Bavarian Cancer Registry
Since 1998, the Bavarian Cancer Registry collects data on new cases
of cancers in Bavaria, starting with half of the counties. Since
January 2002, all newly detected cancers and their early
manifestations are registered statewide. In April 2017, the new
Bavarian Cancer Registration Law became effective, and the Bavarian
Health and Food Safety Authority became responsible for hosting the
statewide clinical-epidemiological cancer registry. All physicians,
dentists and/or medical institutions participating in cancer
diagnosis and cancer care notify the cancer registry about any
incident cancers.
Cancer registries offer the possibility to learn about the etiology
and development of cancer. The tasks of the cancer registry include
monitoring trends over time and analysing the regional distribution
of cancers, as well as providing information for health services
planning and epidemiological research. Analysing the course of
disease and cancer therapy supports quality assessment of cancer
care. The cancer registry helps in monitoring and assessing the
effectiveness of preventive and curative measures.
Epidemiological analysis of the collected data is done
population-based by the patients` area of residence. This allows the
comparison of regional differences in cancer incidence.
Population-based studies have the advantage of assessing the entire
region, not only selected study groups.
Quality assessment of cancer care is done hospital-based,
independently from the patient's place of residence.
Monitoring temporal trends in the occurrence of cancer cases and the
distribution of disease stages allows the assessment of prevention
and early diagnosis measures, for example population-based
mammography screening programmes.
