Happy National Cancer Registrars Week! During April 8th to the 12th, cancer registrars will be joining with medical professionals and community leaders to raise awareness of the importance of cancer registrars. Cancer registrars are experts who gather and manage cancer data that they share with different health care agencies. This information is critical to many researchers and other health-related professionals and organizations because they use the data to improve the cancer treatment patients are receiving and to prevent cancer altogether. This week, the National Cancer Registrars Association (NCRA) is especially promoting the recognition of these amazing workers by using the theme, “Capturing the Picture of Cancer.”
Say Cheese!
Although taking a picture is as easy as saying “cheese”, obtaining a picture of cancer is another story. There are over 200 types of cancers in the world, all of which need to be studied by cancer registrars in order for their data to be complete. The information they collect is very complicated as it involves the type of cancer, the age, gender, and background of all cancer patients, the different types of treatment administered to patients, and the environment in which they receive their treatment. All of this different data then has to be incorporated into one platform, or picture, for it to be understood.
The data they collect once gathered and managed then gets sent out to many different organizations and research facilities, including:
- American Cancer Society
- National Cancer Institute
- North American Association of Central Cancer Registries
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Because of their amazing work, many lives have been saved, and with the increase of awareness and support, they will save even more, which is why the NCRA is asking you to help spread the word. You can find many different ways to celebrate and commemorate this week here on their website.
Cancer registrars work diligently at all times of the year, so remember to always support their work and help them raise awareness about the information they collect. Happy National Cancer Registrars Week!
Source:
National Cancer Registrars Association. (2019) National Cancer Registrars Week. Retrieved from http://www.ncra-usa.org/About/National-Cancer-Registrars-Week.