Why Reporting Historical Cancer Cases Matters
The responsibility of cancer data reporting extends beyond the current diagnoses.
FCDS requires the collection and reporting of certain historical cancers even when there is no evidence that the cancer is currently active (i.e., the patient is without evidence of disease).
Ensuring that historical cases are reported even at the level of minimal data set helps close data gaps and strengthens the overall data.
Patient diagnosed with any type of cancer during their lifetime are more than likely to develop a new cancer. Reporting the number of cancers and types of cancers for each patient during his or her lifetime is an important component for researchers as they evaluate cancer incidence.
Historical case reporting is essential to build accurate cancer data. Many cancer patients present with prior diagnosis, and recurrences, or multiple primaries that influence staging, treatment decisions, and case determination.
Finally historical cancer data play a crucial role in research, quality improvement, and population health initiatives which enable more robust survival analysis, evaluation of treatment effectiveness and identification of disparities in care.
Thank you for continuing to submit your data, because your data MATTERS.
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