Improving capture of cancer staging

Enhancing capture of cancer stage at diagnosis: A mixed-methods approach and collaboration to identifying and addressing barriers

The Victorian Integrated Cancer Services, together with Cancer Council Victoria, conducted a study into cancer staging reporting.

Despite being legally mandated, cancer stage at diagnosis is often underreported due to data gaps, lack of confidence among coders, and limited time during multidisciplinary team meetings (MDMs).

Outcome

Improving cancer stage reporting to the Victorian Cancer Registry (VCR)  requires addressing knowledge gaps, time constraints and the absence of structured MDM documentation. Collaborative efforts with Health Information Managers (HIMs), Clinical Coders (CCs), MDM participants, and the VICS are actively improving the capture and reporting of this critical cancer indicator.

Poster Presentation at the ACCN Innovations Showcase

We’re pleased to share this project was presented as a digital poster at the Australian Comprehensive Cancer Network Showcase on Thursday 3 July 2025.