Patterns of Care Studies
Background
The Patterns of Care (POC) initiative has three inter-related goals, which are to:
- Evaluate the dissemination of state-of-the-art cancer therapy and diagnostics into community oncology practice,
- Identify patient-, provider-, and system-level factors that are associated with receipt and utilization of cancer care; and
- Disseminate findings through scientific publications and presentations.
See the Publications
POC studies began in 1987 with SEER
cases serving as controls for a study that examined the provision of state-of-the-art therapy in Community Clinical Oncology Program hospitals. POC data have enabled investigators to examine disparities in receipt of cancer therapies, diagnostic tests, and biomarkers by age, race/ethnicity, and residential urbanicity/rurality. They also have been used to show trends in cancer therapy and survival over time for sites with multi-year data.
POC data are collected under a Congressional Mandate to NCI (Public Law 100-607, Sec. 413 (a)(2)(C) adopted November 4, 1988), and the project is coordinated jointly by the Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences and the Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis.
Cancers Covered by POC
POC studies have been conducted for a sample of patients with the following cancers:
| Year of Diagnosis | Cancer site * |
|---|---|
| 1987-1991, 1995, 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015 | Early stage Breast Cancer |
| 1987-1991, 1995, 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015 | B2 & C Colorectal Cancer |
| 1991, 1995, 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015 | In Situ Breast (91 is part of DCIS) |
| 1991, 1996, 2002, 2011 | Ovarian |
| 1995, 1996, 2001 | Melanoma |
| 1995, 2003, 2009 | Bladder |
| 1996, 2005, 2010, 2015 | Non small cell lung |
| 1996 | Childhood ALL, AML, Hodgkin’s, osteo-, Ewing’s sarcoma |
| 1997 | DCIS Breast ; Childhood Brain Stem |
| 1997, 2000, 2001 | Cervix |
| 1997, 2004, 2009, 2016 | Head and Neck |
| 1998, 2016 | Corpus uteri |
| 1998, 2009, 2016 | Pancreas |
| 1998, 2008, 2014 | CLL |
| 1998, 2002, 2008 | Prostate |
| 1999 | Testicular, Vulva |
| 1999, 2003, 2007, 2014 | Multiple Myeloma |
| 1999, 2008 | Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma |
| 2001 | Gastric |
| 2002 | Sarcoma |
| 2003 | B-cell, CML |
| 2003-2004 | Male Breast Cancer |
| 2003, 2012 | CML |
| 2004 | Node negative, ER positive Breast Cancer |
| 2004, 2009 | Kidney |
| 2006 | Thyroid, Glioblastoma; AYA NHL, Hodgkin, Germ cell, ALL, Osteo- Ewings, Synovial Sarcoma |
| 2006, 2013 | AYA NHL, Hodgkin, ALL, Sarcoma (Osteo- Ewings, Synovial) |
| 2007 | AML, Small cell lung cancer |
| 2007, 2012 | Hepatocellular |
| 2008 | Gatrointestinal stromal cancer |
| 2010-2011 | Childhood neuroblastoma |
| 2011 | All ages with astrocytoma/ oligodendroglioma |
| 2011 | Metastatic melanoma, mesothelioma |
| 2012 | Late stage breast cancer |
| 2013 | Sarcoma (all ages - Osteo- Ewings, Rhabdomyo-, Synovial Sarcoma) |
| 2013 | AYA breast cancer |
| 2014 | Colon cancer, stage IV |
*Adults, age 20+, unless otherwise indicated
Childhood, ages 0-19
AYA, ages 15-39
Requesting Access to POC Data and Updating/Changing POC Data Requests
For information on requesting access to POC data and requesting updates or changes for currently-approved POC data requests, visit the POC Requesting Access page.
Contact
For more information on the Patterns of Care (POC) initiative, contact Michael Halpern or Sharon McCarthy.