenqiang; Demetriou, Anna V.; Kazanjan, Konstantine; Mathur, Prashant; Agustina, Julyanti; Khairina, Desy; Keinan-Boker, Lital; Silverman, Barbara G.; Ito, Hidemi; Koyanagi, Yuriko; Sato, Masako; Tobori, Fumio; Matsuzaka, Masashi; Tanaka, Rina; Hippo, Yoshitaka; Michihata, Nobuaki; Teramoto, Norihiro; Yamashita, Natsumi; Hattori, Masakazu; Kaizaki, Yasuharu; Kumagai, Hiroshi; Nakashima, Junichi; Moki, Fumitaka; Oda, Takashi; Sugiyama, Hiromi; Maruyama, Satoru; Todo, Nobuki; Nishimura, Makiko; Yoshida, Keiichi; Kurosawa, Katsuki; Nemoto, Yuji; Narimatsu, Hiroto; Watanabe, Kaname; Kawamura, Chieko; Koduka, Yuji; Kanemura, Seiki; Yoshida, Masayoshi; Kobayashi, Masaaki; Naito, Michiko; Miyashiro, Isao; Nakata, Kayo; Mori, Daisuke; Yoshitake, Mayuko; Nakabayashi, Narue; Tamura, Kenji; Fujita, Shin; Oki, Izumi; Kinjo, Aya; Osaki, Yoneatsu; Fukushima, Norimasa; Shibata, Akiko; Iwasa, Keiichiro; Ono, Chie; Matsuda, Tomohiro; Alawadhi, Eiman; Elbasmi, Amani; Nansalmaa, Erdenekhuu; Tudev, Undarmaa; Ochir, Chimedsuren; Al Khater, Al Hareth M.; El Mistiri, Mufid M.; Alkhalawi, Eman; Al Asiri, Mushabbab A.; Cai, Mingshi; Li Foo, Ling; Jung, Kyu-Won; Park, Eun-Hye; Chiang, Chun-Ju; Lee, Wen-Chung; Harnprakopsuk, Chirapong; Maneesai, Puttachart; Santong, Chalongpon; Daoprasert, Karnchana; Pongnikorn, Donsuk; Leklob, Atit; Sangkitipaiboon, Somphob; Geater, Sarayut L.; Toh, Chanavee; Boztaş, Güledal; Ceylan, Okan; Aksoy, Gülşen; Karakilinç, Hülya; Çidan, Rabia; Kahraman, Ayşe; Gurbuz, Tulın; Emine Karaşahin, Füsun; Turhan, Duygu; Karagöz, Nilüfer; Kurnali, Belgin; Bağcı, Derya; Nilgün Keloğlu, Saime; Eser, Sultan; Yakut, Cankut I.; Altinisik, Merve; Cavusoglu, Yasar; Türkköylü, Ayşe; Üçüncü, Nurşen; Hackl, Monika; Ihle, Petra; Borisevich, Marina; Savich, Tatyana; Henau, Kris; Van Eycken, Liesbet; Atanasov, Trayan Y.; Valerianova, Zdravka; Ivanko, Pero; Šekerija, Mario; Mužík, Jan; Zvolský, Miroslav; Friis, Søren; Kønig, Simon M.; Storm, Hans; Kristensen, Sheila; Innos, Kaire; Mägi, Margit; Lacour, Brigitte; Poulalhon, Claire; Arndt, Volker; Hermann, Silke E.; Peters, Frederik; Schultz, Annemarie; Kajueter, Hiltraud; Stang, Andreas; Holleczek, Bernd; Rath, Natalie B.; Garami, Miklos; Jakab, Zsuzsanna; Murray, Deirdre E.; Redaniel, Maria Theresa; Sundseth, Hildrun; Harney, Mary; Galasso, Rocco; Sampietro, Giuseppe; Melis, Massimo; Calì, Camilla; Savoia, Fabio; Ragusa, Rosalia M.; Torrisi, Antonina; Falcini, Fabio; Ravaioli, Alessandra; Taborelli, Martina; Dal Maso, Luigino; Casella, Claudia; Puppo, Antonella; Cozzi, Ilaria; Santelli, Enrica; Ballotari, Paola; Giacomazzi, Erica; Manasse, Sonia; Pompili, Marco; Gervasi, Federico; Russo, Antonio G.; Cavalieri d’Oro, Luca; Rognoni, Magda; Abbate, Rossella; Vitale, Maria Francesca; Pinna, Pasquala; Usala, Mario; Mazzucco, Walter; Vitale, Francesco; Manzoni, Federica; Maule, Milena M.; Migliore, Enrica; Bisceglia, Lucia; Cuccaro, Francesco; Cascone, Giuseppe; Spata, Eugenia; Rashid, Ivan; Valenti Clemente, Santa; Piras, Daniela; Bella, Francesca; Tumino, Rosario; Mian, Michael; Vittadello, Fabio; Candela, Giuseppa; Scuderi, Tiziana; Adalgisa Gentilini, Maria; Mantovani, William; Caldarella, Adele; Manneschi, Gianfranco; Bianconi, Fortunato; Stracci, Fabrizio; Sbaraglia, Marta; Zorzi, Manuel; Vicentini, Massimo; Baltane, Zane; Maurina, Anita; Smailyte, Giedre; Steponaviciene, Laura; Azzopardi, Miriam J.; Calleja, Neville; Geleijnse, Gijs; Siesling, Sabine; Johannesen, Tom B.; Larønningen, Siri; Trojanowski, Maciej; Macek, Paweł; Mierzwa, Tomasz; Rosińska, Agnieszka; Kępska, Kamila; Niewęgłowska, Justyna; Barna, Katarzyna; Kołodziejczyk, Zofia; Sulkowska, Urszula; Owsiak, Danuta; Garbowska, Edyta; Meina, Małgorzata; Motnyk, Marcin; Patro, Anna; Gos, Anna; Sikorska, Karolina; Didkowska, Joanna A.; Wojciechowska, Urszula; Forjaz de Lacerda, Gonçalo; Macedo, João; Berenguer, Pedro; Camacho, Carolina; Oliveira, Joana; Pais, Ana; Bento, Maria José; Rodrigues, Ana