Missouri Cancer Registry

About MCR

History of the Missouri Cancer Registry
MCR Partners
MCR Statutes and Regulations
MCR and HIPAA
MCR Policies and Procedures

History of the Missouri Cancer Registry

The Missouri Cancer Registry (MCR) was established in 1972 under contract between the Missouri Division of Health (now the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services) and the Cancer Research Center in Columbia, although data submission from hospital-based registries was voluntary. In May 1984, the Missouri General Assembly passed a bill to require hospital inpatient cancer reporting, which was signed into law by Governor Christopher S. [Kit] Bond in August 1984, (192.650 RSMo).
Congress established the National Program of Cancer Registries (NPCR) in 1992 by enacting the Cancer Registries Amendment Act, Public Law 102-515. The NPCR, administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), allocates funds through cooperative agreements with state health departments to enhance existing central cancer registries and establish central registries in states that did not have a registry. As a recipient of NPCR funding since 1995, the Missouri central cancer registry is required to adhere to guidelines established by the CDC.
In May 1999, the Missouri General Assembly passed a bill expanding cancer reporting to include not only hospital inpatients but also hospital outpatient settings, physician offices, pathology laboratories, ambulatory surgical centers, residential care facilities I and II, intermediate care facilities, skilled nursing facilities and free-standing cancer clinics and treatment centers. The late Governor Mel Carnahan then signed the expanded reporting statute, which became effective on August 28,1999 (192.650 - 192.657 RSMo).
In September 1999, a number of surveillance activities were contracted to the University of Missouri-Columbia (MU), Center for Health Care Quality (CHCQ), including MCR operations.The program is directed by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS), Division of Community Health, Office of Surveillance, Evaluation, Planning and Health Information (OSEPHI).

MCR Partners

In 1999, the Missouri Department of Health (DHSS) contracted with the Health Management and Informatics at the University of Missouri-Columbia to house and collaborate with MCR and the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). This partnership with the University has made possible expanded capabilities and increased opportunities for involvement in research.
The Missouri Cancer Registry receives:

Financial support from:
- The National Program of Cancer Registries (NPCR) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
- Missouri Department of Health and Human Services
In-kind support from:
- Hospitals and other reporting facilities throughout the state
- University of Missouri-Columbia

MCR Statutes and Regulations

Reporting of cancer cases to the Missouri Department of Health (now the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services) for Missouri hospitals became mandatory in 1984 when the State General Assembly passed a bill to require inpatient reporting by hospitals. Due to changes in the health care delivery system, an increasing number of cancer cases are now being treated outside the hospital setting. Therefore an expanded cancer reporting law was passed in 1999 (RSMo 192.650, 192.653, 192.655, 192.657 and CSR 70-21.010) (PDF). This law requires that pathology laboratories, ambulatory surgery centers, freestanding cancer clinics and treatment centers, physicians and long-term care facilities also report cancer cases.

MCR and HIPAA

Important message to providers and entities submitting protected health information to MCR

NAACCR academic letter interpreting HIPAA (PDF)

NAACCR legal letter interpreting HIPAA (PDF)

FAQs about HIPAA and reporting for hospital-based registry (PDF)

FAQ about HIPAA and cancer registry (PDF)