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

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.