November 2023 Newsletter

As you may have heard, ERS is now a part of Health Catalyst – a NASDAQ listed global provider of data analytics technology and services, and we know some of you are already leveraging their technology and services. This is a big and significant milestone for ERS and for our customers as well.

Since our inception in 1989 in the early days of cancer registry, we have remained steadfast in our mission to helping our cancer centers improve cancer care for every patient. With Health Catalyst, we are now positioned to expand on this vision in new, exciting ways that benefit you – our loyal customers. The ERS team is excited to be a part of the Health Catalyst family – as we’re sure you will be as well.

We are excited about this development and look forward to our next chapter with you.

There are demonstrated differences in tumor cell metabolism between right-sided and left-sided colorectal tumors, which could explain the differences observed in their clinical behavior, especially in metastatic disease. Now, new research has found that patients with right-sided colorectal tumors that spread to the liver have worse survival rates than those with left-sided tumors that also metastasized to the liver.

The findings provide insight into the unique biology of right- and left-sided tumors, which may impact treatment options and patient outcomes. There are distinct differences in metabolites and bile acids in right-sided colon cancer samples. Conversely, indicators of fatty acid oxidation are relatively increased in the samples of left-sided colon cancer.

Analysis reveals several key differences in cellular physiology which may be relevant to clinical differences in tumor behavior between right- and left-sided colon cancer liver metastasis. These findings show that metastatic tumors to the liver originating from different locations in the colon have distinct behaviors. This knowledge will help tailor treatment strategies and improve outcomes for patients with liver metastases, no matter what side of the colon they originate from.

These results also support the importance of correct topography codes when abstracting colon cancer cases!

A new casefinding code list is available on the SEER website. For a complete list of all changes necessary in your CRStar account, please contact your state cancer registry for possible changes to their reportable diagnosis codes.

Once all changes are determined, open a support ticket and we will be happy to assist you with revising the import configuration screen in CRStar. Please note, support should be requested once you are ready to start importing cases diagnosed 10/1/2023 and forward.

If the files obtained for the import are limited to specific diagnosis codes, it is imperative you contact the person/department responsible for creating the merge files to ensure the program logic is updated. This needs to be done prior to creating/uploading the files to CRStar to prevent an oversight.

New NAACCR 2024 Implementation Guidelines

The 2024 NAACCR Implementation Guidelines were updated in October 2023. The guidelines inform all cancer registries and stakeholders of expected changes with cases diagnosed beginning in January 2024. It is recommended for all cancer registries to familiarize yourselves with the upcoming changes. Please click the link below to access and download the guidelines.

The latest episode of the Cancer Registry World podcast is available now! In our November episode, two leaders at Syapse - Thomas Brown, MD, MBA, Chief Medical Officer and Jennifer Jurivich, Senior Vice President Health Systems, join Dr. Frederick L. Greene to discuss the importance of data acquired from cancer registries which is used to inform decision making that allows hospitals and healthcare systems to optimize cancer treatments. Please enjoy listening and learning.

Previous episodes with guests Daniel Boffa, Jim Hofferkamp, Denise Harrison, Sharon Gentry, Kay Washington, Lori A. Swain, Loria A. Pollack, Shirley Dalrymple, Robert K. Brookland, Timothy W. Mullett, Catherine Bieker, Jon Patrick, Barbara Dearmon, Lejla Hadzikadic-Gusic, William Laffey, Rohit Nayak, Mellisa Wheeler, Lillie D. Shockney, and Karen Mason, are still available on our website or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts, including ApplePodcasts, Amazon Music, Spotify, iHeartRadio and TuneIn.

Our ERS family is growing!

Jonathan Rakestraw, BS, CTR, Manager, Client Engagement, and his wife Bettie Jo (BJ) celebrated the arrival of their second child, Lane Michael Rakestraw on September 20, 2023. Also welcoming Lane Michael is Sarah Pearl who loves being the big sister.

Please join us in congratulating Jonathan and BJ and their beautiful family!

As Thanksgiving approaches, we wanted to take a moment to express our deepest gratitude to you, our cherished clients. This special time of year reminds us of the importance of gratitude and appreciation, and we want to convey just how thankful we are to have you as a part of our extended family.

Your trust and support have been the cornerstones of our success, and we are genuinely thankful for the opportunity to serve you. Your unwavering commitment to our partnership has been the driving force behind our continuous growth and improvement.

As we gather with our loved ones to celebrate this Thanksgiving, we reflect on the many relationships we've built, and you are at the forefront of our thoughts. We look forward to another year of working together, striving for excellence, and achieving new milestones.

May this Thanksgiving season bring you warmth, happiness, and moments of joy with your loved ones. We wish you a holiday filled with laughter and gratitude.

As a reminder, all ERS offices will be closed for the holiday from Wednesday, Nov. 22nd through Friday, Nov. 24th. Any routine support tickets entered during this time will be addressed by support staff when we reopen for our standard business hours on Monday, Nov. 27th.

Do you love CRStar?

So do we and we are offering our loyal customers the chance to earn a $200 gift card when a Cancer Program that you refer becomes an ERS customer!

Please click "Refer CRStar" below if you know of any Cancer Programs that could benefit from CRStar and the advantages that CRStar users enjoy and rely on.

Let's grow our CRStar community together!

Terms and conditions can be found on the CRStar Referral Form.

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