Looking back to move forward:  50 years of epidemiology of lymphohaematopoietic malignancies for prevention, and healthcare planning in Sardinia, Italy

Giorgio Broccia; Pierluigi Cocco; Jonathan Carter; Cansu Ozsin-Ozler; Sara De Matteis

doi:10.1177/03008916251384524

Looking back to move forward: 50 years of epidemiology of lymphohaematopoietic malignancies for prevention, and healthcare planning in Sardinia, Italy

Giorgio Broccia
, Pierluigi Cocco
, Jonathan Carter
, Cansu Ozsin-Ozler
, Sara De Matteis

Research Centre for Fluid and Complex Systems

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

Abstract

In previous reports, we showed the diversity in the epidemiological features of the most prevalent lymphohaematopoietic malignancies (LHM) in Sardinia, Italy. In this paper, we reviewed those findings, aiming to: 1) explore the geographic correlation between the various LHM; 2) estimate the standardised incidence rates up to 2017; 3) compare our estimates with nationwide trends; 4) project such trends up to 2030; and 5) predict the expected LHM cases in the upcoming years by health district to assess the adequacy of the existing Haematology and Healthcare services. We observed a high probability for all LHM combined exceeding the expectation in the central-northern and central-eastern areas of the region. There was a weak, though significant, geographic correlation between non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and multiple myeloma (MM), but not the other LHM. The estimated incidence of all LHM was higher in Sardinia than nationwide. The chances for the existing Haematology units and Healthcare services to adequately match the expected incident cases appear low. This paper concludes a 50-year journey in the epidemiology of LHM among a genetically peculiar population. We hope our results will promote appreciation of the value of extending the routine registration of incident cancer cases for prevention and healthcare planning.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	452-462
Number of pages	11
Journal	Tumori Journal
Volume	111
Issue number	6
Early online date	18 Oct 2025
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/03008916251384524
Publication status	Published - Dec 2025

Bibliographical note

This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) which permits any use, reproduction and distribution of the work without further permission provided the original work is attributed as specified on the SAGE and Open Access pages

Funding

The creation of the database and the studies it inspired would not have been possible without the support of all the Haematology units, the Pathology departments, and the directors and personnel of all clinical departments of Sardinia. We wish to mention Mrs. Antonietta Murru and Mr. Mario Zoroddu for their special dedication to our projects. Mrs. Antonietta Murru, head nurse of the Haematology Department, contributed to the data collection in all the medical and pathological departments’ archives in Sardinia, ensuring strict compliance with the requirements to achieve data completeness and precision. Mr Mario Zoroddu, IT expert, created the program for saving all the data in 1995 matching our requirements, and providing continuous support along the years.

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

Keywords

haematology care planning
haematology-oncology
forecasts
Epidemiology and prevention

Access to Document

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Cite this

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abstract = "In previous reports, we showed the diversity in the epidemiological features of the most prevalent lymphohaematopoietic malignancies (LHM) in Sardinia, Italy. In this paper, we reviewed those findings, aiming to: 1) explore the geographic correlation between the various LHM; 2) estimate the standardised incidence rates up to 2017; 3) compare our estimates with nationwide trends; 4) project such trends up to 2030; and 5) predict the expected LHM cases in the upcoming years by health district to assess the adequacy of the existing Haematology and Healthcare services. We observed a high probability for all LHM combined exceeding the expectation in the central-northern and central-eastern areas of the region. There was a weak, though significant, geographic correlation between non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and multiple myeloma (MM), but not the other LHM. The estimated incidence of all LHM was higher in Sardinia than nationwide. The chances for the existing Haematology units and Healthcare services to adequately match the expected incident cases appear low. This paper concludes a 50-year journey in the epidemiology of LHM among a genetically peculiar population. We hope our results will promote appreciation of the value of extending the routine registration of incident cancer cases for prevention and healthcare planning.",

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AU - De Matteis, Sara

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N2 - In previous reports, we showed the diversity in the epidemiological features of the most prevalent lymphohaematopoietic malignancies (LHM) in Sardinia, Italy. In this paper, we reviewed those findings, aiming to: 1) explore the geographic correlation between the various LHM; 2) estimate the standardised incidence rates up to 2017; 3) compare our estimates with nationwide trends; 4) project such trends up to 2030; and 5) predict the expected LHM cases in the upcoming years by health district to assess the adequacy of the existing Haematology and Healthcare services. We observed a high probability for all LHM combined exceeding the expectation in the central-northern and central-eastern areas of the region. There was a weak, though significant, geographic correlation between non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and multiple myeloma (MM), but not the other LHM. The estimated incidence of all LHM was higher in Sardinia than nationwide. The chances for the existing Haematology units and Healthcare services to adequately match the expected incident cases appear low. This paper concludes a 50-year journey in the epidemiology of LHM among a genetically peculiar population. We hope our results will promote appreciation of the value of extending the routine registration of incident cancer cases for prevention and healthcare planning.

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