Patient Interview Study From the Third National Cancer Survey: Overview of Problems and Potentials of These Data

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Abstract
An interview requesting information on selected epidemiologic variables from the Third National Cancer Survey (TNCS) was sought for 13,179 incident cases, a random 10% sample in eight of nine geographic areas of the United States with a combined population of 21 million. An overall response of 7,518 (57%) was obtained. Nonresponse was due to refusal by physicians (14%) or patients (7%), early patient deaths (7%), no one available for Interview (5%), and tracing problems (10%). Comparison of interview respondents with all TNCS patients for age, race, sex, marital status, method of diagnosis, vital status, country of birth, and site distribution showed only small differences and no strong nonrespondent bias. These data contain information on tobacco and alcohol consumption, occupation and Industry, socioeconomic status, height, weight, obstetric and gynecologic history, and selected chronic diseases. In the absence of normal controls, two approaches to test for associations between these variables and specific cancer sites are suggested: 1) an “intercancer comparison” of patients with cancer at one site with those having cancers at other sites in the interview study, and 2) an “external comparison” of interview patients with subjects of other studies with comparable data. The need for caution with either approach is emphasized in an effort to prevent misinterpretations of these data.

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