NPCR and SEER Incidence – USCS Public Use Databases

Researchers can access and analyze high-quality population-based cancer incidence data on the entire United States population. De-identified cancer incidence data reported to CDC’s National Program for Cancer Registries (NPCR) and the National Cancer Institute’s (NCI’s) Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program are available to researchers for free in public use databases that can be accessed using software developed by NCI’s SEER Program.

Cancer surveillance data from these two programs are combined to become United States Cancer Statistics (USCS), the official source for federal cancer data. Combined data from NPCR and the SEER Program include cancer incidence and population data for all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, providing information on more than 22 million cancer cases.

The databases include data by demographic characteristics (for example, age, sex, race, and year of diagnosis) and tumor characteristics (for example, site, histology, stage, and behavior). Hospitals, physicians, and laboratories across the nation report these data to central cancer registries supported by CDC and NCI. The NPCR and SEER Incidence – USCS Public Use Databases are intended for researchers to conduct focused analyses beyond what is available through the USCS Cancer Data Visualization tool. Researchers can use these data to inform scientific inquiries, programs, and policies by identifying disparities in cancer burden, investigating trends and geographic distributions in cancer incidence, and evaluating and monitoring cancer prevention activities.

Two public use databases are available—

• 2001–2014 database, which includes data for 50 states and the District of Columbia.
• 2005–2014 database, which includes data for 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.

Number of Records in the NPCR and SEER Incidence – USCS Public Use Databases

The table below shows the number of cases available for the most recent NPCR and SEER Incidence – USCS data release.

Database	All Cases*	Malignant Cases**	Malignant and In Situ** Cases
2001–2014 database (November 2016 submission)	22,778,255	20,378,654	21,927,945
2005–2014 database (November 2016 submission)	17,027,322	15,099,160	16,283,716

*The “All Cases” column includes benign and borderline brain and central nervous system (CNS) tumors and cases coded as “no longer reportable in ICD-O-3” and “only malignant in 2010+”. See SEER Behavior Recode for Analysis for more information.

**Malignant and in situ cases are defined using the SEER Behavior Recode for Analysis.

How to Obtain Access to the Data

The data are provided and analyzed through SEER*Stat software, which is distributed by the NCI’s SEER Program.

1. Complete and sign the NPCR and SEER Incidence – USCS Research Data Agreement. [PDF-31KB]
2. E-mail the form to uscsdata@imsweb.com. If you already have a SEER*Stat account, please include your user account name in your e-mail. Your request for access will be processed within 2 business days, and you will receive a response notifying you when you have access to the databases in the SEER*Stat software.
3. Download and install SEER’s SEER*Stat software. The site also provides training tutorials.
4. A new NPCR and SEER Incidence – USCS Research Data Agreement is required for each data submission year. You will receive notification reminding you to complete a data agreement when new data becomes available.

Supporting Documentation

• The 2001–2014 data dictionary (for U.S.) [PDF-978KB] and the 2005–2014 data dictionary (for U.S. and Puerto Rico) [PDF-834KB] include background information on NPCR and SEER – USCS data, instructions for use, and a list of all of the variables in the database. Analysts should read and understand the data standards before using the databases. If you have questions regarding the databases, please contact CDC at uscsdata@cdc.gov.
• The NPCR and SEER Incidence – USCS methodology document [PDF-40KB] provides bulleted text that can be tailored and used to describe NPCR and SEER – USCS incidence data in a research article.
• The analysis checklists for the 2001–2014 database [PDF-30KB] and the 2005–2014 database [PDF-29KB] include important considerations when analyzing NPCR and SEER – USCS incidence data.
• Predefined SEER*Stat variables for calculating the number of associated cancers for selected risk factors are available. The risk factor-associated cancers documentation [PDF-65KB] provides the International Classification of Diseases for Oncology, Third Edition (ICD-O-3) site and histology codes used to define cancers with related risk factors, including cancers associated with tobacco, alcohol, human papillomavirus, obesity, and lack of physical activity. The SEER*Stat export file [FMX-23KB] should be saved and imported into SEER*Stat. This export file includes the following SEER*Stat user-defined variables—
  • Tobacco-associated cancers.
  • Alcohol-associated cancers.
  • Human papillomavirus-associated cancers.
  • Obesity-associated cancers.
  • Physical activity-associated cancers.

Information on how to use SEER*Stat export files is included on the SEER*Stat Frequently Asked Questions page.

For more information on these cancers, please see Invasive cancer incidence and survival—United States, 2013.

Suggested Citation

The database should be cited in all publications and presentations and include the submission and release dates.

The suggested citation for the 2001–2014 database is—

2001–2014 Database: National Program of Cancer Registries and Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results SEER*Stat Database: NPCR and SEER Incidence – USCS 2001–2014 Public Use Research Database, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and National Cancer Institute. Released August 2017, based on the November 2016 submission. Accessed at www.cdc.gov/cancer/npcr/public-use.

The suggested citation for the 2005–2014 database is—

2005–2014 Database: National Program of Cancer Registries and Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results SEER*Stat Database: NPCR and SEER Incidence – USCS 2005–2014 Public Use Research Database, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and National Cancer Institute. Released August 2017, based on the November 2016 submission. Accessed at www.cdc.gov/cancer/npcr/public-use.

Archived Documentation

Data dictionary [PDF-1.3MB] for the NPCR Public Use Research Database, November 2015 submission, which included cases diagnosed from 2001-2013.

Additional Questions?

For technical assistance related to using the data, please e-mail uscsdata@cdc.gov. For assistance with SEER*Stat, please e-mail uscsdata@imsweb.com.