Contact for assistance with accessing the database – Demond Handley
Years Available
1975-2021**
Note: Not all variables are collected at the beginning. Some variables may be collected during specific time intervals and may be discontinued due to changes data collection policy and clinical practice.
The data manual for the most recent released SEER data as well is details on how variables are collected may be found here.
Short Description
The Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results Program was developed by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to capture incidence of cancer and survival in the United States. The data within SEER databases are collected from population-based cancer registries representing approximately 48% of the U.S. Population. Utilizing SEER data, investigators can assess the associations between demographic, clinical and treatment characteristics and survival outcomes (including all-cause mortality and cancer-specific mortality).
A detailed overview of SEER may be found here.
Strengths
- Straight forward and standardized data coding with a lot of depth
- ICD-10 codes (topography codes) are available to identify cancer sites
- Histology and behavior codes are available to identify tumor type and behavior
- Socioeconomic demographic variables are available
- A large degree of clinical detail is available
- Cancer-specific survival information available
- Census tract and county level information is available
Limitations
- Missingness can present issues
- No prior medical history or comorbidity information
- Staging information does not distinguish between clinical and pathological staging
- Census tracts and county identification are not provided for patient privacy concerns
- Area level effects via census tract linked variables and county linked variables cannot be estimated