Office of Compensation Analysis and Support 

Technical Information Bulletin 

Document Number: 

OCAS-TIB-005 

Effective Date: 9/05/2003 

Revision No. 0 

DOSE RECONSTRUCTION CANCER DATA 

REQUIREMENTS Page 1 of 6 

 

Approval: ___Signature on File__ Date: __9/05/2003____

 J.W. Neton, Technical Program Manager 

Supersedes: 

None 

RECORD OF ISSUE/REVISIONS

ISSUE 

AUTHORIZATION 

DATE

EFFECTIVE

DATE

REV. 

NO.

DESCRIPTION

9/05/2003 9/-5/2003 0 

New document to establish Energy Employee 

cancer data requirements for NOCTS and dose 

reconstruction. 

Purpose

This Technical Information Bulletin (TIB) defines NOCTS system requirements and 

organizational business rules governing the cancer data required to perform dose reconstructions 

and conduct IREP runs at OCAS and ORAU. Cancer data requirements will ultimately apply to 

data managed (i.e. entered and quality assured) in NOCTS as well as general data requirements 

necessary to perform dose reconstruction and run IREP. 
Effective Date: 9/05/03 Revision No. 0 OCAS-TIB-005 Page 2 of 6

Abbreviations

• ANRSD - Amended NIOSH Referral Summary Document 

• AR - Administrative Record 

• DOB – Date of Birth 

• DOD – Date of Death 

• DOE – Department of Energy 

• DOL – Department of Labor 

• DR – Dose Reconstruction 

• EE – Energy Employee 

• GUI – Graphical User Interface 

• IREP - Interactive RadioEpidemiological Program 

• NIOSH – National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health 

• NOCTS – NIOSH OCAS Claims Tracking System 

• NRSD – NIOSH Referral Summary Document 

• OCAS – Office of Compensation Analysis and Support 

• ORAU – Oak Ridge Associated Universities 

• PHA - Public Health Advisor 

• QA – Quality Assurance 

• TIB – Technical Information Bulletin 
Effective Date: 9/05/03 Revision No. 0 OCAS-TIB-005 Page 3 of 6

1.0 General

1.1 Cancer Data Information Sources: 

Energy Employee Cancer Data is referred by the DOL to OCAS. Cancer information 

may be reported to OCAS on the following AR document types: 

 Statement of Accepted Facts (SOAF) 

Note: This terminology has been discontinued by DOL and was superceded by the 

NRSD 

 NRSD 

 ANRSD 

 General Correspondence (i.e. E-mail, Letter) 

Note: DOL has lead responsibility to identify and code cancers for purposes of 

adjudicating claims. Because of this, cancer data provided by DOL should not be 

reinterpreted by reviewing documents provided by DOL to OCAS upon receipt of 

the claim or claim supplement. Example documents include pathology reports or 

EE medical records. If an obvious error is detected (e.g., a cancer listed as 

secondary with a primary cancer code), these questions are to be forwarded to the 

appropriate OCAS PHA for DOL inquiry and resolution. 

1.2 Acceptable Dose Reconstruction Case Scenarios: 

 Case has at least one primary cancer diagnosis 

 Case has at least one secondary cancer diagnosis with the primary cancer 

diagnosis unknown 

 Case has at least one primary cancer diagnosis with at least one secondary cancer 

diagnosis with the primary cancer diagnosis unknown

 Case has unknown primary cancer diagnosis and/or unknown secondary cancer 

diagnosis (i.e. Malignant neoplasm without specification of site 199.0 / 199.1)

1.3 Unacceptable Dose Reconstruction Case Scenarios:

 Case has at least one primary cancer diagnosis with at least one secondary cancer 

diagnosis reported as metastases from the identified primary cancer 

o Metastases from the primary cancer are not be to included in the NIOSH 

DR if primary cancer is known 

 Case does not have an acceptable cancer date of diagnosis or an acceptable ICD-9 

code 
Effective Date: 9/05/03 Revision No. 0 OCAS-TIB-005 Page 4 of 6

2.0 NOCTS Cancer Data System Requirements

Note: The cancer data described in this TIB have been determined by OCAS as 

important in the dose reconstruction process for each claim. The NOCTS system, 

however, currently accepts null inputs so that the claim can be entered into the database 

without delay. The NOCTS Quality Assurance Application will, however, identify 

discrepant data when executed by the OCAS PHA. The OCAS PHA will inquire and 

resolve discrepant data issues with the DOL. 

