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OBJECTIVES

Develop and maintain a research quality database for cancer reporting that supports the
following functions and features:

  • Outcome analysis
  • Referral patterns
  • Trend analysis
  • Statistical reporting
  • Health care analysis
  • Epidemiology
  • Uniform data collection and tracking

Meet all requirements as defined by the following organizations and/or programs:

  • American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer (ACoS/CoC)
  • Surveillance, Epidermiology, and End Results Program (SEER)
  • North American Association of Central Cancer Registries (NAACCR)
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/National Program of Cancer Registries (CDC/NPCR)

MISSION AND HISTORY

The Automated Central Tumor Registry (ACTUR) system was designed to provide the uniformed services medical treatment facilities (MTFs) with the capability to compile,track, and report cancer data on Department of Defense (DoD) beneficiaries. In 1986, the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Health Affairs) directed that ACTUR be developed as part of the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS). DEERS serves as the central database for verifying eligibility information for all DoD beneficiaries. The technical oversight for development and management of the system was delegated to the Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC) and development of the program was contracted to Electronic Data Systems (EDS).

To oversee the implementation of ACTUR throughout DoD, a committee was appointed to track progress, develop policies, and market the systems potential. This committee consisted of a representative of DoD Health Affairs, the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP), DMDC, uniformed consultants from each service, and certified civilian tumor registrars for each service. During the course of the last 15 years, the ACTUR system has been significantly enhanced and is currently in its sixth version (6.0.4) utilizing Windows technology.

In FY2000, management of the program was transferred from the Clinical Services Division of Health Affairs to the AFIP. The Director, AFIP, currently chairs the DoD ACTUR Coordination Committee and is responsible for execution of the ACTUR budget and for continued development of the system.

GOALS

  • Establish a central registry function to ensure quality of data collected.

  • Initiate a joint effort between DoD and the VA for the formation of a central registry activity based at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology.

  • Implement certification programs for government tumor registry personnel and accreditation programs for facility registries and the central registry.

  • Market the potential of ACTUR for cancer research and reporting activities.