COMPLETENESS OF HOSPITAL CANCER CASE REPORTING FROM THE SEER PROGRAM OF THE NATIONAL-CANCER-INSTITUTE

Background. To ascertain the quality of data entering a population-bas ed reporting system, an essential requirement is to study levels of co mpleteness of case-ascertainment and reporting. This study represents an effort to quantify completeness of case reporting in the SEER (Surv eillance, Epidemiology, and End Results) Program of the National Cance r Institute. Methods. Hospitals in each of the participating SEER area s were stratified according to their annual hospital cancer caseload f or the year 1987. Within each caseload stratum, a random sample of hos pitals was selected for inclusion in this study. Files in the medical record, pathology, and radiation oncology departments in each hospital were reviewed for SEER reportable cases, These cases were then matche d against SEER case listings to identify unreported cases. Results. Th e crude estimated completeness of reporting for 1987 in the six partic ipating SEER areas was 97.7% and the registry-caseload standardized ra te was 96.8%, Variation was noted by SEER registry, hospital cancer ca seload, and casefinding source (hospital department). Three-quarters o f unreported cases were of invasive disease and one-fourth were in sit u, primarily of the cervix uteri. Conclusions. There is variation in c ompleteness of casefinding among SEER registries, hospital size, and h ospital department source. Additional factors that appear to be relate d to case ascertainment are cancer site or type and who performs the c asefinding function (hospital registry or central registry staff).