CTR Epidemiology & Cancer Statistics Flashcards

Which federal agency publishes the United States Cancer Statistics (USCS) report combining SEER and NPCR data?

Answer: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

The CDC publishes the USCS report, which combines data from NCI's SEER program and CDC's own NPCR to provide comprehensive national cancer statistics.

In a population-based cancer registry, which source is typically most complete for ascertaining all cancer cases?

Answer: State vital records (death certificates) combined with pathology reports and hospital records

Using multiple sources — vital records, pathology reports, and hospital records — through a process called multiple-source ascertainment maximizes case completeness.

The concept of 'lead time bias' in cancer screening studies refers to:

Answer: The apparent increase in survival time due to earlier detection, without actual benefit

Lead time bias inflates apparent survival because screening detects disease earlier, but if the death date is unchanged, survival appears longer without true benefit.

Which cancer is currently the leading cause of cancer death among both men and women in the United States?

Answer: Lung and bronchus cancer

Lung and bronchus cancer remains the leading cause of cancer mortality in both U.S. men and women, accounting for more deaths than the next several cancers combined.

In cancer registry epidemiology, 'denominator data' refers to:

Answer: Population counts used to calculate incidence and mortality rates

Denominator data are the population figures (usually from census estimates) that serve as the base for calculating rates per 100,000 persons.

What is the primary advantage of the National Cancer Database (NCDB) compared to SEER?

Answer: NCDB covers a larger share of U.S. cancer cases from CoC-accredited hospitals

NCDB captures roughly 70% of newly diagnosed U.S. cancers from over 1,500 CoC-accredited facilities, giving it broader case volume than SEER's geographic samples.