The Vermont Cancer Registry

Vermont Department of Health

What is the Vermont Cancer Registry?

The Vermont Cancer Registry is a central bank of information on all cancer cases diagnosed or treated in Vermont since November 1, 1993. A law establishing the registry within the Vermont Department of Health was signed in June 1993, and federal funding to expand the registry was awarded in October 1994.

What is the purpose of the Vermont Cancer Registry?

The registry enables the state to collect information on new cases (incidence) of cancer. Previously, the state only kept records on deaths from cancer. The information maintained by the registry will allow the Health Department to study cancer trends and improve cancer education and prevention efforts.

How is the information collected?

State law requires physicians and hospitals to report to the Vermont Cancer Registry information on all cases of cancer they diagnose or treat in Vermont. Through special interstate agreements, information on Vermont- ers diagnosed or treated in neighboring states or in the state of Florida is also included in Vermont's registry. The registry does not collect information directly from patients.

What kinds of information does the registry collect?

The registry collects data in four categories:

• DEMOGRAPHIC including the cancer patient's name, age, sex, race, ethnic background, marital status,birth place, residence and occupation
• ADMINISTRATIVE including the date the cancer was diagnosed and the source of the information
• DIAGNOSTIC including the type (histology) of cancer, the location of the cancer (site), the size of the cancer and the spread of the disease
• FIRST COURSE OF TREATMENT

How does the Vermont Cancer Registry differ from other cancer registries in the state?

Some of the hospitals reporting to the Vermont Cancer Registry maintain their own registries. Hospital-based registries use their information to track patient survival and improve patient care. The Vermont Cancer Registry will use the data it collects to assist public health officials and other researchers' understanding of cancer in Vermont.

What kinds of trends does the Vermont Cancer Registry study?

Among the trends the registry explores:

• who in Vermont is getting cancer and where these patients live
• how cancer rates differ by location in Vermont
• what areas or groups are more or less at risk for certain types of cancer
• how Vermont cancer rates compare with national rates

How will the information collected by the Vermont Cancer Registry be used to help patients?

Learning more about cancer patterns in Vermont will improve researchers' ability to probe the causes of cancer and will enable public health officials to design better cancer prevention and control efforts. For example, if a particular ethnic or age group or a particular area of the state has a high rate of a certain type of cancer, public health officials can take steps to make sure residents get prevention information, cancer screening, and early treatment.

Will information in the registry be kept confidential?

YES. The identities of individual cancer patients, physicians and facilities are protected by law and are never revealed outside the registry system. A researcher who wants to contact an individual cancer patient must first have permission from the patient's physician.

FOR MORE INFORMATION - Call the Vermont Department of Health at (802) 865-7749

Vermont Department of Health

P.O. Box 70, Burlington, VT 05402

January 1996