Week Spotlights Cancer Registrars as ‘Recording Artists’

(Alton, IL) – Cancer registrars will join with their colleagues worldwide to observe the annual National Cancer Registrars Week from April 12-16. This year’s theme, “Cancer Registrars are Recording Artists,” demonstrates cancer registrars as being the first link in capturing data on patients diagnosed with cancer, which leads to improved cancer control.

Heather Howard is the cancer registrar at Alton Memorial Hospital.

“Cancer registrars are an integral part of the cancer program,” said Inez Evans, president of the National Cancer Registrars Association. “The cancer registries work with physicians, administrators, researchers and health care planners to provide support for cancer program development, ensure compliance with reporting standards and serve as a valuable resource for cancer information with the ultimate goal of preventing and controlling cancer.”

Cancer registrars compile the patient-level data into registries that provide information for health care providers and health officials to use in monitoring and improving cancer treatment, conducting cancer research and targeting cancer prevention and screening programs.

According to the NCRA, cancer research and control would virtually be nonexistent without the cancer registrar. These medical professionals are data management experts working in cancer treatment and research settings. Cancer registrars

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 databases for use in research, treatment and prevention initiatives. Cancer programs are thus able to accurately determine cancer patient populations, measure outcomes of treatment and survival, and formulate plans for quality improvement.

Cancer registrars will mark National Cancer Registrars Week with staff recognition events, social activities, educational sessions and displays. 

Chartered in May 1974, the National Cancer Registrars Association is a non-profit organization that represents more than 5,000 cancer registry professionals and certified tumor registrars.  The mission of NCRA is to promote education, credentialing and advocacy for cancer registry professionals. Cancer registrars capture a complete summary of patient history, diagnosis, treatment and status for every cancer patient in the United States, and other countries as well. Cancer registrars hope their work will lead to better treatments, and ultimately a cure. 

For more information about NCRA, visit ncra-usa.org.

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