The Cancer Data Center is mandated by law to submit cancer data to the California Cancer Registry. The data is also submitted to the American College of Surgeons (ACOS) Commission on Cancer as part of a nationwide effort to collect information for the National Cancer Data Base (NCDB). Through these means, cancer data provides national statistics for incidence reporting and research. The cancer program coordinator can assist with developing criteria and ascertaining the appropriate data and reports requested by members of Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital's medical staff who undertake studies within their areas of special interest.

The information collected also provides Cottage Hospital with the ability to assess the community's needs as well as giving the community the ability to see how well our physicians and hospital compare to the national average.

Follow-up Activities

The Cancer Data Center staff uses a computerized data base to track all cases diagnosed and/or treated at SBCH since 1988. Through the process of annual follow-up, the importance of continued medical supervision is conveyed to the patient. Active follow-up is conducted on approximately 8,600 cases annually and the successful follow-up rate is maintained at 90 percent or higher.

2008 Cancer Data Center Activities

The Cancer Data Center staff provided data and research information to various hospital departments and physicians. The staff members also plan and coordinate the weekly tumor boards, cancer forum and quarterly Cancer Committee meetings.

During 2008, the Cancer Data Center abstracted 1,228 cases. Of these,1135 were analytic and 93 were non-analytic. A total of 23,957 cases have been entered into the database since the reference date of January 1, 1988.

Status reports were submitted at every Cancer Committee meeting. Overall data accuracy remained high (98 percent and above) as reported by the California Cancer Registry.

Patient Care Evaluation Studies

Data are submitted yearly to the National Cancer Data Base. The data submitted are used to provide feedback to assess the quality of patient care. This feedback enables cancer programs to compare treatment and outcomes with regional, state, and national patterns.

In 2008, the Cancer Data Center submitted Call for Data for the years 2007, 2002, 1997, 1992 and 1987.

The Cancer Data Center also submitted data for a special study conducted by the Commission on Cancer: ' Impact of Neoadjuvant Therapy on Staging for Breast and Rectal Cancer Cases.' This study focused on the collection of clinical stage prior to neoadjuvant therapy and extent of disease following neoadjuvant therapy / surgery to assess the degree of tumor response.