DefinePK

Abstract

"Cancer registration is a process of continuing, systematic collection of data on the occurrence and characteristics of reportable neoplasms." A cancer registry attempts to collect, store, analyse and interpret data on persons with cancers. A population-based registry records all new cases in a defined population with emphasis on epidemiological research, and evaluation of health services for prevention, diagnosis and treatment of the disease. A hospital, institution or oncology-based registry records all cases in a hospital or in respective units, with emphasis on clinical-care and hospital administration. It submits the data to the central, population-based registry. Pathology-based registries records all cases of cancer in a given laboratory with emphasis on pathological diagnosis, grading and staging of cancers, thus maintaining the quality control of population registers. Large hospital or pathology series are sometimes used for monitoring of cancer control programs in the absence of population data.1 The data sources of population-based registries are medical facilities within a defined population or geographical area. Cancer cases who do not enter the health-care system in life are registered with the help of the death registration system. The cumulative data obtained from all data sources form the population-based data, provided residency status of patient is established and linked to the registry catchments. All cancer cases, residents of target-population should be included, without any restrictions to age, sex or diagnostic procedure. Duplication checks are essential in case of multiple data sources. To facilitate comparison of data internationally, registry data fulfil some criteria of comparability and quality control. The rules are laid down or recommended by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and the International Association of Cancer Registries (IACR).2 These rules relate to comparability, standardization and completion of data.