Accuracy of death certificates and mortality statistics in Victorian testis cancer deaths 1950-1977.

426 death certificates relating to testicular cancer in Victoria, from 1950 to 1977, were examined for inaccuracies in cause of death narrative and coding for cause of death statistics. the narrative was inaccurate in major diagnosis in 33 certificates (21 false positives and 12 false negatives) and 17 accurately written certificates were mis-coded (12 false positives and 5 false negatives). Review of the pathological terms used revealed 10 lymphomas incorrectly ascribed to germ cell malignancy. The term "seminoma" seems to have been employed as a generic term for testis tumour, only 50 per cent of the tumours so designated being confirmed as seminoma. It is concluded that although Victorian figures relating to mortality from testis cancer are reasonably accurate (for 337 cases for which relevant records were available the detection rate was 95%, the confirmation rate 96% and concordance 91%), little reliance can be placed on the recorded pathological sub-type.