Missouri Cancer Registry and Research Center

05/26/2026

Congratulations to Michael Castera. He received a Chancellor’s Outstanding Staff Award. Hes been a great part of the MCR Team!

Commending outstanding staff members.

Yesterday, celebrated the hard work of staff from across campus during the annual Outstanding Staff Awards.

Read more in President Choi's latest blog: https://brnw.ch/21x2I7P

05/13/2026

The MCR team was at the 2026 NCRA Annual Conference in Louisville last week. We were excited to learn about accelerating excellence in oncology data and updates in reporting standards and compliance. It was great to meet with cancer registry professionals across the country! Look for new abstracting tips and tricks from us later this year.

04/15/2026

April is Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Month. Head and neck cancers account for nearly 4% of all cancers in the United States, according to the National Cancer Institute (NCI). The NCI estimates that about 72,680 cancers of the oral cavity, pharynx, and larynx were diagnosed in the United States in 2025. You can find out Stats and Facts about Head and Neck and other cancers at https://cancerregistry.missouri.edu/data/missouri-cancer-stats-facts/

04/06/2026

This week, April 6-10th is National Cancer Registrar’s Week. Oncology Data Specialists are the rockstars of data entry and quality! Oncology Data Specialists are indeed the backbone of cancer surveillance and research. Thank you ODSs for all you do! Thank from the whole MCR team for your continued support!

04/01/2026

April is Esophageal Cancer Awareness Month. According to the National Cancer Institute, an estimated 22,070 people living in the United States were diagnosed with esophageal cancer in 2025. You can find out Stats and Facts about Esophageal and other cancers at https://cancerregistry.missouri.edu/data/missouri-cancer-stats-facts/

03/17/2026

March is Colore**al Cancer Awareness Month. Colore**al cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States, behind only lung cancer. The National Cancer Institute estimated that 154,270 people in the United States received a diagnosis of colon or re**al cancer in 2025. You can find out Stats and Facts about Colore**al and other cancers at https://cancerregistry.missouri.edu/data/missouri-cancer-stats-facts/

03/11/2026

Don’t miss reviewing the Show Me Tip Deborah Carey created on V26 Updates! It contains information on new data items, retired data items, new SSDIs, and a new term for extranodal extension.

03/04/2026

March is Kidney Cancer Awareness Month. Kidney Cancer is among the most common cancers in the United States, with approximately 80,980 new diagnoses 2025, according to federal estimates. You can find out Stats and Facts about Kidney and other cancers at https://cancerregistry.missouri.edu/data/missouri-cancer-stats-facts/

02/16/2026

February is National Cancer Prevention Month.

The federal government estimated that about 2 million Americans were diagnosed with cancer (other than non-melanoma skin cancer) in 2025, About 40% of these cases can be attributed to preventable causes such as smoking, excess body weight, physical inactivity, and excessive exposure to the sun. This means that steps such as quitting smoking (or never starting in the first place), maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly, protecting your skin from the sun, and getting vaccinated against the pathogens that cause certain cancers can dramatically reduce your risk of cancer in many cases. For more information check with your personal physician and see national guidelines at

The American Cancer Society develops guidelines for cancer screening to meet the needs of clinicians, the general public, and policy

02/09/2026

Looking to learn the basics of abstracting or just improve your skills? Check out our recently updated Fundamentals of Abstracting or our free guides and tips!