North Dakota Statewide Cancer Registry recognized by CDC
- Friday, July 20, 2018
- News
The North Dakota Statewide Cancer Registry (NDSCR) has been recognized as a CDC National Program of Cancer Registries (NPCR) Registry of Excellence. This indicates that the NDSCR met all CDC NPCR Standards for Data Completeness and Quality. Mary Ann Sens, MD, PhD, professor and chair of the SMHS Department of Pathology, serves as the program director. Lucy Zheng, MD, and Xudong Zhou, MD, of the Department of Pathology operate the program in collaboration with Cristina Oancea, MS, PhD, in the SMHS Department of Population Health, who provides statistical analyses of the data.
Of the 50 cancer registries supported by the CDC, North Dakota’s is one of only 16 that achieved this recognition. The cancer registry data is available for cancer prevention and control activities at local, regional, and national levels. The state data is included in the annual United States Cancer Statistics report and other analytic data sets. The data can be used to plan and evaluate cancer control programs, conduct research, and monitor cancer trends. Each state’s central cancer registry is crucial to the success of cancer surveillance in the United States. Data is included in the official federal statistics on cancer incidence and mortality, the United States Cancer Statistics (USCS). USCS data are used to assess cancer burden, inform and evaluate prevention efforts, and address disparities. The USCS is produced annually by the CDC and the National Cancer Institute.
The NDSCR also received the Gold Certification from the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries (NAACR). The evaluation of central cancer registry incidence data recognizes population-based cancer registries that have achieved excellence in the areas of completeness of case ascertainment, data quality, and timeliness.
Representatives from the North Dakota Statewide Cancer Registry attended the NAACR Annual Conference in Pittsburgh, Penn., June 20-25, 2018, where they participated in the official award ceremony.