Epidemiology Research Core (ERC)

The Epidemiology Research Core (ERC) supports population-based cancer research by providing access to and promoting utilization of very complex Metropolitan Detroit Cancer Surveillance System (MDCSS) cancer registry data as well as national data derived from NCI’s Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) for research. The ERC collaborates with KCI members conducting investigations in cancer prevention, etiology, treatment and outcomes. The ERC’s collaborative efforts are achieved through services including rapid case ascertainment; collection of medical records and biospecimens; abstracting medical records for study-specific information; linkage of datasets to patient data for diagnostic, treatment, and outcomes research; identifying population-based control populations; research support and training for studies involving participant recruitment and interviewing; data queries and epidemiologic expertise and collaboration in the conduct of population-based investigations of cancer. The ERC benefits KCI by centralizing access to SEER data and standardizing patient, physician and hospital interactions for studies using patients identified through MDCSS for population-based research.

Metropolitan Detroit contains a large understudied population, with 22% of the ~25,000 annual cancer diagnoses in the SEER catchment area being African American. This makes the population ideal for the study of health differences. For the more recently-expanded catchment area, ERC also uses KCI Network tumor registry data to support research and Community Outreach and Engagement (COE) initiatives. The ERC contributes significantly to the population-based research conducted at KCI, evidenced in part by the 106 peer reviewed publications accomplished with support of the ERC during the current grant period, representing a 16% increase over the previous submission.

Grant Number: 3P30CA022453-43S3
NIH Institute/Center: NIH
Principal Investigator: Jennifer Beebe-Dimmer