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Aims To characterize a series of contemporary patients with alcohol-related Wernicke's encephalopathy (WE) or Korsakoff's syndrome (KS) and to update the current prognosis of disease. Methods Retrospective and prospective study of patients diagnosed with an alcohol-related WE or KS between 2002 and 2011 in a tertiary hospital. Socio-demographic, alcohol use characteristics, signs and symptoms, co-morbidity and blood parameters were obtained at admission. Patients were followed up until 2013 and causes of death were ascertained through the review of charts. Results Sixty-one patients were included (51 with WE and 10 with KS). Among patients with WE, 78% were men and age at diagnosis was 57 years (interquartile range (IQR): 49–66). Twenty-three percent fulfilled the classic WE triad. Regarding Caine's criteria for WE, 70.6% presented with at least two out of four signs or symptoms. Median follow-up of patients with WE syndrome was 5.3 years (IQR: 2.6–8.8), the cumulated mortality was 45% and death rate of 7.4 × 100 person-years (95% confidence interval (CI): 4.8–10.9). Overall, 50% of patients would be expected to die within 8 years of WE episode and main causes of death included serious bacterial infections (44.5%) and cancer (33.3%). Conclusions Survival of patients with an alcohol-related Wernicke–Korsakoff syndrome is poor; pursuing treatment of alcohol use disorder and early diagnosis of thiamine deficiency is a priority for improving clinical outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rare cancers correspond to approximately 200 clinical entities, which can be grouped into 12 families. Updated data are available for childhood and haematological cancers, ie, for only two of the 12 families of rare cancer. We provide incidence and survival for the remaining ten families of rare adult solid cancers (RAC), across 29 EU Member States and over time. We also evaluate the association between resources invested in health and survival from RACs. We used the EUROCARE-6 database, which includes data from 108 cancer registries from 29 countries. We calculated incidence rates (IR) and 5-year relative survival (RS) for cases diagnosed during 2006–2013. We calculated 5-year RS in the follow-up period 2010–2014 using the period approach (last follow-up: December 31, 2014). We estimated changes in 5-year RS and IR over the period 2000–2013. We used a forest plot to report the differences in RS among countries with the highest and lowest health spending. RACs are heterogeneous in terms of incidence, survival, sex, and age distribution. Several RACs (eg, those of the hypopharynx, small intestine, and trachea) still have a 5-year RS < 30 %, which is not improving. Survival differs among European countries and is higher in countries with the greatest investments in health. The incidence of smoking-related RACs is decreasing but rising in HPV-related RACs. Investments in health and healthcare networks at national and European level can help increase the survival of RACs, especially those requiring centralisation of care (eg, bone sarcomas, penile cancer). These investments are critical considering that survival from RACs is not significantly improving. Our results unmask the heterogeneity of RACs, which needs to be considered in clinical trial design. Finally, our findings support the importance of prevention strategies for known risk factors such as smoking. • Although rare, rare adult solid cancers (RAC), are extremely heterogenous. • Incidence of RACs is increasing especially for those HPV-related. • Many RACs still have a poor prognosis, survival is not increasing significantly. • Survival differences exist among countries for RACs requiring centralisation of care. • RACs survival is highest in countries with the highest THE as a percentage of GDP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cutaneous melanoma (CM) is rare in adolescents and young adults (AYA, 15–39 years at cancer diagnosis) and studies on CM in AYAs are scarce. Our aim is to update CM incidence and survival in European AYAs and to compare incidence and survival both with other age groups and over time. We used the EUROCARE-6 database (108 cancer registries; 29 EU countries), calculating incidence rates (IR) per 100,000 individuals/year in the European population (years of diagnosis: 2006–2013), 5-year relative survival (RS), and 5-year RS conditional to surviving the first year after diagnosis, for the follow-up period 2010–2014 (cases diagnosed in 2006–2013). The IR of CM in AYA was greater in females than in males, standing at 7. CM IR was higher in the limbs and lower in the head and neck (H&N) and trunk in females compared to males. Five-year RS was 94 % in AYA and 80 % in older age groups. Survival was higher in limb than in H&N and trunk CM. The incidence of CM increased more in older age groups than in AYA. CM survival rose over time for all ages. Differences in IR between males and females may be due to different behaviors and CM biology. The increase in survival can be attributed to healthcare improvements, early diagnosis, and locoregional surgical treatments. The incidence trends are reassuring in terms of tumor burden in AYA. Our findings support the idea that CM is more aggressive with increasing age and gender differences partially explain survival differences between age groups. • Cutaneous melanoma (CM) is more common in young females and older males. • Five-year RS was 94 % in AYA and 80 % in older adults. • Gender differences partially explain survival differences between age groups • The increase in CM incidence was greater in older adults and the elderly than in AYA • CM survival increased over time for all age groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]