February 2023 Newsletter

Our Cancer Center Showcase continues this month with St. Joseph’s/Candler, located in beautiful and historic Savannah, GA. The Cancer Registry at St. Joseph’s/Candler dates back 25 years. The health system is comprised of 119 locations, including two hospitals, countless specialty offices and a multitude of infusion centers scattered across the city of Savannah, Chatham County, Bluffton, SC and other outlying areas of the region.



The Oncology team at the Nancy N. and J.C. Lewis Cancer & Research Pavilion (LCRP) offers a very comprehensive approach to the diagnosis and treatment of patients with cancer. The LCRP is one of the most innovative oncology programs in the Southeast, utilizing a patient centered approach to care.

In 2014, a partnership between the LCRP and Northside Hospital Cancer Institute in Atlanta was selected by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to implement a new cancer research program that succeeded in reaching more Georgians in their own cities and towns. This program, called the NCI Community Oncology Research Program, continues to provide Georgians with deeper cancer services and broader regional accessibility, with 110 oncology clinical providers in 41 different locations throughout the state, as well as the clinical trial leadership and research management services of Georgia Center for Oncology Research and Education. St. Joseph’s/Candler is accredited by both the Commission on Cancer (CoC) and the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC).

Since a variety of cancers occur in women during pregnancy, will the in utero exposure to maternal cancer and cancer treatment influence the unborn child's short- and long-term health and development? A recent study in Denmark investigated outcomes in children exposed to maternal cancer in utero between January 1978 and December 2018. Exposure was defined as maternal cancer diagnosis during pregnancy as well as exposure to chemotherapy in utero and identified in the National Health Registers.

Overall mortality, somatic diagnoses, and psychiatric diagnoses were assessed and follow-up started at birth and extended until the end of 2018. Of 2,526,163 liveborn children, 690 (0.03%) were exposed to maternal cancer in utero. Compared with unexposed fetuses, children exposed in utero had no higher overall mortality, nor increased risk of congenital malformations, somatic or psychiatric disease.

During the period 2002-2018, of 378 (0.03%) children exposed to cancer in utero, 42 (12.5%) were exposed to chemotherapy and had no increase of somatic diseases nor congenital malformations when compared with in utero exposure to maternal cancer without chemotherapy. Overall, findings did not indicate excess risk of mortality or severe morbidity among children exposed to cancer in utero. Fetal exposure to chemotherapy was not associated with adverse health outcomes in childhood.

Again, we see the power of the registry and the importance of capturing data relating to in-utero malignancy.

Only 14 more days remain for the opportunity to enter ERS's "What Being a CTR Means to Me" Essay Contest with a chance to win registration to the 2023 NCRA Educational Conference!

Designed exclusively for CRStar users who are NCRA members, the winner will receive a paid registration (value $495) for the upcoming 2023 NCRA Educational Conference - either in-person or virtual. The winner will be contacted by March 15th and the winner and winning essay will be showcased in the April edition of the ERS Newsletter as well as posted to Facebook, LinkedIn, and our other social media platforms. The top 5 essays will later be featured on our website and social media during NCRW - April 3-7.

If you have already paid for your NCRA Conference registration, you are still eligible to submit an essay. NCRA has informed us that they will reimburse the winner for their already paid for registration.

Please note: Deadline for submission is midnight, Tuesday, Feb. 28th. No submissions will be accepted after that time.

Complete rules and submission details can be found on our website or by clicking below.

The latest episode of the Cancer Registry World podcast featuring guest Robert K. Brookland, MD, FACRO, FACR, Chairman, Department of Radiation Oncology at Greater Baltimore Medical Center, is now available! Dr. Brookland joins Dr. Frederick L. Greene to discuss importance of cancer registries for his own specialty but will explain the significance of the registry in the development of cancer staging strategies.

The cooperative work between the cancer registry and other clinical departments for the cause of fighting cancer is highlighted, as well as the great value of registry data when it comes to creating strategies for future planning. Dr. Brookland speaks to the future of the AJCC Manual, the complexity of TNM staging, and the opportunity to update the staging system as new data develop.

Previous episodes with guests 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, Spotify, Stitcher, iHeartRadio and TuneIn.

The 2023 NCDB Call for Data will open on 03/01/2023 and close on 03/31/2023 at midnight CST. Our February Tip of the Month provides best practices to make certain the data submission process runs smoothly and ensure a successful submission.

Please note: Users may get a head start on the edit cleanup prior to 03/01. Please refer to the CRStar Insight: Preparing for the 2023 NCDB Call for Data located on the CRStar Resource page.

Important! New NCDB edit metafiles will be available with our end of February upgrade. It is imperative that users create the final submission files after these metafiles are available to ensure an error free submission!

• Start early! Do not wait until the last minute to begin the edit cleanup. Please note that the CRStar NCDB export screen was updated for the 2023 Call for Data with the December upgrade and a CRStar Insight was posted on the Resource page with instructions for how customers could get a head start on edit cleanup prior to 03/01/2023. 
• Fully read the information and instructions provided by the NCDB. 
• Download GenEDITS Plus 5.1.1.1. Note: For all support of the GenEDITS Plus 5.1.1.1 software, please contact the NCDB.
• Ensure the correct edit metafile is configured in CRStar. Note: This metafile is not new and should already be loaded in CRStar under Preferences and Genedits. The metafile name is NCBD_V22B. 
• Check your FIN and NPI numbers for accuracy for each facility in the database.
• Perform a Database Validation check and eliminate duplicate cases. 
• Run quality reports to check data for complete staging, treatment and follow-up data.
• Prior to beginning the Call for Data process, perform follow-up activities to ensure the most updated cases are submitted.
• Run edits on all follow-up entered, as well as cases that are modified. 
• Create a folder to save all submission files. Do not delete files until after confirmation of acceptance from NCDB. 
• When editing, have a designated staff person run the file through GenEDITS Plus 5.1.1.1. However, multiple staff members can process and correct edits in CRStar. 
• Utilize a designated person to run the FINAL submission fields through GenEDITS Plus 5.1.1.1. 
• When correcting edits, utilize the edit detail report within GenEDITS Plus 5.1.1.1. The edit detail report will display valuable information to assist in correcting edits.
• Run the export and pass the files through GenEDITS Plus 5.1.1.1 until all edits are clear. 
• Pause follow-up activities during the final run of edits and submission of files.
• Determine submission completeness as outlined by the NCDB.
• ERS held Call for Data webinars on 02/07 and 02/09. If you were unable to attend, recordings of the webinar can be found on the CRStar resource page. We encourage all users to watch. 
• Take a deep breath and good luck!

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.

View a CRStar video

Read user stories

Visit our website

ERS, Inc. | www.mycrstar.com