Comparative evaluation of uterine cancer staging data using two different staging systems, 2001-2005.

OBJECTIVE

This study compares directly coded Summary Stage 2000 (SS2000) with that of Collaborative Stage (CS) Derived Summary Stage 2000 (DeSS2000) for cases of uterine cancer diagnosed in the years 2001-2005 using population-based cancer registry data.

METHODS

Data included in this study were from central cancer registries that participated in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program or the National Program of Cancer Registries (NPCR) and met data quality criteria for 2001-2005 covering approximately 80% of the US population. The data for diagnosis years 2001-2003 (pre-CS) were compared with those for diagnosis years 2004-2005 (post-CS) to review any shifts in staging between the pre- and post-CS years.

RESULTS

Slight decreases were observed in the percent of cases staged as in situ and localized uterine cancer with a corresponding slight increase in percent of regional and distant uterine cancer cases. In contrast to the findings in 2001-2003, no regional, (not otherwise specified) uterine cancer cases were reported in 2004-2005. Lastly, in the unstaged/unknown group of uterine cases, there was a slight decrease in the percent of cases.

DISCUSSION

The lack of no regional, NOS, and the decrease in unstaged cases indicate improvement in staging of uterine cancer diagnosed in 2004-2005. These findings suggest that the CS DeSS2000 data are of high quality for uterine cancer and can be used to study the stage distribution of the cancer.