U.S. and Puerto Rico Data (2005–2018) Analyses Checklist

U.S. Cancer Statistics Public Use Database

Related Pages

Multi-Year Analyses

The database includes variables that can be used to restrict analyses to the states meeting U.S. Cancer Statistics publication criteria during the most commonly analyzed multi-year time periods, specifically—

  • All years of data in the database (variable USCS0518 for diagnosis years 2005–2018).
  • The most recent 10 years of data (USCS0918 for diagnosis years 2009–2018).
  • The most recent 5 years of data (USCS1418 for diagnosis years 2014–2018).

If you are conducting a multi-year analysis and want to restrict it to the states that met publication criteria during each of the years, did you use variable USCS0518, USCS0918, or USCS1418 and also use the Year of Diagnosis variable to restrict to the corresponding year range on the SEER*Stat Selection tab?

  • This is important for trend analyses, as the same states need to be included for each year being analyzed for comparisons.
  • The Year of Diagnosis variable is used in combination with the predefined USCS variable to exclude the non-relevant years. For example, if USCS1418 is used, then Year of Diagnosis should also be restricted to diagnosis years 2014–2018 in the SEER*Stat Selection tab.
  • If you would like to analyze a range of years other than those predefined variables, please contact CDC at uscsdata@cdc.gov and we will create a new variable for you.

Single-Year Analyses

If you are analyzing just one year of data, did you use the variable USCS Standard and restrict the analysis to the specific Year of Diagnosis in the SEER*Stat Selection tab?

Common Selection and Reporting Considerations

  • If a user-defined primary site variable was created (rather than using the Site recode ICD-O-3/WHO 2008 variable)—
    • Did you exclude leukemias and lymphomas (9590–9992)?
    • Did you consider excluding Kaposi sarcoma (9140) and mesothelioma (9050–9055)?

    For more information, see Primary Site Variables.

  • If your analysis includes histology, and if appropriate for the cancer site, did you use the Diagnostic Confirmation variable to specify the analysis be limited to Microscopically confirmed cases?
  • If you are analyzing sex-specific cancers (such as prostate cancer or female breast cancer), did you limit the analysis to the appropriate sex to get the correct population denominator?
  • When reporting rates, have you included the label “per 100,000 persons,” “per 100,000 women,” or “per 100,000 men”?
  • Have you included citations for the—
    • Percentage of United States population coverage provided by the database?
    • NPCR and SEER Incidence – U.S. Cancer Statistics 2005–2018 Public Use Research Database?
Page last reviewed: June 8, 2021
Content source: Division of Cancer Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention