NPCR and SEER–U.S. Cancer Statistics Public Use Database Fact Sheet

Researchers can access and analyze high-quality population-based cancer incidence data on the entire United States population through the NPCR and SEER Incidence—U.S. Cancer Statistics Public Use Database.

De-identified cancer incidence data reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) National Program of Cancer Registries (NPCR) and the National Cancer Institute’s (NCI’s) Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) ProgramExternal are available to researchers.

Cancer surveillance data from these two programs are combined to become U.S. Cancer Statistics, the official source of federal cancer data.

The database includes data from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, providing information on more than 24 million cancer cases. The data include information by demographic characteristics (for example, age, sex, and race) and tumor characteristics (for example, year of diagnosis, site, histology, stage, and behavior). Hospitals, physicians, and laboratories across the nation report these data to central cancer registries supported by CDC and NCI.

Researchers can use these public use data to inform scientific inquiries, programs, and policies by identifying disparities in cancer burden, investigating trends and geographic distributions in cancer incidence, and evaluating and monitoring cancer prevention activities.

How to Obtain Access

Instructions on how to access the data through software developed by NCI’s SEER Program and supporting documentation, including data dictionaries and analysis checklists, are available at www.cdc.gov/cancer/public-use.