Purposes and uses of cancer registration E.E.U. Akang Department of Pathology University College Hospital Ibadan, Nigeria

What is a cancer registry? A cancer registry is a unit that Continually and systematically records all new cancer cases within a defined population Periodically analyses and reports such data Provides epidemiological data on cancer useful for research, cancer prevention, and planning and evaluation of health services (Shanmugaratnam, 1991)

What data is collected by a cancer registry? Minimum information Sex, age, address, incidence date, most valid basis of diagnosis, topography, morphology, behaviour and source of information Additional recommended data Clinical stage, treatment, follow up duration and status at last contact

What is the raison d'être of the cancer registry? Cancer registries must disseminate information on cancer to their users Cancer registry data are only valuable if used for information, research, planning and evaluation The cancer registry is essential for the successful implementation of cancer control programmes

What is the raison d'être of the cancer registry? Cancer registries are required for Aetiological research design and implementation Primary and secondary prevention Planning and evaluation of health services and Patient care Therefore data collected must be timely, accurate and complete

Types of cancer registry HOSPITAL BASEDPOPULATION BASED Either single hospital or multi-institution City, state/province or country Improvement of patient careCancer prevention Professional educationEarly detection Administrative information Determination of cancer rates and trends Clinical research Patterns of care and outcomes Research Evaluation of control efforts

Global coverage by cancer registries

Uses of the cancer registry 1. Epidemiological research a. Descriptive studies b. Analytical studies 2. Health care planning and monitoring a. Patient care b. Survival studies c. Cancer screening 3. Other aspects of cancer registration

1. Epidemiological research a. Descriptive studies Variations in different populations may highlight aetiology, and facilitate prevention Time trends may reveal any altered risk factors in the population Evaluation of primary and secondary preventive measures enable planning of health care services Risk of second cancers Occurrence of new cases of cancer Multiple primary cancers Occupational cancer

1. Epidemiological research b. Analytical studies 1. Cohort studies Occupational exposures, drug-taking, smoking, diet and other factors Outcome of intervention trials 2. Case-control studies Validation of case series Cancer registry can be source of cases (and controls) for studies seeking exposure information

2. Health care planning and monitoring a. Patient care Cancer registries contribute to patient care 1. indirectly (for example, by describing pathways of referral and assisting physicians with follow up of their patients) and 2. directly (by management of cancer care programmes to ensure that all patients with cancer receive state-of-the-art diagnosis and treatment and by monitoring of patient survival )

2. Health care planning and monitoring b. Survival studies Monitoring of population based survival rates Data may be stratified according to geographical locale, age group, sex, and socioeconomic groups, or may be monitored over time. Allocation of diagnostic and therapeutic resources where required. Randomised clinical trials Background information and assistance with data management and follow up of cancer patients)

2. Health care planning and monitoring c. Cancer screening Cancer registries play a crucial role in demonstrating the effect which cancer screening programmes have in lowering the incidence of cancer. Cancer registries are also helpful in demonstrating the effect of early detection and screening on trends in mortality and stage of clinical presentation with cancer.

3. Other aspects of cancer registration Data resource for hospital departments and research institutions Cancer registry's staff acquire expertise in disease registration, epidemiology and public health questions Registry's staff may be called on to advise health authorities and the general public on questions of disease registration, cancer causation, cancer prevention and planning of cancer care

References Clin Oncol 1995; 7: IARC Scientific Publications, No. 95. Lyon, 1991; pp. 1-2; ancer_registration/cancer_registration_h ome.html 08_n01_s01.shtml

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