What data must be submitted to the NCDB after a new program receives accreditation?

Submitting all analytic cases for diagnosis dates from the program's reference date to the National Cancer Database (NCDB) is essential for several reasons. This practice allows for comprehensive tracking and analysis of cancer treatment outcomes, quality of care, and trends over time. The reference date marks the start of the program's accreditation, making it a critical benchmark for data collection.

Collecting data from this period ensures that the NCDB has a complete picture of the patient population served by the newly accredited program, which is fundamental for benchmarking against national standards and facilitating performance improvement initiatives. This also aids in the assessment of the program's adherence to the Commission on Cancer's quality standards and care delivery protocols.

In contrast, other options involve incomplete or irrelevant submissions. Submitting all historical patient records would be impractical and unnecessary, as only relevant analytic cases since the reference date are required. Focusing solely on data from the last calendar year might exclude significant cases from earlier years that could provide valuable insights. Lastly, limiting data submission to only late-stage cancer patients would not reflect the full scope of the program's impact or patient demographics, which is crucial for accurate assessment and improvement in cancer care.