Catarina; Lourenço, Antonio; Mayer-da-Silva, Alexandra; Bucurenci, Mihaela S.; Neaga, Alexandra; Bogdanov, Dmitry V.; Valkov, Mikhail Y.; Egorova, Alla; Orlov, Andrey; Pikalova, Lidiya V.; Zhuikova, Lilia D.; Nazarova, Ekaterina; Zadnik, Vesna; Žagar, Tina; Peterle, Alojz; De-La-Cruz, Marta; Lopez-de-Munain, Arantza; Garrido, Montserrat; Vizcaíno, Ana; Sabater, Consol; Alamo Sanz, Rufino; Gutiérrez Meléndez, Pilar; Jiménez Chillarón, Rosario; Navarro, Ana Isabel Marcos M.; Marcos-Gragera, Rafael; Trallero, Jan; Redondo-Sanchez, Daniel; Sánchez Perez, María-José; Palacios-Castaño, María-Isabel; Ramalle-Gómara, Enrique; Aragonés, Nuria; Parra, David; Chirlaque López, Maria Dolores; Sánchez Gil, Antonia; Ardanaz, Eva; Guevara, Marcela; Alfonso-Camos, Pau; Cañete-Nieto, Adela; Carulla, Marià; Galceran, Jaume; Almela, Fernando; Dickman, Paul; Kuehni, Claudia E.; Sommer, Grit; Cavalli, Franco; Lorez, Matthias; Stähelin, Katharina; Broggio, John; Stevens, Sarah; Stiller, Charles; Bennett, Damien; Fitzpatrick, Deirdre; Morrison, David S.; Stanner, Greig; Huws, Dyfed W.; Smits, Stephanie; Grayson, Margaret; Allemani, Claudia; Coleman, Michel P.; Dadouli, Katerina; Di Carlo, Veronica; Espinoza-Vallejos, Carla; Khan Baloch, Fatima; Matz, Melissa; Minicozzi, Pamela; Sanz, Natalia; Sophiea, Marisa K.; Ssenyonga, Naomi; Stephens, Richard; Chalker, Elizabeth; Smith, Mirka; Johnston, Amy; O’Brien, Tracey; You, Hui; Boyd, Rowena; Dugdale, Sarah; Moore, Julie; Philpot, Shoni; Flak, Stephanie; Mead, Karen; Roydhouse, Jessica; Ragaini, Bruna Silva; Evans, Sue M.; Te Marvelde, Luc; Çakan, Hamza; Handley, Karen; Aitken, Joanne; Fowler, Christine; Lewis, Chris; Estève, Jacques; de Oliveira Santos, Marceli Abstract: Background: CONCORD is a global public health programme for long-term surveillance of population-based cancer survival. The first three cycles of this programme focused primarily on adults. In CONCORD-4, for the first time, we also included all cancers in children. The WHO Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer (GICC), published in 2018, set a target for 5-year survival for all childhood cancers combined, worldwide, to reach 60% by 2030. We designed the protocol for CONCORD-4 to assess progress towards this target in as many countries as possible. Methods: We identified population-based cancer registries from the members of the International Association of Cancer Registries and other sources. We invited 513 registries in 101 countries to submit anonymised individual records for all children (aged 0–14 years) living in their territory who were diagnosed with any form of cancer during the 30-year period 1990–2019, or later years. The data included demographic variables, the morphological type and anatomical location of the tumour, and the follow-up for the vital status of each child. We used the data for 2010–19 to construct a set of weights that reflect the global frequency distribution of childhood cancers, by age, sex, and subtype, both for the 12 major groups in the third edition of the International Classification of Childhood Cancer (ICCC-3) and for the six WHO tracer cancers prioritised in the GICC. We estimated 5-year net survival for children diagnosed during 1990–2019 by age, sex, and type of cancer, using the Pohar Perme estimator. We then used the weights to construct a Cancer Survival Index (CSI) as a weighted average of these survival estimates, for each country and each 5-year period during 1990–2019 for the 12 ICCC-3 groups and separately for the six WHO tracer cancers. Findings: We received 679 776 individual records for children diagnosed with cancer during 1990–2022 from 307 population-based cancer registries in 68 countries and territories, 52 with 100% national coverage. We produced two sets of weights, by age, sex, and type of cancer, reflecting the global distribution of cancer in children, both for all childhood cancers and for the six WHO