CTR Cancer Registry Data Collection 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which source document is considered the MOST authoritative for determining the primary site of a tumor?
- Discharge summary
- Pathology report (Correct answer)
- Radiology report
- Clinic notes
Correct answer: Pathology report
The pathology report is the gold standard for determining primary site because it reflects direct tissue examination.
Question 2: When a patient is diagnosed with two separate primary cancers simultaneously, how should a tumor registrar abstract the case?
- Abstract only the more advanced cancer
- Abstract both as separate accession records (Correct answer)
- Combine them into one record with dual primaries noted
- Abstract only the first diagnosed cancer
Correct answer: Abstract both as separate accession records
Each separate primary cancer requires its own accession record per SEER multiple primary rules.
Question 3: What does the term 'casefinding' refer to in cancer registry operations?
- Calculating survival rates for registry cases
- The process of identifying and capturing all reportable cancer cases (Correct answer)
- Assigning ICD-O codes to diagnosed tumors
- Reviewing death certificates for unreported cases only
Correct answer: The process of identifying and capturing all reportable cancer cases
Casefinding is the systematic process by which registrars identify all reportable cancers from multiple hospital sources.
Question 4: A patient is treated at two different facilities for the same cancer. Which facility is responsible for reporting the case to the state registry?
- The facility that performed surgery
- The facility where the diagnosis was first confirmed
- Both facilities must submit separate reports (Correct answer)
- The facility with the most complete records
Correct answer: Both facilities must submit separate reports
Under most state laws, all treating facilities must report the case independently to the central registry.
Question 5: Which of the following is NOT typically considered a reportable neoplasm in a hospital cancer registry?
- Carcinoma in situ of the cervix
- Benign brain tumor
- Borderline ovarian tumor
- Lipoma of the back (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Lipoma of the back
Lipomas are benign soft tissue tumors that are generally not reportable to cancer registries.
Question 6: What is the primary purpose of using ICD-O-3 morphology codes in cancer registry data collection?
- To determine the patient's insurance eligibility
- To classify the histologic type and behavior of the tumor (Correct answer)
- To assign the cancer stage
- To identify the treating physician's specialty
Correct answer: To classify the histologic type and behavior of the tumor
ICD-O-3 morphology codes specify both the cell type (histology) and the behavior (benign, malignant, in situ) of neoplasms.
Question 7: Under AJCC staging, what does the 'c' prefix before TNM elements (e.g., cT2) indicate?
- Confirmed by cytology only
- Clinical classification based on pre-treatment evaluation (Correct answer)
- Completed staging after all workup
- Corroborated by a second physician
Correct answer: Clinical classification based on pre-treatment evaluation
The 'c' prefix designates clinical stage determined from physical exam, imaging, and other non-surgical findings before treatment.
CTR Cancer Registry Data Collection 2
Which source document is considered the MOST authoritative for determining the primary site of a tumor?