Inaccurate data may lead to insufficient resources

BMJ 1995;310:1327-1328 (20 May)

Letters

Inaccurate data may lead to insufficient resources

EDITOR,--We agree with Clive Richards and colleagues that accurateascertainment is a problem for cancer registries.¹ One of us(ACB) recently completed an audit of skin cancer care in theformer South East Kent health district.

Index cases of melanoma were identified, by date of diagnosis,from histology records for inpatients and outpatients at thedistrict's three hospitals for the year starting 1 April 1991.A small number of cases from general practitioners was alsoidentified from the same source. Thirty six cases of primarycutaneous melanoma were identified. For the calendar year 1991the Thames Cancer Registry recorded 19 cases of melanoma. Thesampling frame for the local study accounted only for lesionsverified histologically, but the cancer registry includes lesionsnot verified histologically. When this factor is taken intoaccount the registry recorded only 16 cases of melanoma confirmedhistologically, which is a substantial difference.