Indian Council of Medical Research funded National Cancer Registry Program

RGCI & RC is participating in the ICMR funded National Cancer Registry Program. The Cancer Registry is involved in systematic collection, collation and analysis of cancer cases seen at RGCI & RC. This is a hospital based cancer registry. The registry provides an important source for functional audit for the center, research and training. Assessing the burden and distribution of cancer provides leads for cancer research and control. Effectiveness of treatment is measured by the survival time and for evaluation of quality of survival. Cancer registry data provides evidence based information for all facets of oncology training.

Registries play an important role in research into the cause of cancer, both by providing data on patterns and trends, and in different types of epidemiological studies (in particular, in their ability to follow up groups of persons exposed to potential hazard). They comprise an essential element in the planning and monitoring of cancer control strategies, and for identifying priorities in public health.

AIM

The primary purpose of Hospital Based Cancer Registries is to contribute to patient care by providing readily accessible information on the patients with cancer, the treatment received and its results. The data is also used for clinical research and for epidemiological purposes. Hospital based cancer registries are concerned with recording of information on the cancer patients seen in a particular hospital. Within the hospital, a registry is often considered to be an integral part of the hospital’s cancer programme or health care delivery system.

OBJECTIVE

The stated Objectives of Hospital Based Cancer Registries (HBCRs) are outlined below:

GENERAL OBJECTIVES

• Assess patient care
• Participate in clinical research to evaluate therapy
• Provide an idea of the patterns of cancer in the area
• Help plan hospital facilities

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES

• Contribute to active follow-up of the cancer patient
• Describe survival in relation to anatomical site, clinical stage and aspects of types of treatment
• Contribute to the Population Based Cancer Registries (PBCRs) in the given area
• Undertake epidemiological research through short-term case control studies
• Show time trends in proportion of early to late stages at the time of diagnosis
• Help assess quality of hospital care and cancer services in covered areas

METHODOLOGY

Data collection is done by the individual registries using a standardized common core form. The detailed information in this form mainly consists of patient identifying and demographic information, details of diagnosis, the clinical stage of the disease and the broad type of treatment instituted.