Cancer Registry

The Cancer Registry is a vital part of the Avera Cancer Institute's comprehensive cancer programs. The Registry allows us to collect information that will be used for education, research and lifetime patient follow-up. Physicians and patients are made aware of the need for regular on-going exams so the long-term effects of specific treatments can be assessed.

Data collected may include medical history, demographics, diagnostic and treatment information and follow-up. All records are held in strict confidence and individuals are not identified in any published reports from the Cancer Registry.

The information collected by the Cancer Registry is used to:

• Encourage patients to schedule follow-up examinations for the evaluation of treatments that were received and for early detection of any possible recurrence
• Analyze referral patterns
• Detect trends in cancer rates for future planning purposes
• Perform reviews regarding the quality and appropriateness of care
• Develop education programs for patients, health care professionals and the general public
• Perform studies that evaluate the success of treatment, both in terms of quality of life and length of survival
• Perform research studies on the causes of cancer, diagnostic tests for cancer, and the effectiveness of cancer treatments
• Submit reports to the National Cancer Data Base maintained by the American College of Surgeons and the American Cancer Society
• Submit reports to appropriate state central cancer registries
• Analyze and compare local data with regional and national cancer information