The Epidemiology Research Core (ERC) mission is to support population-based research by accessing metropolitan Detroit cancer cases and cancer registry data for use in approved research. The ERC provides epidemiology expertise and collaborates with researchers conducting investigations in cancer prevention, etiology, treatment and outcomes. This type of population-based cancer research is made possible by ERC accessing this data on behalf of researchers, which ensures confidentiality.

Core Services Available

Consultation. Consultation and collaborative research expertise focused on study design, proposal development, IRB applications, and interpretation of population-based local and national SEER data.
Rapid Case Ascertainment. Rapid identification and ascertainment of eligible study participants, requiring review of all pathology reports indicating a cancer diagnosis at approximately 60 metropolitan area hospitals, clinics, pathology laboratories and radiation therapy facilities and rapid collection of patient demographic information. This speeds up case identification for population-based studies, with most cases identified within one to two months of diagnosis.
Control Identification. Identification of population-based control groups for case-control study designs via random digit dialing, Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) records, Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) records, and other mechanisms. Recruitment and Interviewing Support. Oversight and support of study participant recruitment and data collection via telephone, mailed and in-person interviews.
Collection and Abstraction of Medical Records. Collection of medical records and abstracting of study-specific data which are not available in the MDCSS registry.
Biospecimen Collection. Collection of biologic specimens, including blood, buccal cells, saliva and tumor blocks, from study participants and/or diagnosing hospitals including KCI and non-KCI facilities. Collection from KCI facilities is coordinated with the Biorepository Core.
Database Query. Response to requests for population-based data requiring query of the MDCSS and/or the national SEER Limited-Use data files and SEER-Medicare files for descriptive analyses.
Database Linkage. Linkage of outside data sources to MDCSS data for the collection of patient demographics, treatment and survival data.