Forsyth Medical Center 
Cancer Research
Our Cancer Research Database
| An important part of the Center's research function is maintenance of a database of patients with cancer. |
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Current Cancer Clinical Trials
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Our Cancer Research database, or registry as it is sometimes called, is a cancer information center. It contains information about new cancer cases, cancer treatment, and follows patients for the rest of their lives.
Why have a database?
The database was created in 1987 in order to comply with N.C. state reporting laws and to meet the national requirements of the cancer program standards established by the American College of Surgeons. The information allows health care providers to track cancer trends and treatment outcomes.
What information is collected?
The cancer database follows state and national data standards on the information that is collected, including:
- Demographics (address, county, age, race, etc..)
- Cancer (type of tumor, size, spread of disease)
- Follow-up (date patient last seen by physician, health status)
- Recurrence (how long until recurrence; where disease recurred
What happens to the data?
The data is reported quarterly to the N.C. Central Cancer Registry in compliance with state law. State confidentiality laws protect the patient information. Once a year, information is also sent to the National Cancer Data Base in Chicago, IL. The NCDB allows hospitals to compare their patterns of care with other hospitals.
Who collects the data?
A staff of specialists called Certified Tumor Registrars collect and report the information. To become a CTR, staff must pass a national certification examination and maintain continuing education credentials.
Ongoing research is necessary to combat this disease and help persons living with cancer. Other cancer-related links from this site can provide you with more detailed information.
