CTR Follow-Up & Survival Analysis 3

Question 1

In cause-specific survival analysis, which patients are censored?

Accepted Answer

Patients who die from causes other than the cancer under study

Answer

In cause-specific survival, deaths from causes other than the cancer of interest are treated as censored observations.

Question 2

The expected survival rate used in relative survival calculations is derived from which source?

Accepted Answer

U.S. life tables matched by age, sex, and race

Answer

Relative survival uses U.S. life tables (typically Ederer II or Hakulinen method) matched by age, sex, and race/ethnicity.

Question 3

Which AJCC staging element most directly influences 5-year survival rates reported by cancer registries?

Accepted Answer

Stage at diagnosis

Answer

Stage at diagnosis is the single most powerful predictor of 5-year survival rates and is the primary stratifier in registry survival reports.

Question 4

A registry is calculating the follow-up rate for their database. Which formula is correct?

Accepted Answer

(Patients with known vital status / Total patients eligible for follow-up) × 100

Answer

The follow-up rate is the percentage of eligible patients whose vital status is known, whether alive or deceased.

Question 5

What minimum follow-up rate does NPCR recommend for reporting survival statistics?

Accepted Answer

90%

Answer

NPCR and SEER recommend a minimum 90% follow-up rate to ensure survival statistics are reliable and representative.

(CTR) Certified Tumor Registrar Practice Test