Purpose of Cancer Registry

A cancer registry is essential for collecting, compiling, and analyzing cancer data throughout the state. Cancer registries across the country collect data on nearly 1.6 million cancer cases each year, including information on location, how cancer spreads, and how cancer is treated.

Cancer registries help measure and study the burden of cancer in our communities, to help identify the causes of these cancers, and to find cures for these diseases. Regional and statewide registries report their data to the National Cancer Institute’s national registry—the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program (SEER). Across the country, these registries provide researchers, physicians, and other vital health professionals with the information they need to identify cancer trends, causes, geographic statistics, and racial/ethnic and occupational risks—all in a centralized location.