November 16, 2023

SEER Annual Data Submission - Thank You!

Judy Vang

Senior Director of Operations

Cancer Registry of Greater California

On behalf of the CRGC Management Team, we send our deepest gratitude and appreciation to all our registrars. The CRGC submitted data to the National Cancer Institute’s Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Program on November 1, 2023 that met the SEER and NAACCR high standards of quality and completeness requirement. The data submission included information for over 114,000 residents of the CRGC catchment area who were diagnosed, treated, or seen with cancer in 2021. This is only possible with the dedication and diligence of cancer registry professionals whose on-going efforts contribute to the data we are privileged to curate on behalf of the Californians we serve. Data from the CRGC are critical to the vast array of cancer surveillance and research work to evaluate trends in cancer incidence and mortality as well as disparities in incidence, treatment and survival for cancer patients in diverse populations. Thank you from all of us at CRGC. 

The CRGC Unknown Race Followback to Reporting Facilities Project

Winny Roshala, BA, CTR

Director, Data Quality and

Reporting Facility Compliance

Cancer Registry of Greater California

One of the Cancer Registry of Greater California (CRGC) deliverables for our national data submission is to ensure we have no more than 3% of our consolidated cases with an Unknown Race. As we are all aware, Race is a very important factor in assessing cancer surveillance rates, staging information, treatment efficacy, survival statistics and epidemiological studies. Unfortunately, CRGC had exceeded the 3% allowance for patients diagnosed in 2021 with an Unknown Race. To assist in addressing this issue, CRGC conducted a followback project to obtain better Race information from reporting facilities. Each selected reporting facility was provided a list of patients diagnosed and reported from the facility in 2021 with an Unknown Race. An Excel list of cases was posted to the reporting facility GoAnywhere Reports folder. 

We requested reporting facilities review the list of patients reported for 2021 from their facility with an Unknown Race and verify if there is any updated Race information in the patient records. Updated Race information was entered on the Excel spreadsheet and the completed form was return to the GoAnywhere Transmit folder for each respective reporting facility. Most lists were relatively short and it didn’t take long to review the cases and return the list.

The result of this Unknown Race Followback to Reporting Facilities Project proved to be very successful! All 72 reporting facilities contacted responded to the review request. Out of the 789 patients reported with an Unknown Race, better Race information was obtained for 456 patients (57%). This is phenomenal!

We are so grateful to all reporting facility staff and abstracting vendors who responded to the request to provide better Race information and improve data quality! All facilities were also requested to update their own databases with the updated Race information.

Just a few reminders when coding Race:

• Use Volume I, Section III.2.10 Race and Ethnicity section and Appendix O
• Hispanic, NOS and Latino, NOS is coded to Race code 01-White.
• If the only information available is “other” or “other race,” carefully review the medical record in search of a specific race. If no other information is available to code a specific race, use code 99.
• The following terms self-reported in the 2000 Census cannot be coded to a specific race code. Look for other descriptions of race in the medical record. If no further information is available, code as 99.
• Biracial
• Interracial
• Mixed
• Multiethnic
• Multinational
• Multiracial

• Suggestion: At the conclusion of the reporting year, we suggest running a list of the patients reported for that year with an Unknown Race. Review the patient record for any updated Race information. Update your database with any updated Race information. A Modified Record will automatically be generated so that the Race update will be transmitted to CRGC with your next transmit file.

Thank you again to all registrars who responded to the call for better Race information! We truly could not have achieved our goal and national data submission deliverable without your prompt response to enhance our data quality with better Race information!

Thank you for all you do! Wishing you all a blessed and Happy Holiday Season! 

What to do With the CRGC's Transmit File Summary Report

Scott Riddle, BS

Business Analyst III

Cancer Registry of Greater California

The Cancer Registry of Greater California (CRGC) sends out a Transmit File Summary Report every month as a receipt of the New Case files we have received from your facility and kindly ask that you review the report at your earliest convenience.

The question: Why?

The answer: To save all of us time, confusion, and aggravation.

Allow me to explain…

Creating and sending transmit files from hospital-based software is a manual process that has not significantly changed in over 30 years. I should know because I’ve been there from the beginning! There is one thing I quickly learned - Flawed Humans are involved so the steps do not always go as they should. Of note, I am one of those “Flawed Humans” that are part of the process.

Usual Scenario

Our Hospital Compliance Officer contacts you and explains that your counts look low. You generate a report, and your counts are significantly different than ours. There is a lot of back and forth between you and us usually consisting of several hours of time at both ends and you get to become way more familiar with your software’s ad-hoc reporting utility than you cared about.

In the end, after an average of 3 hours of your time, and not including our time, it is discovered that you created a file, did not check the Transmit File Summary Report to see if it was received, and the file was never loaded into our central system.

Why would a file be created and not sent? Let me count the ways! I normally imagine that you are diligently working away having just created the file and your boss walks in. You get into an engaging conversation and before you know it, it’s the end of your day and you need to pick something up on the way home, so you log out, grab your keys, and head out the door. File created but not sent.

A Recommendation

This recommendation only applies to New Case files (a.k.a. Full Case Abstract files). We purposefully do not provide you with information about Modified Records since we want you to concentrate on the New Case files because there are a lot more consequences associated with missing New Case files.

