October 2020
In this newsletter, you will find:
  • October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month
  • Upcoming Webinar - Please Join Us!
  • Industry News - RCRS, Changes to STORE, COC Standards Updates
  • Thanks for Stopping By Our Virtual Booth!
  • Become a part of NCRA Volunteer Leadership
  • October Employee Spotlight
  • Refer ERS - Earn $200
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month
October is probably the most recognized of the cancer awareness months and we, too, are "thinking pink" in our cancer awareness monthly series. 

Women should be proactive with their breast health. Education and early detection can save lives. As cancer registry professionals, many of us are very aware of the disease, its characteristics and treatments. Make sure this October, you share information with family and friends to raise awareness and possibly save a life!

Did you know these breast cancer statistics?

  • 1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime
  • In 2020, an estimated 276,480 cases of invasive breast cancer with an estimated 48,530 of non-invasive cases will be diagnosed
  • 64% of breast cases are a localized stage for which the 5 year survival rate is 99%
  • An estimated 42,170 women will die from breast cancer in the U.S. this year
  • An estimated 2,620 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2020

Known Risk Factors

Genetic Factors
  • Family history, as well as previous personal history
  • Age greater than 55
  • Race - Caucasian women are more susceptible than other races
  • Early menstruation before age 12
  • Late menopause after age 55
  • Women with dense breast tissue
  • Genome changes such as BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations

Lifestyle and Environmental Factors
  • Lack of physical activity
  • Poor diet
  • Obesity
  • Frequent alcohol use
  • Radiation to chest prior to age 30
  • Combined Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)

Screening and Early Detection

  • Self-Breast Exam
  • Clinical Breast Exam
  • Screening Mammogram

Diagnosis

  • Diagnostic Mammogram
  • Ultrasound
  • MRI
  • Biopsy
  • Lab tests: Hormone receptors (ER/PR) and HER2/Neu

Treatment

Treatment for breast cancer can consist of standard treatment or clinical trials. Various treatment regimens and combination therapies are used to treat breast cancer and can consist of:

  • Surgery: Lumpectomy, Mastectomy, Lymph Node removal and breast reconstruction
  • Chemotherapy
  • Radiation Therapy
  • Hormone Therapy
  • Targeted Therapy

Follow Up Care

Proper follow up care is essential to check for return of the breast cancer, as well as check for other health issues as a result of treatment. These consist of:

  • Return physicals to exam the neck, chest, underarm and breast areas
  • Follow Up mammograms
  • MRI, CT scans or other imaging

Below are some easy-to-run reports in CRStar to share with your cancer care team.
Upcoming Webinar - Please Join Us!
By now you should have received a webinar invitation for the upcoming presentation of Beyond Data Entry: Customization within the Registry, presented by Christi Cox, CTR, Manager of Education. This one hour webinar will focus on the System Administration module in CRStar and its many features; ranging from customization of the abstract, configuring dashboards, maintaining users and user security and much more! Be sure to join us at noon EST on Tuesday, October 13th!
Stay tuned for an announcement of our upcoming December webinar where we will explore the transition from an annual Call for Data to the new RCRS process. We will have a special guest presenter who we expect everyone will be excited to hear from!

Future Webinar Suggestions

What topics interest you for future webinars? If you have suggestions, please contact Christi Cox, Manager of Education at [email protected] with your wish list!
Industry News
RCRS, Changes to STORE, COC Standards Updates
As most of you are aware, RCRS went live on September 28, 2020. The NCDB will be conducting an orientation webinar on October 14, 2020, with a repeat on October 28, 2020. For the remainder of 2020, data submissions will be the normal RQRS submission. Beginning in January 2021, COC approved programs will begin uploading both new and updated cases on a monthly basis.

RCRS is replacing both RQRS and the annual NCDB Call for Data. Eventually the NCDB Call for Data will be phased out. However, there will be an abbreviated Call for Data in June of 2021 that will include all analytic cases diagnosed in 2019. If your RCRS monthly submissions have been functioning properly up to the abbreviated Call for Data, many of the 2019 cases will have already been submitted prior to June. It is OK if cases have previously been submitted. The purpose of the June call is to assure compliance and completeness.

Unlike RQRS, RCRS will include all analytic disease sites from 2004 - current or from the facilities reference year if later than 2004. New cases will be required to pass RCRS edits. After treatment, it will be required to pass Call for Data complete case edits.

By the end of the year, additional measures included in the Cancer Program Practice Profile Reports (CP3R) will be added to the RCRS platform and then the existing CP3R platform will eventually be phased out.

There will be changes to the STORE Manual and a final version should be posted on November 1. These changes include:
  • A reduction of Data Items
  • Four new COVID-19 data items for collection with 2020-2021 cases
  • Updates to the 2018 Radiation rules and instructions
  • New AJCC (yc) data items

COC standards 5.2, 5.5, 5.6, 6.2, 6.3 and 6.4 will be revised.

Check your inboxes for updates from ERS and changes to the software, instruction and training.
Thanks for Stopping By Our Virtual Booth!
We enjoyed "seeing" you at the recent NCRA Educational Conference and would like to thank the many of you who stopped by to chat. We love to keep in touch with our current and former clients as well as make new friends!

Congratulations to Caron Likens from Baylor Scott & White Health System, the winner of this year's ERS raffle. Caron received a $200 VISA gift card.

Hope to see all of you next year in Indianapolis!
Become a part of NCRA Volunteer Leadership
Calling all leaders!! Don't miss the deadline and the opportunity to serve!! The NCRA Nominating Committee is seeking members to run for several positions for terms beginning in June 2021. Volunteering can be a great way to give back to the profession and is such an overall rewarding experience! Please consider nominating yourself or another qualified NCRA member! Visit the NCRA Nominations & Elections page to explore the open positions, eligibility requirements and descriptions of each position.

The deadline is October 23 and is fast approaching!

Melanie Rogan, NCRA 2020-2021 Nominating Chair
September Employee Spotlight
This month our employee spotlight shines on Yolanda Renea Topin, MBA, BBA, CTR. Yolanda joined ERS in 2017 and is a Client Advocate Specialist. She earned her BBA at the University of Mobile and her MBA at the University of Phoenix. She has been a Certified Tumor Registrar for 14 years.

Prior to joining ERS, Yolanda was the Cancer Registry Manager at the University of South Alabama for 10 years. When asked what is her favorite thing about working at ERS, Yolanda cites helping other CTR’s resolve problems and collect qualitative data.

Yolanda resides in Wilmer, Alabama with her husband of 21 years, Reginald. One of Yolanda’s favorite things is being Nana to her grandchildren who she says always make her smile. When Yolanda is not working, some of her hobbies include reading, shopping, fishing, puzzle games and dancing.
Refer ERS - Earn $200
A few months ago, ERS implemented a customer referral program. To date, several loyal CRStar users have earned a $200 gift card. You could be next!

Please click "Refer a Prospect" below if you know of any Cancer Programs that could benefit from CRStar and the TLC all CRStar users enjoy and rely on. Should your referral become a CRStar user, you'll earn a $200 Gift Card.

Let's grow our CRStar community together!

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