Some central registries like the National Cancer Data Base (NCDB) are not population based.

• A. Not sure
• B. Partially
• C. False
• D. True

Answer: (D)

Central registries come in two flavors: population-based, which aim to capture every new cancer case in a defined geographic population, and hospital-based, which collect data from the treating facilities. The National Cancer Data Base is a hospital-based registry. It gathers information from Commission on Cancer–accredited facilities, rather than from every hospital or every cancer case in the country. While it covers a large portion of cases (and provides rich treatment data and quality metrics), it does not represent all cancer cases nationwide. That’s why the statement is true: some central registries like the NCDB are not population-based. For true population-based surveillance, registries such as SEER or NPCR are used, which strive to include all cases within their defined populations.