What is Cancer Information Management?

Cancer Registry

Cancer registries are data information systems that manage and analyze data on cancer patients and survivors. Cancer registries are maintained to ensure that health officials have accurate and timely on cancer incidence, treatment, and survivorship (National Cancer Registrars Association, 2023)

There are three types of cancer registries:

Hospital Registries: Hospital registries serve as the starting point for cancer surveillance. They document diagnosis and treatment on all patients. The cases in hospital registries are reported to the central or state cancer registry.

Central or State Registries: Central or state registries combine and maintain data on all cancers occurring in the state’s population. They collect data from all hospitals, pathology laboratories, physicians, and other sources.

Special Purpose Registries: Special purpose registries maintain data on a type of cancer, such as brain tumors, or a special population, such as Native Americans.

(National Cancer Registrars Association, 2023)

Cancer Registrars

Cancer registrars are data information specialists who collect and report cancer statistics. Cancer registrars capture a complete history, diagnosis, treatment, and health status for every cancer patient in the U.S.

Cancer registrars collect the data that provides essential information to researchers, healthcare providers, and public health officials to better monitor and advance cancer treatments, conduct research, and improve cancer prevention and screening programs.

• Identify cases.
• Manage the cancer registry database.
• Ensure data completeness.
• Comply with standards.
• Analyze and present data.
• Run customized reports.
• Inform community needs assessments.
• Track patient survival data.

By collecting the data that makes up the cancer history of each cancer patient, information can be provided to researchers, healthcare providers, and public health officials to help:

• Monitor cancer trends over time.
• Evaluate cancer patterns in populations and identify high-risk groups.
• Guide planning an evaluation of cancer control programs.
• Set priorities for allocating health resources.
• Study cancer causes and prevention strategies.

Cancer registrars work closely with physicians, administrators, researchers, and health care planners to provide support for cancer program development, ensure compliance of reporting standards, and serve as a valuable resource for cancer information with the ultimate goal of preventing and controlling cancer (National Cancer Registrars Association, 2023).

Skills

Organization, Data Collection, Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, Time Management, Communication, Knowledge of Anatomy and Physiology, Presentation, and Data Analysis.

Personality/Qualities

Analytical, Detail Oriented, Investigative, Disciplined, Multitasking, Meticulous, Focused, Persevering, and Motivated.
(National Cancer Registrars Association, 2023)

Where are Registrar’s Working?

Most registrars work for hospitals or central cancer registries. (State registries are referred to as central registries.) A few work for federal agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention’s (CDC) National Program of Cancer Registries or the National Cancer Institute’s (NCI) Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program.

Job Opportunities

Job titles include cancer registrars, analysts, abstractors, coordinators, managers and directors. CTR’s make about 35% more than non-CTRs. An expected 5.6% job growth is expected in the next 5 years.

National Averages

Income by Region