End results, interhospital differences, and trends in patterns of care for gynecologic cancer

Use of the SEER Cancer Registry for technology assessment

The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) cancer registry contributed to technology assessment by providing population-based samples for detailed case-control studies, by serving as the control group in comparisons with various experimental groups, by allowing an assessment of selection bias in clinical trials, and by facilitating evaluations of classification and coding systems.

Problems of detection and referral

To provide optimal quality of care for the nation's cancer patients, it is important that the individual identify the cancer early either through screening practices in an asymptomatic state or present themselves with early symptoms to the medical community. The primary care practitioner is an equal partner in this early detection of cancer and certainly needs to have significant incentives in place to perform quality screening services, as well as health counseling services for their asymptomatic patients and to investigate appropriately symptoms that could indicate early cancer. Perhaps of equal importance is the impact on cancer management outcome from the referrals of primary care practitioners to the oncology community. This area of cancer management is far less well studied and additional information would be of great help in determining where to place emphasis in professional and community education programs.