“Whether you live in a large city, a small town, or a rural community, quality cancer care can be found…close to home…for you and your loved ones. The Commission on Cancer offers the only national accreditation program for hospitals, freestanding treatment facilities, and health care network cancer programs in the US and Puerto Rico.” 1
The St. Tammany Parish Hospital (STPH) Cancer Registry is an integral part of the Commission on Cancer Approved Cancer Program and functions under the Cancer Committee to collect data on cancer type, stage and treatment results and offers lifelong patient follow-up. These cases are reported, as required and per HIPAA standards, to the American College of Surgeons (ACoS), the Louisiana Tumor Registry (LTR), the National Cancer Data Base (NCDB) and the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) program of the National Cancer Institute. When combined with other cancer cases nationally, researchers are able to identify trends in cancer incidence and mortality, as well as patterns in diagnosis, treatment and survival. The Registry recommends the American College of Surgeons, National Cancer Database website for “Public Access to Cancer Data” to view local, state and national comparisons of cancer registry data.
The Cancer Registry is mandated….
by Louisiana law (R.S. 40:1299.80 et seq.) to report all cancer cases to the registry and to provide follow-up information. It is a statewide, population-based cancer registry, and rules require strict confidentiality of all data.
Registry Data is the foundation for studies evaluating the efficacy of clinical therapies, healthcare planning, screening and early detection programs, and other cancer prevention and control initiatives. Using this information, we can work to lessen the burden of cancer in our state. Our latest Cancer Program Annual Report outlines the use of registry data in analyzing treatment and survival patterns of a common cancer as well as a complete listing of all the types of cancer seen at our facility annually. The American College of Surgeons provides information on specific cancer types and treatment guidelines for cancer care as well as information on how to find an approved treatment center near you or clinical trials.
Need More Information on Cancer or Cancer Statistics Locally or Nationally?
The Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Program is a premier source for cancer statistics in the United States, collecting information on incidence, prevalence and survival from specific geographic areas that represent 26 percent of the US population. They then compile reports on all of these plus cancer mortality for the entire country. The site is intended for anyone interested in US cancer statistics or cancer surveillance methods.
For information on Louisiana cancer incidence and mortality within the state and by parish, visit the Louisiana Tumor Registry website.
The Registry staff may be reached by calling 985-898-4125.
1 Excerpts from the American College of Surgeons CoC-Approved Cancer Programs July 28, 2008 ad in “U.S. News & World Report”; “America’s Best Hospitals, Exclusive Ranking”.