Cancer Registry Data Collection Flashcards

Which document typically serves as the primary source for identifying the class of case (e.g., analytic vs. non-analytic)?

Answer: The complete medical record including all treatment documentation

Class of case is determined by reviewing the full medical record to identify where diagnosis was made and where first-course treatment was received.

What does 'sequence number' indicate in a cancer registry abstract?

Answer: The order of this tumor among all primary cancers diagnosed in the patient's lifetime

Sequence number identifies whether this is the patient's first, second, or subsequent primary cancer diagnosis.

A physician writes 'probable carcinoma' in the final diagnosis. According to SEER/CoC rules, should this case be abstracted?

Answer: Yes — terms like 'probable' meet the threshold for reportability

SEER and CoC rules include ambiguous terms such as 'probable,' 'apparent,' and 'consistent with' as sufficient for reportability.

Which of the following best describes 'first-course treatment' in cancer registry terminology?

Answer: All treatment given with curative or palliative intent before disease progression or recurrence

First-course treatment encompasses all planned treatment given before the cancer progresses or a new regimen is started due to recurrence.

In the context of cancer registry data collection, what is a 'death certificate only' (DCO) case?

Answer: A cancer case identified solely from a death certificate with no prior registry record

A DCO case is one where the only evidence of cancer comes from the death certificate, indicating a casefinding gap.

When abstracting a case with multiple tumors in the same organ, which set of rules governs whether they are counted as one or multiple primaries?

Answer: SEER Multiple Primary and Histology (MP/H) coding rules

The SEER MP/H rules provide site-specific and histology-specific instructions for determining the number of primaries.

What information does the 'grade' field in a cancer abstract capture?

Answer: The degree of cellular differentiation or aggressiveness of the tumor

Grade reflects how differentiated tumor cells are compared to normal cells, with higher grades indicating more aggressive tumors.