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Breast, Colon, and Prostate Cancer
Data Quality and Patterns of Care Study
Contents
Overview
In 2001, eight central cancer registries received awards to participate in the
Breast, Colon, and Prostate Cancer Data Quality
and Patterns of Care (PoC) study funded and coordinated by the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). All eight participating registries are part of the
National Program of Cancer Registries (NPCR). This study is part of a larger NPCR
initiative to conduct cancer surveillance studies. Activities within the
NPCR initiative include developing, conducting, and
evaluating cancer surveillance projects targeting breast, colorectal, prostate, ovarian, and
oral/pharyngeal cancers.
Breast, Colon, and Prostate Cancer Data Quality and Patterns of Care Study Sites
NPCR–supported registries participating in the PoC study:
California Cancer Registry*
Colorado Central Cancer Registry*
District of Columbia Cancer Control Registry
Illinois State Cancer Registry*
Louisiana Tumor Registry*
New York State Cancer Registry*
Rhode Island Cancer Registry*
South Carolina Central Cancer Registry*
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Goals
The objectives of the Breast, Colon, and Prostate Cancer Data Quality
and PoC study are:
- To use population-based samples to assess the quality of stage-at-diagnosis and
treatment data in the participating registries.
- To estimate the proportion of patients in each state who received the standard of
care according to the 1997 recommended treatments defined in the
National Cancer Institute (NCI) Physician Data Query (PDQ).
The study focuses on three major anatomic sites and stages of cancer: localized breast cancer,
localized prostate cancer, and stage III colon cancer (American Joint Committee on Cancer
[AJCC] staging method). In addition, the study will examine other variables that could affect treatment received,
including race, history of comorbid conditions, insurance coverage, and socioeconomic factors.
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Methods
The registries participating in this PoC study are also participating in Phase II of
the CONCORD study. The CONCORD study will address the extent to which differences in stage at
diagnosis and treatment account for regional and international differences in cancer
survival rates.
This study will compare survival rates among populations in Europe, Canada, and the
United States. Because the CONCORD and PoC studies require collection of much of the same
detailed information from medical records, abstractors have been trained to collect data for
both studies simultaneously to avoid overlap and duplication in data collection.
More information about the CONCORD study is available at
www.lshtm.ac.uk/cphu*. Copies of the CONCORD study
pamphlet and protocol are available upon request at
cancerinfo@cdc.gov.
Most subjects selected for this PoC study had their cancers diagnosed in 1997,
although smaller registries such
as Rhode Island and Washington, DC, may also have to use subjects whose
cancers were diagnosed in 1998 in order to obtain the
required sample size. This selection criterion allows sufficient time for 5-year survival
data to be collected and analyzed. Abstractors in each state will collect data from hospital and
non-hospital sources to create the most complete stage and treatment information possible for
each patient. Non-hospital sources may include physician offices, radiation clinics,
and pathology laboratories.
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Study Development
The PoC study began with the development of the study protocol and the identification of
data items that would be collected from the central cancer registries and medical records.
Next, a comprehensive training manual was developed to ensure consistent
data collection among all registry programs. Copies of the protocol and the training manual can
be obtained by submitting a request to cancerinfo@cdc.gov.
Abstractors are using customized versions of Abstract Plus, a data collection software tool
developed by CDC for use at central registries. A customized tracking database designed by
the study group in Microsoft Access is being used by each central registry to track
communication with facilities. The personnel collecting data for the study are abstractors
trained and experienced in the abstraction of cancer data from medical records.
They are supervised
by senior staff who have detailed knowledge of local medical records and clinical practice.
All of the data collection and training materials were thoroughly
evaluated during a pilot test
completed in October 2002; necessary alterations to the study materials were made before data
collection began.
The PoC study is funded by CDC under a cooperative agreement with the participating
NPCR-funded programs; therefore, the nature of the study has been highly collaborative.
States participating in the study have worked together to develop the study materials and make
decisions regarding details of the project. The study group meets regularly via conference
call to discuss project progress and goals. A Web bulletin board has been established so
that study participants can easily share information and discuss questions or problems that
may arise during the data collection phase.
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Results and Publications
Data collection for the PoC study began in December 2002 and is expected to conclude by
December 2004. The central registries and CDC will perform data analysis collaboratively.
The results of these analyses will then be published in peer-reviewed journals
and posted on this Web site.
*Links to non-Federal organizations found at this site are
provided solely as a service to our users. These links do not constitute an
endorsement of these organizations or their programs by CDC or the Federal
Government, and none should be inferred. The CDC is not responsible for the
content of the individual organization Web pages found at these links.
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