Which type of registry gathers and disseminates epidemiologic data on a specific type of cancer?

• A. Hospital-based cancer registry
• B. Population-based cancer registry
• C. Specialty cancer registry
• D. All cancer registries

Answer: (C)

Specialty cancer registries are designed to gather and share epidemiologic information about a single type of cancer. They collect data on how often the cancer occurs, how it presents, patterns of treatment, and patient outcomes specifically for that cancer type, and then disseminate this information to clinicians and researchers to improve understanding and management. This focus on one site sets them apart from hospital-based registries, which track all cancer patients treated at a particular hospital and are mainly used for internal quality and service planning, and from population-based registries, which cover all cancer types within a defined geographic population to estimate overall incidence and survival. The question specifically asks for data on a single cancer type, which is the hallmark of a specialty registry.