History of the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program

Abstract

The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program established in 1973 was the first laboratory for experimenting with new methods for cancer data collection and translating the data into population-based cancer statistics. The SEER Program staff have been instrumental in the development of the International Classification of Disease-Oncology and successfully implemented the routine collection of anatomic and prognostic cancer stage at diagnosis. Currently the program consists of 21 central registries that generate cancer statistics covering more than 48% of the US population and an additional 10 research support registries contributing to certain research projects, such as the National Childhood Cancer Registry. In parallel with the geographical expansion, the program built an architecture of methods and tools for population-based cancer statistics, with SEER*Explorer as the most recent online tool for descriptive statistics. In addition, SEER releases annual updates for a comprehensive data product line, which includes SEER*Stat databases with an annual caseload of more than 800 000 incident cases. Furthermore, the program developed a full suite of analytical applications for population-based cancer statistics that include Joinpoint (regression-based trend analysis), DevCan (risk of diagnosis and death), CanSurv (survival models), and ComPrev and PrejPrev (cancer prevalence), among others. The future of the SEER Program is closely aligned to the overall goals of the "war on cancer." The program aims to release longitudinal treatment data coupled with a comprehensive genomic characterization of cancers with a declared goal of decreasing the cancer burden and disparities across a wide spectrum of diseases and communities.

Figure 1.

Central cancer registries participating in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program as of January 1, 2023, including core and research registries. AR = Arkansas; CA = California; CO = Colorado; CT = Connecticut; GA = Georgia; HI = Hawaii; IA = Iowa; ID = Idaho; IL = Illinois; KY = Kentucky; LA = Louisiana; MA = Massachusetts; MI = Michigan; MO = Missouri; NH = New Hampshire; NJ = New Jersey; NM = New Mexico; NY = New York; OR = Oregon; TN = Tennessee; TX = Texas; UT = Utah; WI = Wisconsin.