NCRA and NAACCR commended Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) on introduction of the Counting Veterans’ Cancer Act of 2023.

ALEXANDRIA, VA, UNITED STATES, June 16, 2023/EINPresswire.com/ -- Alexandria, VA, June 16, 2023— The National Cancer Registrars Association (NCRA) and the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries, Inc. (NAACCR, Inc.) commended Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) upon the introduction of the Counting Veterans’ Cancer Act of 2023—bipartisan legislation that would ensure veterans’ cancer cases are fully accounted for in national cancer registries.

The United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is America’s largest integrated health care system, serving 9 million enrolled Veterans each year. Under current reporting laws, it’s estimated that each year, tens of thousands of cancer cases among veterans are missed by the central registries that form the foundation of national cancer research. Of the 122 VA facilities treating cancer in 2021, only 39 were routinely reporting data as civilian facilities as required by federal law. An estimated 23,305 cases were thought to go unreported to central cancer registries because of non-reporting by VA facilities in 2019. In fact, one registry reported missing 4,160 cases and only 8 registries reported missing no cases.

“Senators Kelly and Tillis’ legislation will help identify cancer-related disparities among veterans, improve the understanding of the cancer-related needs of veterans and increase opportunities for veterans with cancer to be included in clinical trials, cancer-related research, and analysis,” said Lori Swain, Executive Director of the National Cancer Registrars Association.
“Ensuring that all military personnel are reflected in our national cancer statistics is critical to our understanding of cancer not only among our veterans, but also as a nation. Including these individuals in the data moving forward will contribute to a more accurate picture of cancer in the US. This bill is a major step forward for veterans and their families,” said Betsy Kohler, Executive Director of the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries.

Read the full text of the bill, S.1994, here: https://www.kelly.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Counting-Veterans-Cancer-Act-of-2023.pdf

About the National Cancer Registrars Association (NCRA): NCRA is a non-profit organization that represents over 6,500 cancer registry professionals and Certified Tumor Registrars. The mission of NCRA is to empower and advance registry professionals through innovations in education, advocacy, credentialing, and strategic partnerships. Cancer registrars are data information specialists who capture a complete history, diagnosis, treatment, and health status for every cancer patient in the U.S. The data provide essential information to researchers, healthcare providers, and public health officials to better monitor and advance cancer treatments, conduct research, and improve cancer prevention and screening programs. For more information about NCRA, visit www.ncra-usa.org and www.CancerRegistryEducation.org.

About the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries, Inc. (NAACCR, Inc.): Established in 1987, NAACCR, is a collaborative umbrella organization for cancer registries, governmental agencies, professional associations, and private groups in North America interested in enhancing the quality and use of cancer registry data. All central cancer registries in the United States and Canada are members. NAACCR is a professional organization that develops and promotes uniform data standards for cancer registration; provides education and training; certifies population-based registries; aggregates and publishes data from central cancer registries; and promotes the use of cancer surveillance data and systems for cancer control and epidemiologic research, public health programs, and patient care to reduce the burden of cancer in North America.

Lauren Martella
National Cancer Registry Association
+1 703-299-6640
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