A cancer registry is a database that collects and stores information about people who have been diagnosed with cancer. The information in a cancer registry includes data about the characteristics of the cancer, such as its type, stage, and location, as well as information about the patient, such as their age, sex, race, and ethnicity.
Cancer registries are important tools for cancer surveillance, research, and public health planning. By collecting data on cancer cases, registries can help identify trends in cancer incidence, mortality, and survival rates. This information can be used to develop and evaluate cancer prevention and control programs, as well as to identify areas where additional research is needed.
Cancer registries may be operated at the local, state, or national level, and may be maintained by public health agencies, academic institutions, or private organizations. In the United States, the National Cancer Institute’s Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program is a national cancer registry that collects and reports data on cancer incidence, mortality, and survival rates for various geographic regions and populations. Other countries may have their own national cancer registries, or may participate in international cancer registries such as the International Association of Cancer Registries.
