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Release of CDC NPCR’s NorthCon 21 Record Converter

  • 1.  Release of CDC NPCR’s NorthCon 21 Record Converter

    Posted 06-17-2021 04:14 PM

     

    Sent on behalf of Joe Rogers

     

    Date:                     June 17, 2021         

     

    To:                        NAACCR List Serv Members

     

    From:                   Joseph D. Rogers, M.S.

                   Team Lead: Informatics, Data Science, and Applications Team

                                 Cancer Surveillance Branch

                                 Division of Cancer Prevention and Control, NCCDPHP, CDC

     

    Subject:               Update Release of CDC NPCR's NorthCon 21 Record Converter to Group Tumors by Patient if Converting Files for Call for Data

     

     

    We are very pleased to announce that CDC's NPCR has released a new version of the NorthCon record converter program. NorthCon21.exe, a freestanding program for Microsoft Windows, converts files of cancer registry records from NAACCR 18 to NAACCR 21, which are data formats prescribed by the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries (NAACCR). Input files should conform to NAACCR version 18 fixed width files. Converted output files will contain records in the NAACCR version 21 XML standard format. This new version is available at:  https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/npcr/tools/registryplus/up.htm.

     

    The only change in this version of NorthCon 210 is to provide an option to group tumors by patient when there are multiple tumors per patient. If NorthCon 210 is used to convert call for data files from NAACCR v18 fixed width files to NAACCR 210 XML files, this newly released version of NorthCon must be used. No changes have been made to conversion specifications and no issues have been reported for data conversion.

     

    Once you install NorthCon210, a file called Conversion to NAACCR v21.docx, will be saved to the Northcon application folder. This document provides information regarding the user dictionary, accessing manual review, grouping tumors when there are multiple tumors per patient, and information to describe the conversion specifications.

     

    Northcon21.exe performs the following conversions as specified in NAACCR's Implementation Guide for 2021, available from the NAACCR web site:

     

    • Conversions related to staging, grade, and SSDI fields for cases diagnosed on or after January 1, 2018 and lists some of these cases for review. 
      • Most scenarios requiring manual review are for those collecting AJCC TNM 8th Edition staging and EOD. For registries not requiring AJCC TNM staging and EOD, the review is optional; however, manual review listings will be generated if the file contains records with AJCC TNM and/or EOD staging data items populated.
    • Move data from Name--Maiden to new item, Name--Birth Surname
    • Set Staging API Versions Original and Current based on Date of Diagnosis
    • Convert Phase I Radiation Treatment Modality
    • The NAACCR Record Version [item 50] value is set to '210' in each converted record.

     

    For more information about this NPCR utility, please visit our utility programs web page: https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/npcr/tools/registryplus/up.htm

    Please send all issues or support questions directly to the Helpdesk at cancerinformatics@cdc.gov.

     

    Please share this information with other members of your team, as appropriate.

     

    Thank you,

     

     

     

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    Public Use Databases

    Joseph D. Rogers (Joe), MS

    Team Lead

    Informatics, Data Science, and Applications Team

    National Program of Cancer Registries (NPCR)

    Division of Cancer Prevention and Control (DCPC)

    Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

    Email: JRogers@cdc.gov   Tel: 770-488-4701

     

     

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