What to know
Changes to the data by each release date are listed on this page.
June 2026 release
- Data suppression is no longer required for Hispanic and non-Hispanic ethnicity for Kansas. The following variables have been updated to reflect this change: state race eth suppress, race recode (W, B, AIAN, API), Race and origin recode (NHW, NHB, NHAIAN, NHAPI, Hispanic), and NHIA (Hispanic, non-Hisp).
- The Histologic Subtype (2023+) variable was added for cases diagnosed in 2023. This variable indicates the different subtypes of appendiceal tumors. These tumors have a histology code (8480) defined as "Mucinous Adenocarcinoma (in situ or invasive)". Thisvariable distinguishes low-grade appendiceal mucinous neoplasms (LAMN) and high-grade appendiceal mucinous neoplasms (HAMN) for diagnoses assigned the same histology as defined in the eighth edition of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) Staging Manual. Histologic Subtype (2023+) data cannot be displayed for Connecticut, Hawaii, Iowa, and New Mexico.
- The Rural-urban continuum 2023 grouped variablewas added to reflect changes from the decennial census. This variable incorporates the updated Census urban area qualification, including the increase in the minimum population threshold for an urban area population from 2,500 to 5,000.
- The Breast cancer HR-HER2 subtype (2011+) variable was added for cases diagnosed in 2011 onward. Data for the Merged estrogen receptor and Merged progestogen receptor variables are available from 2010 onward. Data from the Merged HER2 summary variable are available from 2011 onward.
- Male breast cancer cases are now included in the Merged estrogen receptor, Merged progestogen receptor,Merged HER2 summary, and Rx summary – surgery primary site variables.
- Data on the type of surgery performed as part of the first course of treatment (Rx summary – surgery primary site variable ) was added for colorectal cancer cases diagnosed from 2010 to 2022.
June 2025 release
- Cases diagnosed in Indiana in 2020 and 2021 met the USCS publication criteria with this submission and were included in this year’s database release.
- The definitions of various human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated cancers (anal and rectal squamous cell carcinoma, vulvar squamous cell carcinoma, vaginal squamous cell carcinoma and penile squamous cell carcinoma) were updated to include ICD-O-3-histology codes 8085/3 and 8086/3. These ICD-O-3 histology codes incorporate p16 immunohistochemistry testing results that describe whether HPV is present (8085/3 indicates HPV-positive squamous cell carcinoma) or absent (8086/3 indicates HPV-negative squamous cell carcinoma).
- The definition of acute myeloid leukemia in the tobacco-related cancer variable was updated to include ICD-O-3 histology codes 9877/3 (acute myeloid leukemia with mutated NPM1), 9878/3 (acute myeloid leukemia with biallelic mutations of CEBPA), 9879/3 (acute myeloid leukemia with mutated RUNX1), and 9912/3 (acute myeloid leukemia with BCR-ABL1). These changes were made to reflect updated ICD-O-3 codes.
June 2024 release
- The Schema ID variable was added to the public use database for cases diagnosed in 2018 onward. This variable links the site-specific data items (SSDIs) with the appropriate primary site and histology.
- The variables for the classification of childhood cancers were changed from International Classification of Childhood Cancer (ICCC) site recode ICD-O-3/WHO 2008 and ICCC site recode extended ICD-O-3/WHO 2008 to International Classification of Childhood Cancer (ICCC) recode 3rd edition ICD-O-3/IARC 2017 and ICCC recode extended 3rd edition ICD-O-3/IARC 2017. The SEER Program defined these variables based on definitions presented in International Classification of Childhood Cancer, Third Edition and IARC classifications.1
- Data for the Merged estrogen receptor and Merged progestogen receptor variables are available from 2010 onward. Data for the Merged HER2 summary variable are available from 2011 onward.
- Suppression is no longer required for data describing Hispanic or non-Hispanic ethnicity for North Dakota and Wisconsin.
June 2023 release
- When data are presented by state, cases for non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Native people in Illinois should be suppressed. Suppression is no longer required for other race and ethnicity combinations in Illinois. The state race eth suppress variable has been updated to reflect this change.
- Data describing Hispanic or non-Hispanic ethnicity are suppressed for North Dakota and Wisconsin in the Race and origin recode (NHW, NHB, NHAIAN, NHAPI, Hispanic), Origin recode NHIA (Hispanic, Non-Hisp), and state race eth suppress variables.
- Data describing the type of surgery to the primary site performed as part of the first course of treatment (Rx summary – surgery primary site variable) are available only for diagnosis years 2010 or later.
June 2022 release
- The variable describing race was revised and renamed to Race recode (W, B, AIAN, API); it was Race recode for USCS in previous years. The "other" and "unknown" categories were collapsed to one "Unknown" category.
- The Race and origin recode (NHW, NHB, NHAIAN, NHAPI, Hispanic) variable was added to describe both race and ethnicity.
- Delaware, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania no longer require race and ethnicity suppressions when data are presented by state. The state race eth suppress variable has been updated to reflect this change.
- Three changes were made to Merged Summary Stage:
- Testis cases diagnosed in 2018 and 2019 are excluded. In the database released in June 2021, stage data for all testis cases were excluded.
- Myeloma and leukemia cases are included. In the database released in June 2021, stage data for all myeloma and leukemia cases were excluded.
- For brain and central nervous system cases, if the behavior was coded as benign or borderline, the variable was set to benign/borderline.
June 2021 release
- To protect confidentiality further while allowing access to all cases, the Type of Reporting Source variable is not included in the database. Excluding this variable allows cases identified through death certificates and autopsy reports to be included in the database. This change means that statistics calculated using the public use database now match statistics in the U.S. Cancer Statistics Data Visualizations and CDC WONDER tools.
- Two revised site recode variables were added:
- AYA site recode 2020.
- Lymphoid neoplasm recode 2021.
- The following variables were added:
- Grade clinical (available for cases diagnosed in 2018 or later).
- Grade pathological (available for cases diagnosed in 2018 or later).
- Merged estrogen receptor (available for breast cancer cases diagnosed in 2004 or later). This variable replaces CS Site Specific Factor 1 for breast cancers.
- Merged progesterone receptor (available for breast cancer cases diagnosed in 2004 or later). This variable replaces CS Site Specific Factor 2 for breast cancers.
- Merged HER2 summary (available for breast cancer cases diagnosed in 2010 or later). This variable replaces CS Site Specific Factor 15 for breast cancers.
Content Source:
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion; Division of Cancer Prevention and Control
- Steliarova-Foucher E, Colombet M, Ries LAG, Rous B, Stiller CA. Classification of tumours. In: Steliarova-Foucher E, Colombet M, Ries LAG, et al. International Incidence of Childhood Cancer, Volume III. Lyon: International Agency for Research on Cancer, In press.