U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

National Institutes of Health

National Cancer Institute

Information Systems, Technology, 

and Dissemination in the

SEER Program
SEER Information Systems, Technology, and Dissemination in the SEER Program 1

http://.seer.cancer.gov

SEER Data Management System (SEER*DMS) http://seer.cancer.gov/seerdms

Information Systems, Technology, and Dissemination

in the SEER Program

The Surveillance, Epidemiology and 

End Results (SEER) Program is a 

premier source for cancer statistics 

in the United States. SEER collects and reports data on incidence, 

prevalence, and survival from specific geographic areas representing 

26 percent of the U.S. population. In addition, SEER  

reports on cancer mortality for the entire country. SEER 

is a valuable source of evidence for evaluating cancer 

prevention and early detection (screening) programs and 

the quality of cancer care, identifying various risk factors 

(e.g., environmental, behavioral) related to cancer, documenting disparities, demonstrating the effectiveness of 

public health interventions, and guiding the translation 

of research into health policy and practice. To successfully provide these services and resources to the public and 

the research community, the SEER Program makes 

extensive use of information systems and technology for 

both data collection and dissemination. 

Information systems include various types of people, 

procedures, data, software, and hardware that are used 

to gather and analyze information. In a broad sense, the 

term “information systems” refers to the interaction between algorithmic processes and technology. This interaction can occur within or across organizational boundaries. An information system is not only the technology 

an organization uses, but also the way in which the 

organization interacts with the technology and the way 

in which the technology works with the organization’s 

business processes. There are various types of information 

systems. This document provides a brief summary of the 

information systems and technology used by the SEER 

Program. 

The SEER Data Management 

System (SEER*DMS) is a unified, distributed application 

used by most SEER Registries. 

SEER*DMS provides support for all core cancer registry 

functions: case finding (electronic pathology screening 

and coding), importing data, editing, abstracting, visual 

editing, quality control, matching/linkage to existing 

patient sets, record consolidation (health, supplemental, 

and other types of records), follow-up/follow-back, rapid 

case ascertainment, file extraction, tracking, reporting, 

abstracting, and data security. SEER*DMS is supplied as 

an appliance solution and includes a hardware/software 

package. Most enhancements, updates, and upgrades are 

developed centrally and distributed simultaneously to all 

locations. The program can be customized at individual 

locations. For example, SEER*DMS supports site-specific data fields and edits, and choice of matching algorithms. Customization also is facilitated by the modular 

design of the SEER*DMS workflow. SEER*DMS 

improves cost efficiency and reduces duplication of effort 

in system maintenance and administration. In addition, 

the program ensures data quality and consistency among 

the various registries by facilitating the collection and reporting of high-quality cancer incidence, treatment, and 

survival data, and by enabling data sharing among users. 

Beyond its use by most SEER Registries, SEER*DMS is 

beneficial to other stakeholders, including SEER affiliates and other organizations (e.g., universities, researchers, public health departments, hospitals). The program 

is managed and operated by a governing body known 

as the Change Control Board (CCB), a committee that 

includes SEER*DMS project staff from NCI and Information Management Services, Inc. (IMS) and registry 

representatives. In addition, an active SEER*DMS Users 

Group focuses on best practices, user issues, and enhancements. 

SEER*DMS was developed by IMS under a Division 

of Cancer Control and Population Sciences Biomedical 

Computing Contract (N02-PC-85018-55).
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Special Reports

Annually Updated Statistical Reports Electronic Pathology (E-Path) Software http://www.aim.on.ca/products/ePath.jsp

SEER Web Dissemination http://seer.cancer.gov

Electronic Pathology (E-Path) supports and facilitates the process of 

efficiently collecting complete and 

accurate pathology information from 

numerous hospital-based and freestanding pathology 

laboratories that report to SEER’s centrally based cancer 

registries. In its basic form, E-Path reports cancers that 

are diagnosed through histology, which comprise about 

95 percent of all cancers. The scope of casefinding can 

be extended by integrating E-Path with other types of 

electronic records, such as other laboratory results (e.g., 

diagnostic imaging, hematology) or admission, discharge, 

and transfer (ADT) information. Cancer registries rely 

heavily on pathology reports to identify new cases and 

determine key characteristics of a cancer required for its 

classification standards. Using information technology to 

standardize and automate this process is cost effective, labor saving, and reduces errors when compared to handson methods. E-Path uses an automated ICD-03 

coding assistant in conjunction with natural language 

processing technology and pathology-specific terminology to automatically identify, index, abstract, and codify 

potentially reportable cancers from text-based reports. 

Cases then can be transmitted electronically from the 

pathology laboratory to the registry, increasing both the 

timeliness of case reporting and the quality of information transmitted. 

Electronic Pathology software is supplied to the SEER 

Program under a contract with Artificial Intelligence in 

Medicine, Inc. (AIM). E-Path is provided to all SEER 

Registries and their major reporting laboratories and has 

been implemented in more than 200 reporting hospitals and laboratories in Atlanta, Connecticut, Detroit, 

Greater California, Hawaii, Iowa, Kentucky, Los Angeles, 

Louisiana, New Jersey, New Mexico, Northern California, and Utah. 

