Cancer Registry - Definition and Overview

A cancer registry is a systematic collection of data about cancer and tumor diseases.

There exist population-based cancer registries and hospital cancer registries (also called hospital-based cancer registry).

Population-based Cancer Registry

Population-based cancer registries monitor the frequency (so-called incidence) of cancer diseases between regions and over time by collecting case reports from different sources (clinicians and pathologists). If an unexpected accumulation can be observed a hypothesis about possible causes is generated. This hypothesis is investigated in a second step by collecting more detailed data. The aim is to recognize and to reduce risks. Population-based registries can also monitor the effects of preventive measures.

Hospital Cancer Registry

Hospital cancer registries aim at the improvement of cancer therapy. Therefore they have to collect detailed data about diagnosis and therapy. Improvements can be achieved by:

• comparison of therapy - which therapy is the best
• comparison of therapists - which hospital, which physician has the best results under the same conditions (quality management)
• support of treatment - registries can improve information about a patient and help to provide an optimal treatment by planning therapies and generating reminders

Co-operation of Registries

Since the data needed by hospital cancer registries usually include those of population-based cancer registries and both use the same classifications data can be sent from a hospital cancer registry to a population-based registry thus reducing documentation efforts.