How to use the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) data: research design and methodology

In the United States (US), the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program is the only comprehensive source of population-based information that includes stage of cancer at the time of diagnosis and patient survival data. This program aims to provide a database about cancer incidence and survival for studies of surveillance and the development of analytical and methodological tools in the cancer field. Currently, the SEER program covers approximately half of the total cancer patients in the US. A growing number of clinical studies have applied the SEER database in various aspects. However, the intrinsic features of the SEER database, such as the huge data volume and complexity of data types, have hindered its application. In this review, we provided a systematic overview of the commonly used methodologies and study designs for retrospective epidemiological research in order to illustrate the application of the SEER database. Therefore, the goal of this review is to assist researchers in the selection of appropriate methods and study designs for enhancing the robustness and reliability of clinical studies by mining the SEER database.

Automated summary

The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program in the US is the sole comprehensive source of population-based information on cancer stage and patient survival. Although it covers about half of all cancer patients in the country, the large volume and complexity of data in the SEER database have hindered its application. In this review, the commonly used methodologies and study designs for retrospective epidemiological research are systematically overviewed to illustrate the application of the SEER database, with the aim of assisting researchers in selecting appropriate methods and study designs to enhance the robustness and reliability of clinical studies.