“Cancer surveillance helps tell a story. When we interpret data from cancer registries, it empowers us to form actionable strategies towards cancer prevention and control.”


-Lois Dickie
Certified Tumor Registrar
Public Health Analyst for NCI

Researchers analyze SEER data to understand multiple topics, such as:

  • Stage at diagnosis by race/ethnicity and sex.
  • Survival by stage at diagnosis, age at diagnosis, tumor grade or size.
  • Incidence trends for various cancer sites over time for specific geographic areas.

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) provides several statistical software packages to help researchers analyze data. These software applications include SEER*Stat, Health Disparities Calculator (HD*Calc), Joinpoint Regression Program, and many others. Additionally, NCI provides tutorials and informational resources for these programs. Visit SEER Data and Software to learn more about resources for researchers.

Researchers analyze data and publish results in various formats to disseminate their findings and research conclusions.

Other Tools

Next Section: Research Application