Cancer groups welcome upgrade of registry

A registry used to collect important cancer patient data will be upgraded over the next year.

Health Minister Tony Ryall, at the inaugural International Cancer Symposium in Wellington today, announced the New Zealand Cancer Registry (NZCR) would be upgraded to go online, to include public and private data, collect data the whole way through the patient's journey, and be overseen by clinicians.

"The benefits are significant for care and for planning. Cancer data which is more available and more directly accessible will help improve cancer outcomes," Mr Ryall said.

It would make it easier to learn more about what increased cancer risk, preventative measures and environmental factors, he said.

It was expected authorised clinicians would be able to access the data on their own patients, and patients could see their own information, Mr Ryall said.

Cancer Control New Zealand will oversee the governance and management of the NZCR, with support from the Ministry of Health.

Cancer Control NZ chair Chris Atkinson said the commitment to a broad approach was to be applauded.

"It will mean that extensive information about the approximately 20,000 new cases of cancer will be entered into the database annually."

The enhancements to the registry had been eagerly awaited by clinicians for 20 years or more, he said.

New Zealand's small population meant the registry was likely to have one of the most complete data sets of all cancer registries in the world, he said.

The Cancer Society also welcomed the initiative.

"They [the cancer community] will have access to New Zealand-specific data on the incidence, treatment trends and outcomes of cancers," society chief executive Dalton Kelly said.

New Zealand was unique, particularly with the large Maori and Pacific Island population, he said.

"Researchers know very little about the effects of cancer on these populations and therefore can recommend very little at this stage," he said.

The registry is expected to be operational by July 2012, but Cancer Control NZ will begin collecting data in 2011.

The cost of the upgrade was currently in negotiation and would not yet be made public, a spokesman for Mr Ryall said.

The NZCR was established in 1948, and in 1993 Parliament passed the Cancer Registry Act which mandated the reporting of all malignant tumours from pathology lab reports.

- NZPA