SEER

National Cancer Institute

U.S. DEPARTMENT

OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES

National Institutes

of Health

Contact us at:

SEER Program

Surveillance Research Program

Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences

National Cancer Institute

6116 Executive Boulevard

Suite 504, MSC 8316

Bethesda, MD 20892 (U.S. Mail)

Rockville, MD 20852 (Express Mail)

Telephone: (301) 496-8510

Fax: (301) 496-9949

News Media: (301) 496-6641

Questions about cancer:

cancer.gov_staff@mail.nih.gov

Questions or comments about SEER*Stat:

seerstat@imsweb.com

Questions or comments about the SEER website and materials:

seerweb@imsweb.com

SEER, a program of the National Cancer Institute (NCI), 

provides information on cancer statistics to help reduce 

the burden of cancer on the U.S. population.

http://seer.cancer.gov

Surveillance, Epidemiology, 

and End Results

How can I get more information about SEER?

NIH Publication No. 12-4772

March 2012

NIH...Turning Discovery into Health
How do SEER registries maintain data quality?

How are SEER data disseminated?

SEER is a coordinated system of cancer registries strategically located 

across the United States. These registries routinely collect data on:

•	Patient demographics

•	Primary tumor site

•	Specific cancer markers (e.g., estrogen receptor status; progesterone receptor 

status; human epidermal growth factor receptor 2, also known as proto-oncogene Neu (HER2/neu) breast cancer)

•	Cancer stage at diagnosis

•	First course of treatment

•	Patient survival

The SEER Program, funded by NCI since 1973 as a result of the National Cancer Act 

of 1971, collects these data on every case of cancer reported from 20 U.S. geographic areas. These areas (shown below) cover about 28% of the U.S. population 

and are representative of the demographics of the entire U.S. population.

SEER’s Quality Improvement (QI) team consists of staff from NCI, staff from each 

of the SEER registries, and external contractors. This team works to:

•	Standardize medical coding and summary writing by cancer registrars, individuals who collect and code cancer patient data

•	Educate and train cancer registrars

•	Evaluate the consistency and accuracy of coding by cancer registrars

•	Prepare databases (e.g., SEER*Rx, an interactive anticancer drug database) and 

documents that describe coding rules

Online Cancer 

Statistics

Data Analysis 

Tools

Reports Studies Databases and 

Linkages to Other 

Data

Cancer Stat Fact 

Sheets: statistical 

summaries for 

common cancer 

types 

Fast Stats:

interactive tool 

for creating tables 

and graphs of cancer statistics for 

major cancer sites 

by age, sex, race, 

and time period

Cancer Query 

Systems: similar 

to Fast Stats but 

provides more flexibility and a larger 

set of cancer 

statistics

State Cancer 

Profiles: dynamic 

maps and graphs 

that help guide 

and prioritize 

cancer control 

activities

SEER*Stat: 

software used 

to analyze SEER 

data

Joinpoint:

software used to 

analyze trends in 

data

DevCan:

software used to 

calculate lifetime 

risks of getting or 

dying from cancer

HD*Calc: software that generates summary 

measures for 

evaluating and 

monitoring health 

disparities

+ Others

SEER Cancer 

Statistics 

Review (CSR): a 

searchable online 

report with tables 

showing cancer 

statistics by race, 

sex, age, and year 

of diagnosis

Annual Report 

to the Nation 

on the Status of 

Cancer: an annual 

update on U.S. 

cancer occurrence 

and trends

United States 

Cancer Statistics: state-specific 

cancer incidence 

and mortality data

Rapid Response 

Surveillance 

Studies (RRSS):

studies that 

address issues 

in cancer control 

and prevention by 

collecting biological materials and/

or information 

via surveys, 

interviews, and 

medical record 

reviews

Patterns of care 

studies (part of 

RRSS): studies 

that evaluate the 

use of state-ofthe-art cancer 

therapy in community practice 

Investigatorinitiated studies

SEER-Medicare 

Database: links 

SEER data and 

Medicare enrollment and claims 

files; used for 

cancer control 

studies

SEER-Medicare 

Health Outcomes 

Survey (MHOS) 

Database:

provides detailed 

information on 

elderly persons 

with cancer

National 

Longitudinal 

Mortality Study 

(NLMS) & Linked 

SEER-NLMS 

Databases: enable 

studies that investigate relationships 

between socioeconomic status and 

cancer burden

Links to these resources are available at http://seer.cancer.gov.

What is SEER?

Who uses SEER data, and what do they use the data for?

SEER data are used by thousands of researchers, clinicians, cancer registrars, public 

health officials, legislators, policymakers, community groups, and members of the 

public to:

•	Evaluate cancer prevention and screening programs and the quality of cancer care

•	Document racial and gender disparities

•	Demonstrate the effectiveness of public health interventions

•	Guide the translation of research into health policy and practice

To maintain the integrity of the data and results based on the data, SEER registries 

evaluate and, when necessary, improve the quality of the data.

Registries funded by SEER/NCI

Rural GA

Detroit

Seattle-Puget Sound

Atlanta Cherokee

Arizona Nation

Indians

Los Angeles

San JoseMonterey

San FranciscoOakland

Alaska

Natives

Hawaii American Indian/Alaska Native registries 

funded by NCI

Registries funded by SEER and the National

Program of Cancer Registries

NM 

UT

CA

LA

GA

IA

KY

CT

NJ