The relationship between bone sarcoma incidence/mortality rate in Poland and Internet searches — Google Trends Analysis
, 1, 1, 2
Abstract
Introduction. Internet searches reflect public awareness, which may be influenced by cancer epidemiology. The aim was to characterize the relationship between the occurrence of bone cancer and the number of Internet searches in Poland. A secondary goal was to assess the relationship between awareness campaigns and online searches. The last goal was to assess the incidence and mortality rate of bone sarcoma in Poland over 10 years.
Material and methods. The epidemiology data of bone cancer in 2010-2020 were analyzed in relation to search volume index (SVI) in Google Trends for terms — ‘osteosarcoma’, ‘chondrosarcoma’, ‘Ewing sarcoma’, ‘bone cancer’, ‘bone tumor’.
Results. On average, 317.6 (± 29.8) new cases of bone cancer were diagnosed annually, and 272.2 (± 43.3) patients died annually. Correlations between incidence rates and SVI for terms: osteosarcoma (r = 0.17; p = 0.035), chondrosarcoma (r = 0.36; p < 0.001) and Ewing sarcoma (r = 0.21; p = 0.008), and between mortality rate and SVI for terms: chondrosarcoma (r = 0.42; p < 0.001) and bone cancer (r = 0.20; p = 0.012) were noted. There was no increase in interest in the topic of bone cancer in July (Sarcoma Awareness Month) in Poland and worldwide.
Conclusions. The incident and mortality rate of bone sarcomas is correlated with the number of online searches for individual phrases. Awareness campaigns do not significantly increase interest in the topic of bone sarcomas on the Internet. Epidemiological data on bone cancer in Poland are comparable to worldwide data.
Keywords: bone sarcomagoogle trendepidemiologybone cancerincidencemortality
References
- Choi JH, Ro JY. The 2020 WHO Classification of Tumors of Bone: An Updated Review. Adv Anat Pathol. 2021; 28(3): 119–138.
- Damron TA, Ward WG, Stewart A. Osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma, and Ewing's sarcoma: National Cancer Data Base Report. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2007; 459: 40–47.
- Fukushima T, Ogura K, Akiyama T, et al. Descriptive epidemiology and outcomes of bone sarcomas in adolescent and young adult patients in Japan. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2018; 19(1): 297.
- Cohen SA, Cohen LE, Tijerina JD, et al. Google trends as a tool for evaluating public interest in total knee arthroplasty and total hip arthroplasty. J Clin Transl Res. 2021; 7(4): 456–466.
- Cervellin G, Comelli I, Lippi G. Is Google Trends a reliable tool for digital epidemiology? Insights from different clinical settings. J Epidemiol Glob Health. 2017; 7(3): 185–189.
- Nishimura Y, Acoba JD. Impact of Breast Cancer Awareness Month on Public Interest in the United States between 2012 and 2021: A Google Trends Analysis. Cancers (Basel). 2022; 14(10).
- Johnson BS, Shepard S, Torgeson T, et al. Using Google Trends and Twitter for Prostate Cancer Awareness: A Comparative Analysis of Prostate Cancer Awareness Month and Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Cureus. 2021; 13(2): e13325.
- Cohen SA, Cohen LE, Tijerina JD. The impact of monthly campaigns and other high-profile media coverage on public interest in 13 malignancies: a Google Trends analysis. Ecancermedicalscience. 2020; 14: 1154.
- Gianfredi V, Nucci D, Nardi M, et al. Using Google Trends and Wikipedia to Investigate the Global Public's Interest in the Pancreatic Cancer Diagnosis of a Celebrity. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023; 20(3).
- Kamiński M, Hrycaj P. Celebrities influence on rheumatic diseases interest: a Google Trends analysis. Rheumatol Int. 2024; 44(3): 517–521.
- Wehner MR, Nead KT, Linos E. Correlation Among Cancer Incidence and Mortality Rates and Internet Searches in the United States. JAMA Dermatol. 2017; 153(9): 911–914.
- Phillips CA, Barz Leahy A, Li Y, et al. Relationship Between State-Level Google Online Search Volume and Cancer Incidence in the United States: Retrospective Study. J Med Internet Res. 2018; 20(1): e6.
- Luna-Abanto J, Gamarra L, Armestar DD, et al. Impact of cancer awareness campaigns in Peru: a 5-year Google Trends analysis. Ecancermedicalscience. 2022; 16: 1477.
- Demirci A, Özgür BC. A Google Trends™ Analysis of Bladder Cancer: Determining Awareness Campaign Success, and Patients' Needs in Clinical Management. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev. 2021; 22(10): 3115–3120.
- Kaleem T, Malouff TD, Stross WC, et al. Google Search Trends in Oncology and the Impact of Celebrity Cancer Awareness. Cureus. 2019; 11(8): e5360.
- Franchi A. Epidemiology and classification of bone tumors. Clin Cases Miner Bone Metab. 2012; 9(2): 92–95.
- Global Health Research Group on Children’s Non-Communicable Diseases Collaborative. Twelve-month observational study of children with cancer in 41 countries during the COVID-19 pandemic. BMJ Glob Health. 2022; 7(10).
- Kotrych D, Ciechanowicz D, Pawlik J, et al. Delay in Diagnosis and Treatment of Primary Bone Tumors during COVID-19 Pandemic in Poland. Cancers (Basel). 2022; 14(24).
- Onesti CE, Vari S, Nardozza F, et al. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on diagnosis and treatment of patients with soft tissue and bone sarcomas or aggressive benign musculoskeletal diseases: A single-center retrospective study (SarCorD study). Front Oncol. 2022; 12: 1000056.
- Kamiński M, Skrzypczak P, Staszewski R, et al. Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Interest of Google Queries in Cancer Screening and Cancers: A Retrospective Study. Cancers (Basel). 2023; 15(3).