Cancer Registry

Research and Informatics

The Cancer Registry (https://www.ncra-usa.org/Education/Informatics) is a key component of the cancer program at Forrest General. The registry's focus is to exceed the expectations of the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer standards and fulfill the Cancer Committee's vision. The goal of the registry is to guarantee accurate and timely collection of diagnosed and/or treated cancer patient data. The Cancer Registry at Forrest General has been in operation since 1968, which allows for evaluation of patient outcomes and identification of opportunities for improvement over an extended period of time.

A cancer registry is an information system designed for the collection, management, and analysis of data on persons with the diagnosis of a malignant or neoplastic disease (cancer). Cancer registries are classified into three types:

• Hospital registries maintain data on all patients diagnosed and/or treated for cancer at their facility. Healthcare facilities report cancer cases to the central or state cancer registry as required by law.
• Central registries are population-based registries that maintain data on all cancer patients within certain geographical areas.
• Special purpose registries maintain data on a particular type of cancer, such as brain tumors.

What information is maintained in the cancer registry?

• Cancer registries maintain a wide range of demographic and medical information:
• Demographic information: age, gender, race/ethnicity, birthplace, and residence.
• Medical history: physical findings, screening information, occupation, and any history of a previous cancer.
• Diagnostic findings: tests, dates, and results of procedures used to diagnose cancer.
• Cancer information: primary site, cell type, and extent of disease.
• Cancer treatment: surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, hormone, or immunotherapy.
• Follow-up: annual information about treatment, recurrence, and patient status.

How is cancer registry data used?

Healthcare providers, public health officials, and researchers use the data to:

• Calculate cancer incidence
• Evaluate efficacy of treatment modalities
• Determine survival rates
• Develop targeted educational and screening programs
• Conduct research on the etiology, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer

How do cancer registries ensure confidentiality?

Confidentiality of patient identifying information and related medical data is strictly maintained at each cancer registry. Aggregate data are analyzed and published without any patient identifiers.

Cancer Informatics is the intersection of information science, computer science, medical oncology, communication, and health care. It deals with the resources, devices, and methods required to optimize the acquisition, storage, retrieval, and use of information in cancer. Applied cancer informatics turns clinical data into meaningful and useful information to improve processes and outcomes in patient-focused and evidence-based cancer care. Informally, cancer informatics supplies the right information, to the right people, in the right format at the right time.

The Cancer Registry, Research and Informatics activities include:

• Monthly submission of cancer data to the Mississippi Cancer Registry
• Biweekly submission to Rapid Cancer Reporting System for the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer NCDB
• Participation in and compliance with the National Cancer Database (NCDB) Annual Call for Data
• Maintenance of the cancer database
• Fulfilling requests for data and performing studies utilizing registry data
• Coordinating and managing the weekly Cancer Conferences, the quarterly Cancer Committee meetings, and the Committee Standards Subgroup meetings (7).
• Producing and publishing the Cancer Program Annual Report

If you would like to learn more information about the cancer registry profession, click HERE.

Educational Resources

Accreditation Standard - Certified Tumor Registrar (CTR)

Case abstracting is performed by a Certified Tumor Registrar (CTR). Each calendar year, non-CTR members of the cancer registry staff demonstrate completion of cancer-related continuing education applicable to their roles. CTRs apply knowledge obtained from formal education and work experience to correctly interpret and code cancer diagnosis, stage, treatment, and outcomes information for each case that is seen at the Commission on Cancer (CoC)- accredited program that meets CoC reporting requirements.

The CTR credential is granted and overseen by the National Cancer Registrars Association. All cancer registry staff who abstract cases at a CoCaccredited program must either:

• Hold a current Certified Tumor Registrar (CTR) credential, or

• Perform case abstracting under the supervision of a CTR

These requirements apply to those employed by the program, working on a contract basis, and/or working through a registry service company. It is encouraged that CTRs attend in-person education at a state, regional, or national level.

Continuing Education Requirements Each calendar year, members of the cancer registry staff who do not hold a CTR credential must demonstrate completion of three hours of cancer-related continuing education applicable to their roles. This continuing education requirement applies to all non-credentialed registry staff, including staff abstracting under the supervision of a CTR, staff performing follow-up activities, and registry management or supervisory personnel. This education includes, but is not limited to, topics in the following areas:

• Advances in cancer diagnosis and treatment

• Changes in cancer program standards

• Changes in data collection requirements

National Accreditation for Cancer Program

The Commission on Cancer (CoC), a quality program of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) has granted Three-Year Accreditation to the cancer program at the Forrest General Cancer Center. The Cancer Program earned the accreditation by meeting the Commission on Cancer Quality of Care Standards with each compliance item meeting all requirements, be evaluated every three years through a survey process, and maintain levels of excellence in the delivery of comprehensive patient-centered care. Forrest General’s Cancer Center is one of nine accredited cancer centers and facilities in Mississippi.

Like all CoC-accredited facilities, the Forrest General Cancer Center maintains a cancer registry, research and informatics, and contributes data to the National Cancer Data Base (NCDB), a joint program of the CoC and American Cancer Society. This nationwide oncology outcomes database is the largest clinical disease registry in the world. Data on all types of cancer are tracked and analyzed through the NCDB and used to explore trends in cancer care in the United States and internationally. CoC-accredited cancer centers, in turn, have access to information derived from this type of data analysis, which is used to create national, regional, and state benchmark reports. These reports help CoC facilities with their quality improvement efforts.

When cancer patients choose to seek care locally at a CoC-accredited cancer center, they are gaining access to comprehensive, state-of-the-art cancer care close to home.

The CoC provides the public with information on the resources, services, and cancer treatment experience for each CoC-accredited cancer program through the CoC Hospital Locator located HERE. Established in 1922 by the American College of Surgeons, the CoC is a consortium of professional organizations dedicated to improving patient outcomes and quality of life for cancer patients through standard-setting, prevention, research, education, and the monitoring of comprehensive, quality care. Its membership includes Fellows of the American College of Surgeons. For more information, click HERE.

Cancer Committee

The Cancer Committee is a multidisciplinary body that includes physicians and non-physician professionals, hospital administration and support services to represent the full scope of cancer care. The Committee is responsible for cancer program leadership.

Cancer Conference

The cancer (tumor) conference is held weekly on Tuesday through zoom and conference call capability. Our conferences offer multidisciplinary consultative services for patients, discussion among cancer program team members, and educational conferences for physicians and allied health professionals. The leading cancer sites in frequency include breast, lung, colon, head and neck, prostate, brain, unknown, and lymphoma/leukemia. Forrest General Hospital is accredited by the Oschner CME Program to provide continuing medical education (CME) for physicians of one credit towards the American Medical Association's Physician's Recognition Award for each conference attended. For more information about the Cancer Conference, please contact the Cancer Registry at 601-288-2914.