CET Cancer Registry Data Collection 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which staging system is the primary standard used in US hospital cancer registries?
- AJCC TNM Staging (Correct answer)
- Clark's Level
- FIGO Staging
- Ann Arbor Staging
Correct answer: AJCC TNM Staging
The AJCC (American Joint Committee on Cancer) TNM staging system is the universal standard used by US cancer registries to classify cancer extent.
Question 2: In TNM staging, what does 'N0' indicate?
- No regional lymph node involvement (Correct answer)
- Nodes were not assessed
- One regional lymph node is involved
- Distant nodes are involved
Correct answer: No regional lymph node involvement
N0 signifies that there is no evidence of regional lymph node metastasis at the time of staging.
Question 3: How is the 'date of diagnosis' defined in cancer registry abstraction?
- Date of the first positive histologic or cytologic confirmation of malignancy (Correct answer)
- Date the patient first reported symptoms
- Date of hospital admission for cancer treatment
- Date the physician documented a cancer diagnosis clinically
Correct answer: Date of the first positive histologic or cytologic confirmation of malignancy
The date of diagnosis is the date of the first definitive histologic or cytologic confirmation, as established by pathology report.
Question 4: What constitutes 'first course of treatment' in cancer registry documentation?
- All planned treatment given before disease progression or recurrence (Correct answer)
- Only the initial surgery performed at the time of diagnosis
- The first chemotherapy regimen administered
- Any treatment given within 30 days of diagnosis
Correct answer: All planned treatment given before disease progression or recurrence
First course of treatment encompasses all treatment modalities administered as part of the initial treatment plan, before disease progresses or recurs.
Question 5: Which treatment modality is coded as 'radiation therapy' in cancer registry data?
- Use of high-energy ionizing radiation to destroy cancer cells (Correct answer)
- Administration of cytotoxic drugs intravenously
- Infusion of immune-stimulating agents
- Use of hormonal agents to suppress tumor growth
Correct answer: Use of high-energy ionizing radiation to destroy cancer cells
Radiation therapy uses high-energy ionizing radiation such as X-rays or gamma rays to damage and destroy cancer cells.
Question 6: In cancer registry follow-up, what does 'lost to follow-up' mean?
- The registry is unable to determine the patient's current vital status (Correct answer)
- The patient refused further cancer treatment
- The patient has died and the date is confirmed
- The patient moved outside the registry's geographic area
Correct answer: The registry is unable to determine the patient's current vital status
'Lost to follow-up' means the registrar cannot locate the patient or obtain records to determine whether the patient is alive or deceased.
Question 7: What is the purpose of recording 'survival time' in cancer registry data?
- To measure the interval from diagnosis to death or last known contact for outcomes analysis (Correct answer)
- To assess the effectiveness of a specific drug trial only
- To determine individualized prognosis for newly diagnosed patients
- To calculate hospital reimbursement for cancer care
Correct answer: To measure the interval from diagnosis to death or last known contact for outcomes analysis
Survival time is the interval from diagnosis date to death or last known alive contact, enabling population-level survival and outcomes research.
CET Cancer Registry Data Collection 3
Which staging system is the primary standard used in US hospital cancer registries?