What does a cancer registrar do?

1 Roles of a cancer registrar

A cancer registrar plays a critical role in supporting cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and research. They work in a variety of environments, such as hospitals, clinics, cancer registries, government agencies, or pharmaceutical companies. Their responsibilities include identifying and registering cancer cases from medical records, pathology reports, and other sources. They must also abstract and code relevant data such as patient demographics, tumor characteristics, staging, treatment, and outcomes. Cancer registrars are responsible for ensuring the accuracy, completeness, and timeliness of the data. Additionally, they must report the data to state or national cancer registries as well as other authorized users while maintaining the confidentiality and security of the data. Furthermore, they must perform quality control and audits to verify the data and participate in research and education activities related to cancer epidemiology, surveillance, and control.

3 Skills of a cancer registrar

A cancer registrar must possess a combination of technical and soft skills to be successful in their role. They must possess knowledge of medical terminology, anatomy, physiology, pathology, pharmacology, and oncology. Additionally, they must be proficient in coding systems such as the International Classification of Diseases for Oncology (ICD-O), the Collaborative Stage Data Collection System (CS), and the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program. Furthermore, they must be able to interpret and analyze complex medical data and statistics with attention to detail, accuracy, and quality. Other essential skills include organizational, time management, multitasking skills; communication, interpersonal, and teamwork skills; as well as ethical, professional, and respectful behavior.

4 Education of a cancer registrar

A cancer registrar typically needs a minimum of an associate degree in health information management, cancer information management, or a related field. However, some employers may prefer or require a bachelor's degree or higher. The degree program should include courses in medical terminology, anatomy, physiology, pathology, pharmacology, oncology, coding systems, data management, statistics, research methods, and ethics. Additionally, some cancer registrars may have a background in nursing, biology, or public health.

5 Certification of a cancer registrar

A cancer registrar can obtain a voluntary certification from the NCRA called the Certified Tumor Registrar (CTR) credential, which requires passing a national exam that covers core competencies of cancer registry practice. To be eligible for the exam, candidates must have an associate degree or higher and complete either a formal education program in cancer registry management or administration, or at least 160 hours of NCRA-approved curriculum. Alternatively, those with just a high school diploma or equivalent must have completed 1,950 hours of work experience in cancer registry functions within the last four years. The CTR credential must be renewed every two years by completing 20 hours of continuing education.