Doing Your Part: The Importance of Reporting
Introduction
With more than 2 million Americans projected to be diagnosed with cancer in 2025, the disease remains one of the nation’s leading public health concerns, with Florida expected to account for about 9% of these cases.¹
Comprehensive and timely cancer reporting to central cancer registries (CCRs), such as the Florida Cancer Data System (FCDS), plays a crucial role in addressing this public health burden. Together with dedicated cancer registrars, FCDS and other CCRs serve as a cornerstone of cancer surveillance by providing the data necessary to understand, prevent, and treat cancer effectively.²
Why Cancer Reporting Matters
The Florida Cancer Data System (FCDS), established in 1978, serves as Florida’s statewide, population-based CCR as directed by the Florida Department of Health.³ It collects data on cancer incidence, mortality, treatment, and survival.⁴ Reporters such as hospitals, health care facilities, pathology labs, and physician offices provide the information needed to construct a complete picture of Florida’s cancer burden. This enables public health officials, researchers, and policymakers to track trends, identify disparities, and design effective cancer control programs such as the Florida Cancer Plan created by the Florida Cancer Control & Research Advisory Council.⁵
FCDS, like other CCRs, seeks to answer key questions:
Who is getting cancer?
What types of cancer are being diagnosed?
Where is the burden the greatest?
When do trends shift?
How effective are screening and prevention programs?
To achieve this goal, it is imperative that reporters submit quality cancer data by the annual June 30 deadline.³ Reporters and cancer registrars play a critical role in the effectiveness of the registry and the quality of the data collected. Every year, the FCDS submits cancer incidence data to the CDC’s National Program of Cancer Registries (NPCR), the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries (NAACCR), and the National Childhood Cancer Registry (NCCR).³,⁶ These data make up national cancer statistics to support evidence-based decisions for cancer prevention and control.
Contributions to Cancer Control and Policy
Cancer registry data influences nearly every facet of cancer prevention and control:
Research and Clinical Trials: Registries can connect patients to clinical trials and inform the development of innovative treatments.²,⁷
Screening and Prevention: Data from registries provide evidence to revise screening guidelines, such as lowering the recommended age for colorectal and breast cancer screening.⁴ Florida, which consistently ranks among the states with the highest melanoma incidence, uses FCDS data to guide sun safety and early detection campaigns that improve survival.¹
Cost-effective Care: Early detection through screening, informed by registry data, reduces treatment costs and improves outcomes.⁸
Public Health Goals: The data from FCDS is used to monitor progress toward the Florida Cancer Plan 2020–2025 objectives, to evaluate cancer prevention programs, and to address access to care.⁵
Empowering Communities and Saving Lives
Registry data have yielded numerous success stories:
Survival Improvements: Chronic myelogenous leukemia survival increased from about 30% in the 1950s to 90% today, due to advances in targeted therapies; pediatric cancer 5-year survival rose from 30% to over 85%.⁴
Treatment Advancements: Registry data supported the adoption of lumpectomy plus radiation as an alternative to radical mastectomy in breast cancer.⁴
Emerging Trends: Recent increases in cancer among young adults were identified by registries, prompting swift intervention.⁴
Long-term Monitoring: FCDS documented declines in lung and bronchus cancer incidence in line with reduced adult smoking prevalence, reflecting the impact of Florida’s tobacco control initiatives.⁵
Conclusion
Central cancer registries, such as FCDS, are essential public health infrastructure for reducing the burden of cancer. Accurate and timely reporting to these registries empowers public health professionals, clinicians, and researchers to make informed decisions that save lives and improve quality of care. As cancer trends evolve, ongoing support and enhancement of cancer registries like FCDS are imperative to ensure a healthier future for all.
References
American Cancer Society. Florida ranks among highest in melanoma incidence nationwide. Axios. June 18, 2024. Accessed September 2, 2025. https://www.axios.com/local/tampa-bay/2024/06/18/florida-melanoma-american-cancer-society-sunscreen
American Cancer Society. Cancer surveillance programs and registries in the United States. Accessed September 2, 2025. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/managing-cancer/making-treatment-decisions/clinical-trials/cancer-surveillance-programs-and-registries-in-the-united-states.html
Florida Cancer Data System. About FCDS. University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine. Accessed September 2, 2025. https://fcds.med.miami.edu/
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The value of cancer registry data. Prev Chronic Dis. 2017;14:E67. doi:10.5888/pcd14.160480
Florida Department of Health. Florida cancer plan 2020–2025. Florida Comprehensive Cancer Control Program. Published 2020. Accessed September 2, 2025. https://ftp.cdc.gov/pub/publications/cancer/ccc/florida_ccc_plan-508.pdf
Florida Department of Health. Florida Cancer Registry (FCDS). Accessed September 2, 2025. https://www.floridahealth.gov/diseases-and-conditions/cancer/cancer-registry/index.html
Ellison GL, Warren JL, Knopf KB, Brown ML, Klabunde CN. Measuring the value of cancer registries. Prev Chronic Dis. 2018;15:E67. doi:10.5888/pcd15.170421
National Cancer Institute. Importance of cancer registries. Accessed September 2, 2025. https://www.training.seer.cancer.gov/registration/registry/importance.html
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