Cancer Data Management, Associate of Applied Science

Join the Fight against Cancer

Each year, researchers and medical practitioners make astounding strides in cancer research and treatment all around the world. You can become a key player in this exciting process by studying Cancer Data Management at San Jacinto College. Cancer breakthroughs are made primarily by a global accumulation of data that doctors and researchers use to develop and fine-tune treatments. Hospitals, cancer organizations, and state and national governments maintain cancer registries to collect this data, and they need help from dedicated specialists.

Cancer registries collect, store, manage, and analyze data on people with cancer. They establish and maintain a cancer incidence reporting system, serve as an information resource for cancer research, and provide information to assist public health officials and agencies. For example, physicians need cancer data to learn more about the causes of cancer to be able to detect it earlier. Cancer registrars are trained to collect accurate, complete, and timely data. 

The College designed the Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree in Cancer Data Management to teach all aspects of the cancer registry, including survey processes, collection and abstraction of data, oncology coding, staging, and reporting. Upon completion of this program, the student is eligible to apply to take the national Certified Tumor Registrar (CTR) examination, administered by the National Cancer Registrars Association (NCRA).  

Program Accreditation

The San Jacinto College Cancer Data Management AAS degree is accredited by the National Cancer Registrars Association (NCRA):

National Cancer Registrars Association, Inc. (NCRA)
1330 Braddock Place, Suite 520
Alexandria, VA 22314
Phone: 703-299-6640
Fax: 703-299-6620
E-mail: info@ncra-usa.org

Career Opportunities

Upon completing our program, students may pursue careers in cancer registry management in a hospital setting, free-standing state or national cancer registry, or in any of the state or national cancer organizations.

Earning Potential

The average salary for a Cancer Registrar/Abstractor is $60,644 per year.1

1

Source: National Cancer Registrars Association, www.ncra-usa.org, 2022

For more information, students may email HealthInformationManagement@sjcd.edu or call 281-459-7608.

Campuses

North Campus

San Jac Online

The Cancer Data Management program includes one clinical (practicum) course. Clinicals are unpaid experiences in which students are supervised by a CTR professional at the health care facility. Clinicals are scheduled during the day shift according to the availability of the site supervisor. The program cannot guarantee a specific site, but every effort will be made to accommodate the student. Students are responsible for their own transportation to and from the clinical site. A criminal background check is required of all program students and must be submitted prior to enrollment in the clinical course. Documentation of immunity to Measles, Mumps, Rubella, and Varicella, completion of the Hepatitis B series, and annual Tuberculosis screening are also required prior to enrollment in the clinical course. Drug screening may be required by the clinical site.  

Students enrolling into San Jacinto College programs with external learning experiences (i.e., clinical, practicum, externship, cooperative, etc.) will be required to comply with the immunization requirements and policies of the clinical/external learning sites to engage in all clinical/external learning experiences. Vaccination requirements at clinical/external learning sites are implemented pursuant to the independent authority of such facilities and are not mandated by San Jacinto College. Failure to meet the immunization requirements mandated by clinical/external learning sites may limit a student’s ability to complete the program and/or may delay the student’s graduation date. San Jacinto College does not process exemptions, and students should address potential vaccination exemptions directly with the clinical/external learning site. 

Admission Criteria

In addition to the general admission requirements of San Jacinto College, prospective students must meet the Cancer Data Management Program admission criteria. The CDM Program conducts ongoing reviews of applications. Program admissions are granted throughout the year.

Students may access the Cancer Data Management Application Packet on the San Jacinto College website.  

Plan of Study

3HITT-CAN

Plan of Study Grid
First TermCredits
HITT 1305 Medical Terminology I 3
HITT 2330 Pathophysiology and Pharmacology 3
ITSC 1309
Integrated Software Applications I
or Business Computer Applications
3
BIOL 2404 Introduction to Anatomy and Physiology (lecture & lab) (or BIOL 2301 and BIOL 2101 and BIOL 2302 and BIOL 2102) 4
 Credits13
Second Term
HITT 1307 Cancer Data Management I: Introduction to Cancer Registry Management 3
HITT 2307 Cancer Data Management II: Abstracting Principles and Practices I 3
HITT 2372 Oncology Coding and Staging 3
HITT 1301 Health Data Content and Structure 3
HITT 1353 Legal and Ethical Aspects of Health Information 3
 Credits15
Summer Year One Term
HITT 2370 Cancer Data Management III: Abstracting Principles and Practices II 3
HITT 1311 Health Information Systems 3
 Credits6
Third Term
HITT 1255 Healthcare Statistics: Cancer Epidemiology and Statistics 2
HITT 1361 Clinical-Cancer Data Management 3
SPCH 1315
Public Speaking
or Business and Professional Speech
3
ENGL 1301 Composition I 3
PSYC 2301 General Psychology 3
 Credits14
Fourth Term
HITT 2343 Quality Assessment and Performance Improvement 3
HITT 2339 Health Information Organization and Supervision 3
MATH 1342 Elementary Statistical Methods (Statistics) 1 3
Language, Philosophy and Culture (Humanities) or Creative Arts (Fine Arts) 3
 Credits12
 Total Credits60
1

Students must be Texas Success Initiative (TSI) complete in order to graduate: Math level 8.

External Learning Experience: HITT 1361 Clinical-Cancer Data Management

National Certification Exam: Certified Tumor Registrar (CTR )

Note: Students must pass each HITT course listed in the Cancer Data Management AAS degree plan with a grade of C or higher to be eligible to receive the degree.