tracer cancers. We restricted survival analyses to 613 021 children diagnosed during 1990–2019. The 5-year CSI for all childhood cancers combined increased in most countries between 1990 and 2019. For children diagnosed during 2015–19, the CSI was more than 80% in most high-income countries, in the range 60–80% in most upper-middle-income countries, and in the range 50–60% in the five participating lower middle-income countries. Interpretation: The new CSI enables quantitative international comparison of trends in survival for all childhood cancers combined and for the six WHO tracer cancers, through a simple three-way standardisation by age, sex and subtype. The CSI should be a useful tool to monitor future trends. In most high-income, upper-middle-income, and lower-middle-income countries participating in CONCORD-4, the all-cancers CSI was either close to or had already passed the GICC target to reach 60% 5-year survival for all childhood cancers combined, worldwide, by 2030. The GICC target therefore may not be ambitious enough. Funding: Cancer Research UK, Institut National du Cancer (France), St Jude Children’s Research Hospital (USA), US National Cancer Institute, and Dell Technologies.

2026-01-01T00:00:00Z Grech, Marvin Zarb, Francis Grech, Reuben Calleja, Neville Bezzina, Paul https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/145693 2026-04-16T13:32:33Z 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Diagnostic reference levels in interventional neuroradiology : a scoping review Authors: Grech, Marvin; Zarb, Francis; Grech, Reuben; Calleja, Neville; Bezzina, Paul Abstract: Objectives: To review the literature on diagnostic reference levels (DRLs) in interventional neuroradiology (INR), summarise reported dose values, and examine the methodologies used for their establishment. Materials and methods: A scoping review was conducted using SCOPUS, Web of Science, PubMed, and ProQuest. Studies reporting DRLs for INR diagnostic procedures (cerebral angiography, (CA)) and therapeutic procedures (stroke thrombectomy, (ST); aneurysm coiling, (AC); arteriovenous malformation/fistula (AVM/AVF) embolisation) were included. Extracted data comprised dose metrics, sample size, percentile definition, procedure classification, and statistical approaches used for DRL derivation. Results: Thirty-nine studies reported DRLs for air kerma–area product (PKA), fluoroscopy time (FT), and reference air kerma (RAK). Most studies defined DRLs using the 75th percentile, although variations were observed in percentile selection, procedure grouping, and inclusion criteria. Considerable heterogeneity in sample sizes and data collection methods was identified. Reported DRLs varied widely: for CA, PKA 41–256.65 Gycm², FT 6–20 min, and RAK 289–921 mGy; for ST, PKA 110–225.1 Gycm², FT 30–45 min, and RAK 730–1590 mGy; for AC, PKA 52.1–487.4 Gycm², FT 16–90 min, and RAK 505–4750 mGy; and for AVM/AVF embolisation, PKA 206.4–550 Gycm², FT 59–135 min, and RAK 2350–6000 mGy. Conclusion: DRLs in INR show substantial variability, partly driven by methodological inconsistencies. Greater standardisation of DRL derivation and reporting is needed to support harmonisation and optimisation. Key Points: Question: How does the lack of international consensus on interventional neuroradiology (INR) diagnostic reference levels (DRLs), alongside inconsistent reporting, hinder benchmarking, optimisation, and radiation protection? Findings: DRLs are reported for major INR procedures, but vary widely across studies and procedure types. Clinical relevance: Differences in dose metrics, procedure classification, and data collection hinder comparison and benchmarking between centres. Standardised methods and harmonised reporting are crucial for effective dose optimisation and radiation protection in INR. Consistency in deriving DRLs would enable reliable benchmarking and support future registry-based initiatives.

