Was My Cancer Reported?

The Louisiana Tumor Registry (LTR) collects information on every cancer diagnosed among Louisiana residents, regardless of where they are diagnosed or treated. This information includes:

• Site. A cancer is usually named for the organs or tissues where it started. Examples: lung, breast, prostate, etc.
• Histology. The appearance of tissues and cells under a microscope.
• Grade. Every cancer is given a grade to show how quickly the cancer is likely to grow and spread. Most cancers (or tumors) are graded as 1, 2, 3 or 4. A Grade 1 tumor means the cells and tissue look almost normal. A Grade 4 tumor means the cells and tissue do not look normal and will probably grow faster.
• Stage. A cancer is also given a stage to mark its size and/or how far the cancer has spread in the body (extent). The higher the number, which also generally ranges from 1 to 4, the more serious the cancer.
• Treatment. What treatments the person is receiving. Examples: Chemotherapy, radiation, etc.
• What happened to the person’s cancer, meaning was it cured or did it progress or recur.

All people and places licensed to provide health care in the state are required by law to report all cancers to LTR. That includes every doctor’s office, hospital, pathology laboratory (where a tumor is examined to see if it is cancer or not), radiation center, nursing home, hospice (a place where people are cared for at the end of life) and more.

LTR collects information from more than 500 of these licensed people and places, including out-of-state facilities. If you feel your cancer was not counted in our information, please check with your doctor to make sure he or she reported it.