Cancer Registry and Epidemiological Study Working Group report.

UNLABELLED INTERNATIONAL AGENCY FOR RESEARCH ON CANCER: The International Agency for Research on Cancer serves as a global reference for cancer information. The Cancer Information Section of the International Agency for Research on Cancer publishes the world's largest information database on cancer incidence and supports cancer registries by providing administrative facilities and training, etc. Many Asian countries have published cancer registries, but Indonesia and Bangladesh have yet to do so. INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CANCER REGISTRIES The International Association of Cancer Registries is a non-governmental organization that promotes information exchange between cancer registries internationally. It supports cancer registries by means of fellowship funds and computer programs. COOPERATIVE STUDIES Asian cooperative studies using cancer registration data are essential for combating cancer in the region. For a cooperative study, countries first need to exchange cancer data and then conduct a comparative study using non-individualized data. The third step is collection of individualized, anonymous data, which would improve comparability. COLLABORATIVE EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDIES The Asia Cohort Consortium, which includes investigators from various countries, is a complicated collaboration. Good epidemiological research collaboration requires researchers' comprehension of the significance of multinational collaborative studies, good coordination, adequate funding and balanced collaboration. CONCLUSIONS Asia faces various problems in relation to cancer registry, including inadequate quality, weak infrastructure, insufficient coverage, etc. Epidemiological studies are hampered by differences in expertise and resources, limited understanding of epidemiology, etc. To alleviate those problems, an organization for Asian cooperation on cancer registration should be established. Adequate funding of registries and activities is essential. Collaborative and comparative epidemiological studies based on data from cancer registries are needed.