Are we truly capturing the full landscape of cancer care in South Africa? South Africa has initiated a new approach to cancer data collection by introducing a patient-led cancer registry. This is in collaboration with the National Cancer Registry (NCR) and the non-governmental organization Living with Cancer South Africa. This initiative aims to fill data gaps and improve the accuracy of cancer statistics, which are currently limited by a pathology-based system that may miss diagnoses made outside laboratory settings.

Key Insights

Patients or their loved ones can now register cancer details online, providing a more comprehensive picture of cancer incidence in South Africa. The existing pathology-based system has been inadequate, particularly for cancers diagnosed through radiology, tumor markers, or clinical deduction rather than biopsies. Enhanced data will assist in better resource allocation and the development of data-driven cancer policies.  The new system also allows for recording historic cancer cases, including those of deceased individuals, to enrich the overall data.

Patient Cancer Registry

Established in 1986, the NCR has been the primary source of national cancer incidence data in South Africa. It uses a pathology-based surveillance system, which has limitations including heavy reliance on laboratory data and the potential to miss cases diagnosed through other methods. The use of both active and passive case-finding methods is crucial for improving the completeness and accuracy of cancer registry data. This is evidenced by other South African cancer registries like the Eastern Cape Cancer Registry. According to the World Health Organization, Africa faces a significant cancer burden, with around 1.1 million new cancer cases and 700,000 deaths annually. Accurate data collection through the patient-led cancer registry is essential for effectively addressing this crisis.

Health Implications

Improved cancer data will enable better resource allocation and more effective policy-making, enhancing cancer care and outcomes. This can optimize healthcare spending by targeting resources to areas with the highest need. Accurate and comprehensive data will aid in developing more targeted and effective cancer prevention and control strategies. Therefore, potentially leading to improved survival rates and better patient outcomes. Data-driven policies can be more effective in addressing the cancer burden. Involving patients in the reporting process ensures that policies are patient-centered and responsive to real-world needs.

The patient-led cancer registry emphasises the importance of patient involvement in improving the accuracy and comprehensiveness of cancer data.