Registry data were grouped by country (Canada and United States) and within the United States (NPCR and SEER). Registries funded by both SEER and NPCR (California, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, and New Jersey) were categorized as SEER because these registries are funded to meet SEER follow-up standards and their survival data have been published (24 ). The 51 participating registries were categorized as follows: Canada (Alberta, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, and Ontario); NPCR (Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming); and SEER (California, Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, New Jersey, New Mexico, Utah, and metropolitan-area registries in Detroit and Seattle). To maintain confidentiality, registries were identified by randomly assigned numeric values within country and by program. Data from NPCR01 to NPCR16 contained information from NDI for deaths that occurred in 2002 through 2007 (n = 14) and/or met SEER follow-up standards (n = 3).
Survival analyses were restricted to the first primary cancer diagnosed (only cancer diagnosed or the first of multiple primary [MP] cancers diagnosed) for each cancer patient, and excluded DCO and autopsy-only cases because these cases had no calculable survival interval. To estimate the percentage of cases that were excluded from the survival analyses, we evaluated the percentage of MP cancers using SEER MP coding rules (25 ) and the percentage of DCO (including autopsy-only) cases among first primary cancers. To evaluate the breadth of case finding activities conducted by each cancer registry, we estimated the percentage of microscopically confirmed (MC) cases among first primary non-DCO cases. A patient was considered to have complete follow-up information if they were deceased (any date) or alive with last follow-up date of January 1, 2008 or later. Data from SEER registries were considered the gold standard when evaluating data from Canada and NPCR because SEER registries are funded and required to meet follow-up standards.
Survival analyses were restricted to the first primary cancer diagnosed (only cancer diagnosed or the first of multiple primary [MP] cancers diagnosed) for each cancer patient, and excluded DCO and autopsy-only cases because these cases had no calculable survival interval. To estimate the percentage of cases that were excluded from the survival analyses, we evaluated the percentage of MP cancers using SEER MP coding rules (25 ) and the percentage of DCO (including autopsy-only) cases among first primary cancers. To evaluate the breadth of case finding activities conducted by each cancer registry, we estimated the percentage of microscopically confirmed (MC) cases among first primary non-DCO cases. A patient was considered to have complete follow-up information if they were deceased (any date) or alive with last follow-up date of January 1, 2008 or later. Data from SEER registries were considered the gold standard when evaluating data from Canada and NPCR because SEER registries are funded and required to meet follow-up standards.
