Content Source:
Office of Public Health Data, Surveillance, and Technology
Cancer
2010 Case Definition
Cancer
2010 Case Definition
2010 Case Definition
CSTE Position Statement(s)
- 09-CD-01
Clinical Description
Cancer cases under national public health surveillance include:
- Incident invasive cancers at all sites with the exception of basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma of the skin;
- Incident in situ cancers at all sites with the exception of carcinoma in situ of the cervix uteri, or any intraepithelial neoplasia (cervical intraepithelial neoplasia [CIN], prostate intraepithelial neoplasia [PIN], etc.);
- Incident benign and borderline central nervous system tumors
Laboratory Criteria For Diagnosis
Pathological or cytological diagnosis
Case Classification
Confirmed
- A diagnosis of cancer (in situ or invasive) or central nervous system tumor (benign or borderline) by a recognized medical practitioner that includes the use of specific terms synonymous with cancer, including but not limited to: "cancer," "malignant," "carcinoma," "sarcoma," "leukemia," and "lymphoma," OR
- Laboratory-confirmed cases are those that have a positive histology or cytology, or other positive microscopic confirmation*.
Comments
*Although more than 90 percent of cancer cases are confirmed microscopically, microscopic confirmation is not required for a confirmed or definite case.
Incident cancer cases are classified according to primary anatomic site (topography) and cellular characteristics (morphology including histology, behavior, and grade) using the International Classification of Diseases for Oncology, Third Edition (ICD-O-3).