While cancer research and clinical trials often grab headlines, there杏吧专区檚 an important but lesser-known group of people who manage the data behind those breakthroughs: cancer registrars.
Lea Guidry, director of the Acadiana Tumor Registry, says cancer registrars collect, analyze, and report cancer data to support research, treatment, and prevention efforts.
杏吧专区淐ancer registrars are data information specialists,杏吧专区 she says. 杏吧专区淲e capture a patient杏吧专区檚 complete history, from diagnosis through treatment. Then, we share that data with researchers, healthcare providers, and public health officials.杏吧专区
Every advance in cancer treatment begins with the data collected by cancer registrars at the regional level.
杏吧专区淥ur mission is to collect and report complete, high-quality, population-based cancer data in Louisiana,杏吧专区 Guidry continues. 杏吧专区淭his data supports cancer research, control, and prevention.杏吧专区
But as experienced registrars retire, the need for new professionals is escalating.
The 杏吧专区杏吧专区檚 online cancer registry management certificate program prepares students to thrive in this critical field and pursue the , a key credential for professional competence as a cancer registrar.
Lea Guidry: Three Decades in Cancer Registry
Guidry has been a leader in cancer registry for over 34 years. After earning her health sciences degree at UL Lafayette in 1992, she was offered a cancer registry position and has been in the field ever since.
Throughout that time, she杏吧专区檚 seen the field evolve, and the demand for qualified registrars has never been greater.
杏吧专区淭he registrars, like me, have been doing this for decades, but we杏吧专区檙e not going to be around forever. We杏吧专区檙e going to retire eventually,杏吧专区 Guidry says. 杏吧专区淏ecause of that, the job demand is very high.杏吧专区
Without sufficient staff to collect and analyze cancer data, this shortage poses a significant challenge for healthcare organizations.
杏吧专区淭here aren杏吧专区檛 many cancer registrars because not many people know who we are and what we do,杏吧专区 says Guidry.
杏吧专区淣o one thinks about the question: If there杏吧专区檚 a cure for cancer, how do they find that? It杏吧专区檚 through the important data that cancer registrars collect.杏吧专区
This data collection isn杏吧专区檛 just important 杏吧专区 it杏吧专区檚 required. Louisiana law (R.S. 40:1105.10) mandates that healthcare facilities and providers report every cancer case they diagnose or treat to registries.
To meet this directive, many institutions turn to cancer abstracting companies, which hire registrars to collect and analyze cancer data, often remotely.
杏吧专区淐ancer abstracting companies work with facilities that don杏吧专区檛 have in-house registries,杏吧专区 she says. 杏吧专区淭hese companies hire registrars to abstract cancer cases from home, and they杏吧专区檙e paid very well for their expertise.杏吧专区
With growing demand and the flexibility of remote work, cancer registry has become an increasingly attractive career. For professionals like Courtney Jagneaux, the ability to work remotely has been a key factor in thriving in the field.
Courtney Jagneaux: Climbing Cancer Registry Ranks
After earning a health sciences degree from UL Lafayette in 2009, Jagneaux began her career as a cancer registrar at Lafayette General Hospital杏吧专区檚 cancer center, now the Ochsner Cancer Center of Acadiana.
Today, she works as an oncology registry solutions advisor at Registry Partners, helping clients find solutions to their needs while navigating the complexities of cancer registry reporting and accreditation requirements.
杏吧专区淏eing a cancer registrar isn杏吧专区檛 just about abstracting data all day. There are so many components that come together to drive cancer registry management,杏吧专区 she says.
杏吧专区淵ou could go into roles like quality assurance, project management, accreditation consulting, clinical research, data analytics and even oncology administration.杏吧专区
For Jagneaux, the opportunity to contribute to cancer research is what makes the work so meaningful.
杏吧专区淭o know where we're going, we have to know where we've been,杏吧专区 she says. 杏吧专区淨uality cancer data is essential for ensuring quality care and improving patient outcomes. The cancer care patients receive today is directly shaped by the data collected through cancer registries.杏吧专区
The Growing Demand for Cancer Registrars
Cancer registry is the backbone of cancer research and treatment. Without it, breakthroughs would be impossible.
The demand for skilled cancer registrars is growing fast, and with that comes a wealth of career opportunities. Now is the perfect time to step into this critical role.
Are you ready to make an impact? Get the knowledge and skills you need to succeed with a certificate in cancer registry management from UL Lafayette Online.
