One of the major functions
of a central cancer registry is to consolidate cancer
case data from multiple reporting sources and facilities
or institutions for the same patient (i.e., the reports
are "consolidated" into one comprehensive
case).
The logic of case consolidation is closely related
to both code category assignment and data editing. When
data from multiple
sources pertaining to the same person or case are combined, inevitable
discrepancies between information on file and new data appear.
Some discrepancies represent new information (for example, a
more detailed morphology), some are erroneous such as a misspelled
name. Consolidation rules determine which data inconsistencies
can be resolved automatically and when to assign precedence
of one category over another. Shared standards for case consolidation
are likely to be developed in the coming years, as rules for
code assignment evolve.
