National Cancer Register

In Swedish

The National Cancer Register provides the basis for official cancer statistics in Sweden. Register data are also used as a basis for research and international comparisons.

Purpose of the Cancer Register

The purpose of the Register is to be able to monitor the incidence of cancer and changes over time. Its data can be used to describe, e.g.:

Developments in number of new cancer cases.
Any regional or demographic differences.
The probability of survival in different cancers.

Contents of the Cancer Register

Around 60,000 malignant cancer cases in Sweden are reported to the Register each year. This number refers to reported tumours, and not the number of people. It includes information such as personal ID number, gender, residence at the time of the diagnosis, reporting hospital or clinic, date of diagnosis and clinical and morphological diagnosis, as well as tumour extent at the time of diagnosis. Data on metastases are only available when the primary tumour is not known.

Information on the date of death and the underlying cause of death are also retrieved from the National Cause of Death Register and information on migration and registration status are retrieved from the Total Population Register (RTB) at Statistics Sweden.

For the full list of all the register's variables, see the list of variables (in Swedish)

For information about the quality of the Register, such as missing data, variable content and history, see Production and quality of the Cancer Register.

Basal Cell Cancer

Linked to the National Cancer Register, since 2004, is a register of basal cell carcinoma, a tumour that is the most common form of skin cancer. Around 40,000 people in Sweden are diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma every year.

Legal regulation of the Register

The Cancer Register is a health data register that is regulated by the Health Data Register Act (1998:543) and associated regulation (2001:709). These also regulate what information may be included in the register and the obligation of healthcare providers to provide information to the register. The National Board of Health and Welfare’s regulation and general advice (HSLF-FS 2016:7), shows in more detail how the healthcare provider’s obligation must be fulfilled.