2026-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/145662 2026-04-16T09:27:41Z 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Environmental green cover and mental wellbeing in Malta Abstract: This study investigates the relationship between environmental green cover and mental wellbeing among adults living in Malta, offering one of the first national assessments that integrates geospatial greenery measures with validated psychological wellbeing tools. Green spaces are internationally recognised for their capacity to reduce stress, enhance mood, strengthen social ties, and promote physical activity. Yet, in small island states such as Malta— where land is limited, urban density is high, and green infrastructure is unevenly distributed— the extent to which environmental greenery contributes to mental wellbeing has remained unclear. This study addresses this gap by exploring whether objective measures of greenery surrounding participants’ homes and workplaces are associated with mental wellbeing, while considering key behavioural, environmental, and socio-demographic influences. A cross-sectional sample of 691 adults was recruited across educational institutions, workplaces, and primary care settings. Mental wellbeing was measured using the WHO-5 index, while environmental green cover (grassland, tree canopy, cropland, and total greenery) was quantified within 300 m and 900 m buffers using high-resolution land-cover datasets. After geocoding residential and workplace street names, a comprehensive analysis was undertaken, including descriptive statistics, correlation testing, and multivariable regressions adjusting for demographics, physical activity, chronic disease, social cohesion, sedentary behaviour, and residential conditions. Findings showed considerable variability in both mental wellbeing scores and environmental greenery across Malta and Gozo. Bivariate correlations between greenery and mental wellbeing were weak and non-significant at both buffer distances, and regression models confirmed that environmental greenery did not independently predict mental wellbeing once confounders were included. Instead, stronger predictors emerged, particularly social cohesion, physical activity, housing quality, sedentary behaviour, and chronic illness. These results align with international literature suggesting that the benefits of greenery are mediated through behavioural and social pathways, and that simple measures of quantity may overlook the importance of quality, safety, accessibility, and actual use. The study carries several implications for public health and urban planning in Malta. First, increasing the amount of greenery alone is unlikely to yield significant improvements in population mental wellbeing. Instead, efforts should prioritise enhancing the quality, usability, and accessibility of green spaces, ensuring they are well-maintained, safe, shaded, and equipped with facilities that encourage both social interaction and physical activity. Second, interventions should address inequities in access to high-quality green environments, as disadvantaged communities often face greater environmental burdens and may benefit most from targeted greening initiatives. Third, integrating health considerations into environmental and urban development policies can support more holistic approaches to wellbeing, especially by linking green infrastructure planning with strategies for heat mitigation, active travel, and chronic disease prevention. Recommendations for future research include adopting longitudinal designs to better establish causality; incorporating subjective assessments of perceived greenery, quality, and safety; evaluating patterns of actual use of green spaces; and examining the influence of micro-scale greenery such as street trees and pocket parks. Expanding research to include cultural and behavioural factors specific to small island states would further strengthen policy relevance. Overall, this study contributes foundational evidence on environmental greenery and mental wellbeing in Malta. While objective greenery alone does not independently predict wellbeing, the findings highlight the importance of social, behavioural, and environmental conditions that shape how residents interact with and benefit from nearby green spaces. These insights underscore the value of context-sensitive, equity-driven, and health-informed urban greening strategies for supporting population mental wellbeing. Description: M.Sc.(Melit.)

2026-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/145659 2026-04-16T09:21:09Z 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Parental knowledge and awareness on children’s visual health and visual screening in Malta Abstract: Purpose: Parents are pivotal in whether young children receive timely vision screening and eye care. Despite this, in Malta, little is known about parental awareness, knowledge and beliefs regarding children’s eye health and screening pathways. Methodology: A cross-sectional, quantitative approach via an online survey of parents/guardians of 3 to 6-year-olds in Malta assessed parental awareness, knowledge and beliefs regarding children’s eye health and eye health services. Convenience sampling was used. The quantitative data was analysed using IBM SPSS software Version 29 for Windows. Results: A total of 300 parents or guardians participated. Overall, 58.7% of children had previously an eye or vision test, while 41.3% had not. Notably, 26.3% of 6-year-olds had never been tested within school health services. The mean parental composite knowledge score was 1.27/5 (SD 0.84), indicating low awareness of key topics such as the abnormality of eye turns in early childhood and the benefits of early wearing eyeglasses. Knowledge did not differ significantly by parental education level (p=0.47) or socioeconomic level. Commonly reported barriers included the belief that the child is “too young” for testing and uncertainty about how or where to arrange an appointment. Perceived susceptibility (parental concern) and disability status were positively associated with test uptake. Conclusions: Maltese parents and guardians show limited knowledge and uneven engagement with children’s eye care. Public-health action should prioritise orthoptic-led, school-entry screening at 4–5 years with clear referral pathways as well as a universal parent educative courses which emphasise asymptomatic conditions (e.g., amblyopia) and how to access services. This aligns with international best practice and can reduce preventable visual impairment in Maltese children. Description: M.Sc.(Melit.)

2026-01-01T00:00:00Z