Overview
Dataset Summary
The National Cancer Database (NCDB) is a large hospital-based oncology database jointly sponsored by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer (CoC) and the American Cancer Society. It includes data from more than 1,500 CoC-accredited facilities across the United States.
The NCDB captures detailed patient-level information on demographics, tumor characteristics, stage at diagnosis, treatment modalities, and survival outcomes. It is widely used for quality improvement initiatives and observational research examining treatment patterns, adherence to guidelines, disparities in care, and survival outcomes within hospital settings.
Caveats
- Access requires a Data Use Agreement (DUA) and formal proposal approval from NCDB.
- The review and approval process can be lengthy.
- Not population-based; includes only patients treated at participating CoC-accredited facilities.
- Primarily hospital-based data; limited capture of care delivered outside participating institutions.
Examples of Outcomes Examined
- Treatment patterns
- Overall and disease-specific survival
- Stage at diagnosis
- Adherence to evidence-based guidelines
- Disparities in cancer care and outcomes
- Quality of oncologic care measures
Topic
Evidence-Based Medicine Research, Hospital-based Medicine, Quality and Outcomes
Resource Type
Dataset
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