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Cancer Sites and Variables

Delay-adjusted incidence rates and trends are reported for all cancers combined (malignant only except for urinary bladder), for female breast in situ, for urinary bladder (in situ and malignant), and for 22 malignant cancer sites: melanoma (for all races combined and whites only), lung/bronchus, colon/rectum, prostate, female breast, liver and intrahepatic bile duct, pancreas, cervix uteri, corpus and uterus, ovary, testis, kidney and renal pelvis, brain and other nervous system, Hodgkin lymphoma, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, all leukemias, esophagus, larynx, myeloma, oral cavity and pharynx, thyroid, and stomach.

A delay distribution models the probability of a cancer being reported after a delay of d years (d = 2, 3, ...30). The number of cancers reported at each delay year is assumed to follow a Poisson distribution. Cases are removed as corrections to the data are made, and the probability of removing cases is modeled as a binomial distribution. To reduce the number of parameters that have to be estimated and to achieve stability in the tails of the delay distributions, an assumption is made that all cancer cases will be reported within 30 years of diagnosis.

Covariates Used in the Final Delay Distributions, By Cancer Site, and Race

The delay distributions were modeled as a function of covariates using a discrete-time proportional hazards model. The following potential covariates are included: age at diagnosis, sex, diagnosis year, delay times, and race/ethnicity. For each cancer site, a delay distribution was calculated for all races combined and a separate delay distribution was calculated for whites and blacks. In the distributions for all races combined, if a patient's race value changed between two submission years the change of value does not contribute to the delay model. For melanoma, only all races combined and whites were analyzed because melanoma is rare for blacks.

Potential Covariates

Delay Time d:
Group 1 : d > 2 or d > 3
Group 2 : d > 2, d > 3, d > 4, or d > 5
Group 3 : d > 2, d > 3, ... , d > 10

Year of Diagnosis:
Individual years from 1981 - 2008
or
Year groups (1981-1985, 1986-1990, or 1991-2008)

Age at Diagnosis:
<50, 50-64, 65+

Sex:
Male, Female

Race/Ethnicity:
White, Black

Reporting year effect: see technical report for addition details (Zou et al,. 2009)

