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What is a cancer registrar?

A Cancer Registrar is a data information specialist who collects and reports cancer statistics. Cancer registrars capture information on demographics, diagnosis, treatment and cancer status of every cancer patient in the U.S. Cancer registrars work closely with physicians, administrators, researchers, and health care planners to provide support for cancer program development, ensure compliance of reporting standards, and serve as a valuable resource for cancer information with the goal of preventing and controlling cancer.

Where Do Cancer Registrars Work? 
Most registrars work for hospitals or central cancer registries. (State registries are referred to as central registries.) A few work for federal agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention’s (CDC) National Program of Cancer Registries or the National Cancer Institute’s (NCI) Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program.

How to Become a Cancer Registrar

In the past, cancer registrars were trained on the job. Today, post-secondary education programs around the country teach cancer data management. Possible college courses that a student might take to earn a degree in this field include cancer and its management, medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, computers in healthcare, biostatistics and epidemiology, cancer data abstracting, database record management, cancer program management, cancer registry procedures, among others.

Some common paths to become a cancer registrar are listed below. The National Cancer Registrars Association accredits educational programs across the U.S. Many are available online.

Path 1:
Earn an Associate Degree in Cancer Registry Management
Complete a Clinical Practicum at a Cancer Registry
Pass the Certified Tumor Registrar (CTR) Exam
Maintain the CTR Credential with Continuing Education Courses

Path 2:
Complete 60-Hours of College-Level Courses
Earn a Certificate in Cancer Registry Management
Complete a Clinical Practicum at a Cancer Registry
Pass the Certified Tumor Registrar (CTR) Exam
Maintain the CTR Credential with Continuing Education Courses

Please visit http://www.ncra-usa.org/About/Become-a-Cancer-Registrar for more information.