Record Details
Abstract
Epidemiologic research into cancer and subsequent decisionmaking to reduce the cancer burden in the population are dependent on the quality of available data. The more reliable the data, the more confident one can be that the decisions made would have the desired effect in the population. NAACCR certifies population-based cancer registries, ensuring uniformity of data quality. An important assessment of registry quality is provided by the index of completeness of cancer case ascertainment. NAACCR currently computes this index assuming that the ratio of cancer incidence rates to cancer mortality rates is constant across geographic areas within cancer site, gender, and race groups. NAACCR does not incorporate the variability of this index into the certification process. The authors proposed an improved method for calculating this index based on a statistical model developed at the National Cancer Institute to predict expected incidence using demographic and lifestyle data. They calculated the variance of the index using statistical approximation and used the incidence model to predict the number of new incident cases in each registry area, based on all available registry data. Then, they adjusted the registry-specific expected numbers for reporting delay and data corrections. The proposed completeness index is the ratio of the observed number to the adjusted prediction for each registry. The authors calculated the variance of the new index and proposed a simple method of incorporating this variability into the certification process. Better modeling reduces the number of registries with unrealistically high completeness indices. A fuller picture of registry performance is provided by incorporating variability into the certification process.
Keywords
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cancer
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case ascertainment
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completeness
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registry
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