 Level or Cancer Rank 

o Data Type = Small Integer 

o Nulls Allowed in Illnesses Table 

o GUI default = “Primary” 

o NOCTS User List Box Options include: 

 Primary (Field Value =1) 

 Secondary (Field Value =2) 

 Choose Level (Field Value = Null) 

 Cancer Type / Description 

o Data Type = nvarchar 

o Nulls Not Allowed in Illnesses Table 

o GUI Allows Nulls 

 Date of Cancer Diagnosis 

o Data Type = varchar 

o Nulls Allowed in Illnesses Table 

o GUI Field Restraints 

 MM/DD/YYYY 

 MM/YYYY 

 YYYY 

 Unknown 

 ICD-9 Code 

o Data Type = varchar 

o Nulls Allowed in Illnesses Table 

o GUI Field Restraints 

 Field Cannot Be Null 
Effective Date: 9/05/03 Revision No. 0 OCAS-TIB-005 Page 5 of 6

3.0 Dose Reconstruction Cancer Data Requirements

3.1 Cancer Level / Rank

The Cancer Level / Rank field is not required for dose reconstruction because the cancer 

level / rank can ultimately be determined by the ICD-9 code assigned to the cancer 

diagnosis by the DOL. 

Note: The Cancer Level / Rank field is, however, very helpful in identifying blatant 

errors in Cancer Data Reporting; thus, cancer rank should be provided and entered 

accurately within the NOCTS system. 

 Acceptable Dose Reconstruction Data 

o Primary 

o Secondary 

o Missing (Blank) 

3.2 Cancer Type / Description 

Cancer Type / Description is required for dose reconstruction. The cancer type / 

description field helps identify, further describe, and validate the ICD-9 code assigned to 

the case. 

 The Cancer Type / Description field can help identify cell or tissue type, tumor 

location, or other characteristics of a malignancy. 

 A description of “Unknown” can be used in the Cancer Type / Description field if 

case has an unknown primary cancer diagnosis and/or unknown secondary cancer 

diagnosis. 

Note: Other words or statements reported by the DOL indicating an unknown 

cancer may also be used.

 Cancer Type / Description should be entered in NOCTS as reported on DOL 

generated information sources. 

Note: Correct spelling of cancer nomenclature is encouraged, though not required.
Effective Date: 9/05/03 Revision No. 0 OCAS-TIB-005 Page 6 of 6

3.3 Date of Cancer Diagnosis

Date of Cancer Diagnosis is required for dose reconstruction. 

 Acceptable Dose Reconstruction Date Formats 

o MM/DD/YYYY 

o MM/YYYY 

o YYYY 

 Date of Cancer Diagnosis cannot be Unknown or Missing 

 Date of Cancer Diagnosis cannot be before the EE First Start Date of DOE 

Employment 

 Date of Cancer Diagnosis cannot be before the EE DOB 

 Date of Cancer Diagnosis should not be more than 30 days after EE DOD. Dates 

of Diagnosis more than 30 days after EE DOD should be investigated. 

3.4 ICD-9 Code 

The ICD-9 Code is required for dose reconstruction. 

 Acceptable Dose Reconstruction ICD-9 Code Formats 

o XXX 

o XXX.X 

o XXX.XX 

 ICD-9 Code cannot be Unknown, Missing or Coded as 999, 999.9, or 999.99