Consider printing out a file summary and setting it aside, saving an electronic copy of a listing to a special folder, or creating a transmit log. The important pieces of information to note are File Name, Number of Cases in file, and Date File Created. Then set aside to compare with the monthly Transmit File Summary Report.

If the file is shown on the report, we have received it, and you can dispose of the listing/file/log entry. If the file is not on the report – follow the instructions in the email that the report was sent in.

Keep in mind that there are Flawed Humans at this end of the secure server so we may have received your file and missed uploading it to our central system.

The Transmit File Summary Report was created, and is disseminated, for various reasons. The primary reason is that the process to send transmit files is still manual in nature, thus fraught with points of failure. Reviewing the report in a timely manner is the final step to assuring that the cases you have worked to abstract have been properly reported.

CCRA'S California Student Success Initiative

Jen Jensen, CTR

Co-Chair, Membership

California Cancer Registrars Association

The California Cancer Registry Association (CCRA) will be launching the "California Student Success Initiative" in 2024. The purpose is to prepare California students entering the Cancer Registry field. In the Spring of 2023, the CCRA met with the Santa Barbara City College Cancer Information Management program (SBCC CIM) about the challenges CIM students face. Initially, these discussions revolved around the cost of prerequisite books, finding practicum sites, and finding their first jobs. Since then, several discussions have taken place with current SBCC CIM students, prospective CIM students, new CTRs from SBCC along with a survey given in the spring to current CIM students. All this feedback has proven to be very valuable, and action will be taken because of the feedback.

Based off of the feedback the Initiative will offer: mentoring, tutoring, resume review, mock interviews, zoom panels, scholarships, and networking. Currently, the Initiative is for CA residents enrolled in a CIM/CRM program, an out of state students enrolled in the SBCC CIM program and is a CCRA student member along with new CA CTRs.

Currently, guidelines are being written for each category. For this program to be successful several volunteers will be needed from CTRs to professions in the Cancer Registry field that aren’t a CTRs.

For more information about volunteering or sponsoring the initiative contact: Jen Jensen @ jen.ccracomembershipchair@gmail.com

In January 2024, the CCRA in conjunction with SBCC will be awarding two different scholarships to SBCC CIM program students. Thank you to Samstaff for their generous donation which enables one student to have their prerequisite books for the CIM program paid for. Anonymous donors provided another generous donation that will pay for a student’s CTR exam prep course of their choice.

To be eligible the students will need to be: A California resident and a CCRA member. This will not be a merit-based scholarship. The individuals will be chosen solely by their submitted essay (subject to be determined). The two recipients will be chosen by a member of SBCC CIM program staff and three CCRA Board Members. The recipient will be recognized in the 1st quarter CCRA newsletter.

Update on California's Comprehensive Cancer Control Program

Jen Jensen, CTR

Co-Chair, Membership

California Cancer Registrars Association

California's Comprehensive Cancer Control Program (CCCP) is based in the Chronic Disease & Injury Control Division of CDPH and housed in the Chronic Disease Surveillance and Research Branch. CCCP functions as an administrative structure for California's Dialogue on Cancer (CDOC) and the facilitation and implementation of the state cancer plan objectives. CDC provides funding for CCCP.

The goal of CCCP is to reduce the burden of cancer in California through three main functions:

● Maintain a comprehensive cancer control coalition, CDOC

●Assess the burden of cancer in California and determine priorities for interventions

● Develop and implement a statewide comprehensive cancer control plan.

Statewide Coalition: CDOC is a coalition of cancer control leaders from throughout the state that share the vision of reducing the cancer burden on the residents of California. These leaders include members of state and local government, members of the public, non-profit organizations, health, medical, and business communities, the research community, cancer survivors, and advocates.

Coalition goals are to:

● Decrease the incidence rate of cancer

● Decrease the mortality rate for cancer

● Increase the quality of life for cancer patients

● Serve as the California forum for critical cancer control issues

●Ensure that the strategies detailed in California’s Comprehensive Cancer Control Plan are implemented. CDOC has special workgroups that engage in activities related to the state cancer plan’s implementation.

CDOC’s current workgroups are Colorectal Cancer Workgroup, Survivorship Workgroup, Health Equity Workgroup and the Lung Cancer Screening Workgroup. In addition to Workgroups, CDOC has five liaisons which serve to inform the membership of their respective topics. American Indian/Alaskan Native Liaison, California Colorectal Cancer Coalition (C4), Nutrition and Physical Activity Liaison, Tobacco Liaison, California HPV Vaccination Roundtable

For more information or to get involved visit: https://www.cdoconline.net/

California Cancer Registrar Association - Renew Now!

Jen Jensen, CTR

Co-Chair, Membership

California Cancer Registrars Association

Now is the time to renew your CCRA Membership. Starting February 1^st, a late fee of $20.00 will be applied to your membership if not paid by January 31, 2024.

When you join online, you will have the option to pay by mail with a check or pay online with a credit card (AMEX, Discover, MasterCard, or Visa). You will receive two emails once you join – 1) a confirmation email and 2) a registration statement email which serves as your receipt (if you paid by credit card) or invoice (if you plan to pay by check). If you are paying by check, make your check payable to: KnowledgeConnex, include your invoice # that is on your registration statement email, and mail your check to KnowledgeConnex. The mailing address will be on the registration statement email.

The 2024 Membership Year is effective from January 1, 2024, through December 31, 2024.

Please click here to see the entire flyer for membership renewal including the different types of membership that are available.