National Cancer Registrars Week
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. - Cancer registrars, including Deborah Caron, CTR, at North Adams Regional Hospital, are observing the annual National Cancer Registrars Week this week, April 13-17. The week’s theme, “Cancer Registrars…Rock Solid,” reflects the dependable professionalism cancer registrars provide across the spectrum of cancer-related initiatives.Cancer registrars are data management experts working in cancer treatment and research settings. They find, interpret, and record a wide range of demographic and medical information on people with cancer. The information is submitted to state and national cancer registries for use in research, treatment, and prevention initiatives.
“Quality cancer data is central to the nation’s fight against cancer, and registrars are the first link in capturing data on patients diagnosed with cancer,” said Marsha Estabrook, Director of Medical Records at NARH. “The work of registrars like Deb Caron is essential in tracking cancer incidence and trends, and in identifying factors that may contribute to the incidence of cancer.” Caron, a Certified Tumor Registrar, maintains the cancer registry at NARH and tracks outcomes for more than 2,600 cancer patients dating back to 1996.
Cancer registry data from cancer registrars are the basis for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recent report 1999-2005 United States Cancer Statistics, which features information on more than one million cases of cancer diagnosed in 2005 among residents of 48 states and the District of Columbia.
In 2008, NARH’s cancer program won approval with commendation from the Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons. Approval is given only to those facilities that have voluntarily committed to providing the highest level of quality cancer care and that undergo a rigorous evaluation process and review of their performances.