Through its Web site, http://seer.cancer.gov, the SEER 

Program provides interested users access to a variety of 

resources, including statistical tables, graphs, maps, data 

sets, tools, software, and publications. SEER data are 

accessed and used by thousands of researchers, clinicians, 

cancer registrars, public health officials, legislators, 

policymakers, community groups, and members of the 

public. The SEER Web site serves as an authoritative 

source of information for anyone interested in U.S. cancer 

statistics, cancer research activities, and cancer surveillance 

methods. The materials available through the Web site are 

produced by the SEER Program or through collaborative 

efforts between SEER and affiliated organizations. 

SEER Cancer Statistics Review (CSR), 1975–2006. 

Also known as CSR, this searchable online report, available at http://seer.cancer.gov/csr, includes tables showing 

cancer statistics by race, sex, age, and year of diagnosis 

for the major cancer sites and for all cancers combined. 

Annual Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer.

Staff from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the 

American Cancer Society (ACS), the Centers for Disease 

Control and Prevention (CDC), the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries (NAACCR), and 

other experts collaborate to provide an annual update on 

cancer occurrence and trends in the United States. Available at http://seer.cancer.gov/report_to_nation.

United States Cancer Statistics, 1999-20xx, Cancer 

Incidence and Mortality Data. A Web-based report, 

available at http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/uscs, makes highquality cancer incidence and mortality data available to 

the general public. Staff from the CDC, SEER Registries, 

and NAACCR collaborate to ensure that the most up-todate data are provided on this Web site. 

An Update on Cancer in American Indians and Alaska 

Natives, 1999–2004. This supplemental monograph, 

available at http://seer.cancer.gov/publications/aian, 

provides a comprehensive description of the cancer burden 

in the American Indian/Alaska Native population in the 

United States. The report gives medical providers and the 

public information about challenges faced by this ethnic 

group and promotes further research designed to improve 

survival and quality of life for members of this community.

Cancer Incidence and Mortality Patterns among Specific Asian and Pacific Islander Populations in the U.S.

This statistical report, http://seer.cancer.gov/publications/apicancer, focuses on cancer incidence, mortality, 

and stage distributions among Asians and Pacific Islanders (API) residing in the United States. Health disparities 

are reported using the cancer experience of the non-Hispanic white population as the referent group. 

Selected Comparisons of Measures of Health Disparities: A Review Using Databases 

Relevant to Healthy People 2010 Cancer-Related Objectives. This monograph, available at http://seer.cancer.gov/publications/disparities2, presents results from 22 

separate analyses in 10 case studies and includes assessments of socioeconomic, racial, 

ethnic, and geographic disparities in a range of cancer-related outcomes such as mortality, incidence, risk factors, and screening. The report demonstrates that choosing 

particular methods to measure health disparities can make a substantive difference 

in the results and interpretation of data. The Web version of this monograph is 

508 compliant.
4 SEER Information Systems, Technology, and Dissemination in the SEER Program SEER Information Systems, Technology, and Dissemination in the SEER Program 5

http://seer.cancer.gov/canques/incidence.html

http://statecancerprofiles.cancer.gov/micromaps

http://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/mulmy.html

Special Reports (continued)

The SEER Bibliography

Up-to-Date Web-Based Cancer Statistics

SEER Survival Monograph: Cancer Survival Among 

Adults: U.S. SEER Program, 1988–2001, Patient 

and Tumor Characteristics. This monograph examines 

cancer survival with regard to patient and tumor characteristics. The data represent cancer in approximately 25 

percent of the U.S. population. Patient characteristics 

include age, race, and sex. Tumor characteristics vary by 

cancer site and may include subsite, size of tumor, extension of the tumor, lymph nodes positive, distant metastases, and histologic type. 

Cancer Mortality Maps & Graphs. This Web site shows 

geographic patterns and cancer death rate trends for 

more than 40 cancers for the time period 1950–1994. 

Go to http://seer.cancer.gov/statistics and click on the 

Cancer Mortality & Graphs link. Click on the Cancer 

Mortality Maps & Graphs Web site link and then Interactive Mortality Charts and Graphs and Customizable 

Mortality Maps to create maps such as this one by choosing from the variables shown.

For information on additional published reports and statistical monographs, 

visit http://seer.cancer.gov/publications or the searchable SEER Bibliography at http://seer.cancer.gov/pubsearch.

The SEER Bibliography, available at http://seer.cancer.

gov/pubsearch, is a comprehensive bibliography of SEER 

publications produced by registry and program staff. As 

of the fall of 2009, approximately 6,000 SEER publications were available via the SEER Bibliography. 

Cancer Stat Fact Sheets. The Cancer Stat Fact Sheets are 

a collection of statistical summaries for various common 

cancer types. Go to http://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts to access Cancer Stat Fact Sheets such as this one for myeloma.

