At a glance
Frequently asked questions about Registry Plus.
Questions about Registry Plus
What operating systems and hardware are required for Registry Plus programs?
Registry Plus programs work with 32- and 64-bit Microsoft® Windows® operating systems on x86-compatible processors. For complete hardware requirements, please see Registry Plus Central Registry Tools Systems and IT Personnel Requirements.
In what language are the Registry Plus programs written?
Most of the program code for Registry Plus programs is written in Microsoft Visual Basic and .NET Framework. Many of the programs incorporate Dynamic Link Libraries (DLLs) written in C.
Are Registry Plus programs independent, or must they be used together?
All Registry Plus programs are fully functional when operated independently, except Prep Plus and Link Plus. CRS Plus requires Prep Plus to prepare data for import. Link Plus can be used independently, but it has some enhanced functionality when used in conjunction with CRS Plus.
With which version of the NAACCR standard does Registry Plus work?
Current versions of the Registry Plus programs work with current North American Association of Central Cancer Registries (NAACCR) standards. When NAACCR specifications change, it takes a short time for us to upgrade our software. The Northcon utility programs can convert NAACCR data-exchange records of most earlier versions to any NAACCR subsequent version.
Can Registry Plus be networked?
When used with an independent database server such as Microsoft SQL Server, CRS Plus and Prep Plus are designed for simultaneous use by multiple users for most operations. Import of incoming case reports requires exclusive use of the system because of the complexity of the operations involved in matching, linking, consolidating, and distributing data into the database.
Abstract Plus can be installed in a local area network environment, with its database on a file server, but the program is not intended for simultaneous use by more than one user. In fact, Abstract Plus cannot protect its database from damage if more than one user attempts to connect to it. If you need a data entry program that provides a shared database for more than one user at the same time, you should look to another application.
Are Registry Plus programs really free?
Yes. Registry Plus software is provided free by CDC in support of the National Program of Cancer Registries (NPCR). There is no charge for the programs or for any services delivered in connection with them.
What technical support is available?
Please see Technical support.
Can the Registry Plus programs be customized?
A central design feature of each Registry Plus program is the provision for some local customization. A user can customize the data sets, displays of the data, and edit sets and add locally defined data items, online help, and user-defined functions.
What is the suggested citation for Registry Plus?
Registry Plus, a suite of publicly available software programs for collecting and processing cancer registry data. Atlanta (GA): US Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion; 2024. Available at: www.cdc.gov/national-program-cancer-registries/registry-plus/. Accessed month/day/year.
Questions about CRS Plus
If we want to use CRS Plus, can we load our existing legacy data?
If your legacy data can be written in records compliant with NAACCR data-exchange standards, they can be loaded into CRS Plus. Two methods can be used. In reviewing this issue, it helps to consider the Registry Plus data model: a database of unique patient records, each of which has one or more incidents of cancer, with each incident supported by one or more observations submitted by a reporting facility. This results in a data model consisting of three primary tables: patients, tumors, and abstracts.
When a registry is confident of its existing linkage and consolidation, a one-time special import can be performed to load the data into the CRS Plus tables, preserving the relationships among the records. To perform this special import, users must be able to extract their data with a Patient ID Number connecting the records for each patient and a Sequence Number Central (SNC) that distinguishes the record among multiple tumor records for a patient. Each category of records—patients, tumors, and abstracts—must be extracted into a separate file.
Some existing registry databases do not share the patient/tumor/abstract view of the data, so some external processing on extracted records may be necessary to produce the three files for the special import. Registry Plus programmers may be able to help you through this process. However, a registry that intends to do a special import should be prepared to handle the computer processing of its data.
Are reports available in CRS Plus?
Yes. CRS Plus contains several standard management reports. A query-builder allows users to construct and save reports using the capabilities of the underlying database software, and create new reports. Although we will continue to add reports as time permits, we expect scientific and epidemiological reports to be prepared using independent statistical software. CRS Plus will create flat file extracts of the database to work with these applications.
Are extracts available from CRS Plus?
Yes. CRS Plus can create extracts for calls for data and interstate data exchange. In addition, users can create other extracts as needed.
What are the database size limits for CRS Plus?
CRS Plus is designed to be scalable from 100 cases to millions of cases. The size limits for practical use are determined by disk storage space and network bandwidth. Registry Plus Central Registry Tools Systems and IT Personnel Requirements will help you estimate the disk storage space required.