California Cancer Reporting System Standards Volume I: Abstracting and Coding Procedures
The State of California has specific cancer reporting requirements. An overview of California’s Health and Safety Code and related information is outlined below.
Provisions of the California Health and Safety Code enacted in 1985 (Sections 103875 and 103885) mandate the establishment of a statewide system of cancer reporting. The purpose of the system is to conduct a Program of epidemiological assessments of the incidence of cancer, with a view to identifying cancer hazards to the public health and their remedies. Under the code, any hospital or other health care facility that diagnoses or treats cancer patients within an area designated as a cancer reporting area shall report each case of cancer to the department or the authorized representative of the department.
Diagnoses of borderline and benign primary intracranial and central nervous system (CNS) tumors are also reportable, as well as Newly Reportable Hematopoietic Diseases (NRHD), see Hematopoietic and Lymphoid Neoplasm. This applies to cases diagnosed January 1, 2001 and forward.
It is the reporting facility’s responsibility to inform patients that their cancer diagnosis has been reported to the California Cancer Registry as required by regulations that govern the cancer reporting law. A Patient Information Sheet has been developed by the California Department of Public Health, which may be used to inform patients. Please refer to Appendix J. A reporting facility may modify this information sheet, if they so choose.