Fast Stats. The Fast Stats interactive tool links to tables, 

charts, and graphs containing cancer statistics for all 

major cancer sites by age, sex, race, and time period. Go 

to http://seer.cancer.gov/statistics and click on the Fast 

Stats link to create a chart such as this by choosing from 

the variables listed. 

Cancer Query Systems. The Cancer Query Systems dataretrieval applications, available at http://seer.cancer.gov/

canques/index.html, provide more flexibility and a larger 

set of cancer statistics than Fast Stats, but also require 

more user input. 

State Cancer Profiles. State Cancer Profiles are a comprehensive system of dynamic maps and graphs that enable 

the investigation of cancer trends at the national, state, 

and county levels. 
6 SEER Information Systems, Technology, and Dissemination in the SEER Program SEER Information Systems, Technology, and Dissemination in the SEER Program 7

For more information, contact:

http://srab.cancer.gov/software

Access to Datasets and Tools CaSEER: SEER Data on the Grid

SEER and the Biomedical Informatics Grid http://cabig.cancer.gov 

Future Directions for SEER

SEER releases limited-use data files, SEER*Stat analytical 

software, the HD*Calculator, and the SEER Bibliography, all of which are made available to the public via the 

SEER Web site. These data and software tools can be 

used to address issues in 

cancer research. 

SEER*Stat. SEER*Stat statistical software provides a convenient, intuitive mechanism 

for analyzing SEER and other 

cancer-related databases. It is a powerful personal computer tool for producing statistics for use in studying the 

impact of cancer on a population. Available at: http://

seer.cancer.gov/seerstat 

SEER*Prep. SEER*Prep is used to convert user-supplied 

ASCII text data files to the SEER*Stat database format, 

allowing analysis of population-based registry data using 

SEER*Stat. Available at: http://seer.cancer.gov/seerprep

SEER also provides various analytic software tools that 

have been developed for the analysis and reporting of 

cancer statistics. More information about these tools can 

be found at http://seer.cancer.gov/resources.

HD*Calc. This statistical software generates multiple summary measures for evaluating 

and monitoring health disparities. HD*Calc can be used either as an extension of 

SEER*Stat or on its own with other population-based 

health data. Data such as cancer rates, survival, and 

stage at diagnosis can be used with HD*Calc to generate absolute and relative summary measures of disparity. Available at: http://seer.cancer.gov/hdcalc 

The Cancer Biomedical Informatics Grid®, known as 

caBIG®, was launched by NCI’s Center for Bioinformatics (NCICB) in February 2004. The goal of caBIG® is 

to accelerate the development of new approaches for the 

prevention, detection, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer 

in the United States by developing a collaborative network of informatics infrastructures, tools, and ideas that 

enables the collection, analysis, and sharing of data and 

knowledge along the entire research pathway, from the 

laboratory bench to the patient’s bedside. 

caBIG® encourages networking through the development 

of open access and open-source software, applications, 

tools, and database technologies. Since its debut, caBIG® 

has expanded to include cancer centers and numerous 

other NCI-supported research endeavors. Researchers are 

developing software and networks that will make other 

cancer-related databases and networks (i.e., SEER) more 

accessible on the caBIG® Grid. 

Through caBIG®, the SEER Program is able to link its data 

to other cancer-related databases and networks and provide researchers with access to information and interactive 

tools that are essential for cancer surveillance. By combin

ing its resources with other databases on the grid, SEER 

contributes to the development of common standards such 

as shared vocabulary, data elements, data models, analytical services, and interoperable applications. 

The SEER Program aims to become more efficient and 

effective at data collection by facilitating the expansion, 

standardization, and interoperability of its data sources 

and electronic reporting capabilities. Currently, the SEER 

Program has four priority data areas for electronic reporting:

1. Diagnosis

2. Comorbidities 

3. Detailed treatment

4. Electronic radiology data 

Future sources for collecting and coding electronic 

data may include Health Maintenance Organizations 

(HMOs), including the Cancer Research Network 

(CRN), their affiliated research programs and staff, 

enrolled patient populations, and data systems. Access to 

these entities will facilitate timely access to the electronic 

health records of numerous doctors, pathologists, radiologists, primary care providers, and other medical entities. 

Collaboration with other networks, such as caBIG®, the 

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), 

hospitals, and other similar resources, also will expedite 

the SEER Program’s ongoing efforts to capture, compile, 

and process medical data in an efficient manner. This 

data will enable the SEER program to more effectively 

conduct studies on access to care, cancer prevention, early 

detection, treatment, long-term care, outcomes, and other 

important cancer-related issues. 

Dave Stinchcomb, M.A., M.S. 

Chief, Surveillance Systems Branch 

Surveillance Research Program 

Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences 

National Cancer Institute 

stinchcd@mail.nih.gov 

301-594-7251 

6116 Executive Boulevard #5023 

Bethesda, MD 20892-8334

4

April 2010