If you have browsed our website (and if you haven't - you should!) you may have seen that we have "the largest regional cancer registry in the state of Arkansas". Then you probably thought "Well, that's nice." But you probably also wondered what exactly it means to have a cancer registry at all, let alone the largest.
First, a basic definition:
A cancer registry is a data system designed to collect, manage and analyze health information of patients who have been diagnosed and treated for cancer. One goal of a cancer registry is to help assess and control the impact of cancer on the community where the registry is located. The primary goal is to improve care to cancer patients.
Where does the information come from?
The Northwest Arkansas Cancer Registry has been collecting cancer information since 1986 for all area hospitals and started collecting information from clinics and physicians' offices in 2001. the Registry reports this information to the Arkansas Central Cancer Registry for those hospitals and medical facilities that participate. Participation is required by law for all hospitals, clinics, physicians' offices or any facility that provides screening, diagnostic or therapeutic services for cancer patients. Information regarding Arkansas law and regulations can be found at Healthy Arkansas or by calling 1-800-462-0599.How is the information used?
The information that is gathered is compared with that of other patients who have similar cancer diagnoses. Each facility can analyze their particular data and compare to all Northwest Arkansas data, Arkansas data and even data at the national level.
The NWA Cancer Registry can also release statistical information such as the frequency of certain types of cancer, demographic information such as age, sex and residence at the time of diagnosis, extent of disease at the time of diagnosis, types of treatment received and survival information. All information released is done so strictly for statistical purposes, no personal patient information is divulged to outside sources.
How current is the information we collect?
The Registry staff sends a brief annual questionnaire to participating physicians and former cancer patients. The questionnaires ask about the patient's vital and cancer status, any further cancer treatment, changes in address and new physicians the patient may be seeing. The Registry must keep up with any change in the patient's status in order to provide accurate reporting for statistical research and, ultimately, improved cancer care.
For more information on the Northwest Arkansas Cancer Registry, contact Pat Overton at 1-800-458-8954.
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