Covariates Contributing to the Delay Distributions
Site Race SEER 9 Contributing Covariates SEER 13-9 Contributing Covariates
All Cancer Sites Combined All Races Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Age at Diagnosis, Reporting Year Effect at 2001 Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Age at Diagnosis, Reporting Year Effect at 2005
White, Black Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Race, Reporting Year Effect at 1993, 2001 Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Age at Diagnosis, Race, Reporting Year Effect at 2005
Brain and Other Nervous System All Races Delay Time Group 2, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Reporting Year Effect at 1993, 1998, 1999 Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Sex, Reporting Year Effect at 2005
White, Black Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Age at Diagnosis, Race, Reporting Year Effect at 1993, 1998, 1999 Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Sex, Race, Reporting Year Effect at 2002, 2005
Female Breast All Races Delay Time Group 3, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Reporting Year Effect at 1991, 2001 Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Reporting Year Effect at 2005
White, Black Delay Time Group 2, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Race, Reporting Year Effect at 1991, 1993, 2001 Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Race, Reporting Year Effect at 2005
Female Breast in situ All Races Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Reporting Year Effect at 1995, 2004, 2007 Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Reporting Year Effect at 2007
White, Black Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Year Groups), Reporting Year Effect at 1995, 2001, 2007 Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Race, Reporting Year Effect at 2007
Cervix Uteri All Races Delay Time Group 2, Reporting Year Effect at 1999, 2001 Delay Time Group 2, Reporting Year Effect at 2005
White, Black Delay Time Group 2, Year of Diagnosis (Year Groups), Race, Reporting Year Effect at 1993, 2001 Delay Time Group 2, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Race, Reporting Year Effect at 1999, 2005
Colon and Rectum All Races Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Sex, Reporting Year Effect at 1991, 1993, 2001 Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Sex, Reporting Year Effect at 2005
White, Black Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Sex, Race, Reporting Year Effect at 1991, 1993, 2001 Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Sex, Race, Reporting Year Effect at 2005
Corpus and Uterus, NOS All Races Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Reporting Year Effect at 1999, 2001 Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Reporting Year Effect at 2005
White, Black Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Race, Reporting Year Effect at 1993, 2001 Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Race, Reporting Year Effect at 2005
Esophagus All Races Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Reporting Year Effect at 2001 Delay Time Group 2, Sex, Reporting Year Effect at 2001, 2005
White, Black Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Sex, Reporting Year Effect at 2001 Delay Time Group 2, Sex, Reporting Year Effect at 2001, 2005
Hodgkin Lymphoma All Races Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Year Groups), Reporting Year Effect at 1991, 1992, 1993 Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Reporting Year Effect at 2005, 2009
White, Black Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Race, Reporting Year Effect at 1991, 1992, 1993 Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Race, Reporting Year Effect at 2005, 2009
Kidney and Renal Pelvis All Races Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Sex, Reporting Year Effect at 2001 Delay Time Group 2, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Sex, Reporting Year Effect at 2005
White, Black Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Age at Diagnosis, Race, Reporting Year Effect at 1998, 2001 Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Sex, Race, Reporting Year Effect at 2005
Larynx All Races Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Sex, Reporting Year Effect at 1991, 2001, 2008 Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Reporting Year Effect at 2001, 2005
White, Black Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Sex, Race, Reporting Year Effect at 1991, 1993, 1999 Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Race, Reporting Year Effect at 2001
Leukemia All Races Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Reporting Year Effect at 1995, 2001 Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Age at Diagnosis, Sex, Reporting Year Effect at 2005
White, Black Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Reporting Year Effect at 1993 Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Age at Diagnosis, Sex, Race, Reporting Year Effect at 2005
Liver and Intrahepatic Bile Duct All Races Delay Time Group 3, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Sex, Reporting Year Effect at 1989, 1997, 2001 Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Sex, Reporting Year Effect at 2005
White, Black Delay Time Group 2, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Sex, Race, Reporting Year Effect at 1989, 2008 Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Sex, Reporting Year Effect at 2005
Lung and Bronchus All Races Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Age at Diagnosis, Sex, Reporting Year Effect at 1993, 2001 Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Sex, Reporting Year Effect at 2005
White, Black Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Age at Diagnosis, Sex, Race, Reporting Year Effect at 1993, 2001 Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Sex, Race, Reporting Year Effect at 2005
Melanoma of the Skin All Races Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Reporting Year Effect at 1995 Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Reporting Year Effect at 2005
White, Black Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Reporting Year Effect at 1991, 1998, 2001 Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Reporting Year Effect at 2005
Myeloma All Races Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Sex, Reporting Year Effect at 1990, 2001 Delay Time Group 1, Sex, Reporting Year Effect at 2000, 2005
White, Black Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Sex, Race, Reporting Year Effect at 1993, 2001 Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Sex, Reporting Year Effect at 2005
Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma All Races Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Sex, Reporting Year Effect at 2001 Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Sex, Reporting Year Effect at 2005
White, Black Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Sex, Race, Reporting Year Effect at 1993, 2001 Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Sex, Race, Reporting Year Effect at 2005
Oral Cavity and Pharynx All Races Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Reporting Year Effect at 1991, 1999, 2001 Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Sex, Reporting Year Effect at 2005
White, Black Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Reporting Year Effect at 1991, 1993, 1999 Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Sex, Race, Reporting Year Effect at 2005
Ovary All Races Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Reporting Year Effect at 1996, 2001 Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Reporting Year Effect at 2005
White, Black Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Race, Reporting Year Effect at 1993, 2001 Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Race, Reporting Year Effect at 2005
Pancreas All Races Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Age at Diagnosis, Sex, Reporting Year Effect at 1993, 1997, 2001 Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Age at Diagnosis, Sex, Reporting Year Effect at 2005
White, Black Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Age at Diagnosis, Reporting Year Effect at 1993 Delay Time Group 2, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Age at Diagnosis, Sex, Race, Reporting Year Effect at 2002, 2005
Prostate All Races Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Age at Diagnosis, Sex, Reporting Year Effect at 2001 Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Age at Diagnosis, Sex, Reporting Year Effect at 2005
White, Black Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Age at Diagnosis, Race, Reporting Year Effect at 1993, 1999, 2001 Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Race, Reporting Year Effect at 2005
Stomach All Races Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Year Groups), Sex, Reporting Year Effect at 1995, 2001 Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Sex, Reporting Year Effect at 2000, 2005
White, Black Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Sex, Race, Reporting Year Effect at 1991, 1993, 2001 Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Sex, Race, Reporting Year Effect at 2005
Testis All Races Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Reporting Year Effect at 1991, 1992, 2001 Delay Time Group 1, Reporting Year Effect at 2002, 2005
White, Black Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Race, Reporting Year Effect at 1991, 1993, 2001 Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Race, Reporting Year Effect at 2002, 2005
Thyroid All Races Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Sex, Reporting Year Effect at 1987, 2001, 2003 Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Reporting Year Effect at 2002, 2005
White, Black Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Sex, Race, Reporting Year Effect at 1993, 2001, 2003 Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Reporting Year Effect at 2005
Urinary Bladder All Races Delay Time Group 1, Reporting Year Effect at 2001 Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Sex, Reporting Year Effect at 2005
White, Black Delay Time Group 2, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Reporting Year Effect at 1993, 2001 Delay Time Group 1, Year of Diagnosis (Individual Years), Race, Reporting Year Effect at 2005