Deidentified Data

Texas Cancer Registry

Texas Cancer Registry

Data Requests

Deidentified Data

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How to Request TCR Aggregate Data

Step 1: Review existing publications and data tools on the Texas Cancer Registry (TCR) Cancer Statistics page. TCR has made significant efforts to ensure Texas cancer data are available and accessible through interactive online tools, maps, and graphs as well as statistical tables and reports that are typically updated every year with new data. If you do not find what you need, proceed to Step 2 below to submit a data request.

Step 2: Fill in the details below and email to CancerData@dshs.texas.gov:

  • Requester Information:
    • Name:
    • Institution/organization:
    • Role with institution/organization:
  • Planned Use of Data: [Briefly describe how the data will be used.]
  • Requested Completion Date: [Fill in the date by which the data are needed. With some exceptions, requests for aggregate data can be completed within 2 weeks.]
  • Data Request Description:
    • Statistical measures requested: [incidence counts/rates, mortality counts/rates, prevalence, survival, etc.]
    • Demographic groups: [all Texans, or a specific sex, race/ethnicity, or age group, etc.]
    • Timeframe: [years of diagnosis or death]
    • Geographic area of interest: [Texas statewide, specific Public Health Region, specific county. Note, the smallest unit available for aggregate data requests is the county level.]

Step 3: TCR staff will review the request to verify availability of data, staff, and resources and to determine if the data request is permissible per policy. Requesters may be asked to provide additional information for staff review. For complex requests involving multiple stratifications or subgroups, table shells may be required. TCR leadership approval may be required for lengthy requests that involve multiple stratifications and subgroups.

Step 4: Once the request is reviewed, provided it meets requirements, staff will process the request. TCR will send the requested data via email or other DSHS-approved data transfer mechanism.

How to Access Deidentified Record-Level Data

TCR achieved its goal of becoming a Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) in 2021. Becoming a SEER Registry means that TCR data are now available in SEER data products. The SEER Research and Research Plus data sets not only contain cancer data from Texas, but also include cancer data from other population-based registries covering approximately 48% of the U.S. population. The SEER Research Data only require registration forms and a signed SEER Data Use Agreement.

Request access to SEER data here: SEER Incidence Data, 1975 - 2022 (cancer.gov).

Additionally, the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries (NAACCR) provides comprehensive cancer incidence data for analysis through Cancer in North America (CiNA) data products. The CiNA Public Use Dataset is a publicly accessible and limited incidence dataset requiring only a signed Data Assurance Agreement for access.

View more information about the CiNA Public Use Research File.

Need additional assistance?

As always, given necessary approvals, confidential TCR data are made available for a variety of research purposes. For information on requesting confidential TCR data, review the information on the Research Data webpage and let us know if you have any questions.

Additional Documentation for TCR Deidentified Data

SEER*Stat Software available to analyze TCR Deidentified Data

The SEER Program provides free software called SEER*Stat that can be used for the analysis and reporting of cancer statistics. Additional information, including how to request the SEER*Stat software, is available on the SEER website.

 

TCR requests that any person or organization reporting results or analyses using cancer data provided by the TCR include the Requested Citation/Acknowledgement of TCR Data Use in their report, presentation, or publication.

If you have any questions, contact the TCR Epidemiology Group via email at CancerData@dshs.texas.gov or call 512-776-3080.