Northeast Regional Cancer Institute Receives Funding to Test Improvements in Local Cancer Case Reporting

The Northeast Regional Cancer Institute recently received $100,000 from the Center for Disease Control to test a method aimed at increasing the efficiency and completeness of cancer case findings in Northeastern Pennsylvania.

Specifically, the Cancer Institute will use the funding to expand the reach of its existing hospital-based Regional Cancer Registry by incorporating data from outpatient oncology practices. Increasingly, cancer cases are diagnosed and managed, at least initially, outside of the hospital setting. These cases are not identified by a hospital-based registry, nor are they reported to a central registry, resulting in an underestimation of the incidence of cancer in the community.

“The quality of local cancer epidemiology research can only be as accurate as the cancer incidence data collected in our region. We are excited to work towards testing a method to improve the completeness of that data so that the Cancer Institute can continue to conduct locally-focused research identifying the specific cancer-related needs of our community,” said Dr. Samuel Lesko, Director of Research and Medical Director at the Northeast Regional Cancer Institute.

Cancer Institute Board President Mary Erwine thanked Representatives Paul Kanjorski and Christopher Carney, along with Senators Robert Casey, Jr. and Arlen Specter for working collectively to secure the funding for this project.

Pilot-testing of the new recording method has already begun at the Cancer Institute.

The Regional Cancer Registry is operated by the Northeast Regional Cancer Institute and supported by the organization’s member hospitals: Community Medical Center Healthcare System; Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center, Henry Cancer Center; Marian Community Hospital; Mercy Health Partner; Moses Taylor Hospital; Mid-Valley Hospital; Wayne Memorial Healthcare System; Wyoming Valley Health Care System.