The Cancer Information Services and Surveillance Division is in charge of providing credible cancer information to patients and their families, the public, healthcare professionals, policy makers and researchers. The division also collects accurate and useful information on cancer statistics at the national level. We promote the standardization of hospital-based cancer registries in designated cancer hospitals and population- based cancer registries in prefectures. The data are collected from both hospital-based and population-based cancer registries, analyzed to calculate accurate cancer statistics and disseminated throughout Japan.

Establishment of a reliable cancer surveillance system in Japan is stated as a key element in the Cancer Control Act and one of the main objectives in the third term comprehensive 10-year program for Cancer Control. Standardization and quality improvement of a population-based cancer registry is essential for obtaining accurate information on the incidence and survival at the national level.

In 2007, the Division published the "Handbook on population-based cancer registration in Japan, fifth edition" as an important tool to diffuse knowledge about the standard procedure. The Division supports all the 35 registries in practical terms, by disseminating up-to-date information through websites and mailing lists, by setting up a Q&A service, by holding 2-day educational workshops for cancer registrars and administrative officers, and by providing 3-day site visit training of the Standard Database System (SDS)

Standardization of a population-based cancer registry is accordingly gaining momentum; more than 10 registries use the standard registry form, and 9 have introduced the SDS according to the results of the survey on the current status of cancer registry in Japan (Ｍay 2007).

National cancer incidence was then estimated based on the collected data ⁽¹⁸⁵⁾ by using a mathematical model ⁽¹⁸⁶⁾. The incidence data were analyzed in detail by the cancer site ⁽¹⁸⁷⁾. Some outside researchers used the data and the results have been published in academic journals ^{(188, 189)}.

Since hospital-based cancer registry is essential to evaluate cancer care in each hospital and also to achieve high completeness of population-based cancer registries, it should be established urgently in an earlier phase of the 10-year program. The Division plays an important role as a driving force for the standardization and quality improvement of hospital-based cancer registries, which has been performed at 286 designated regional cancer care hospitals, treatment centers, and over 100 other hospitals in 2007.

In collaboration with other relevant parties, the division develops data standards for hospital-based cancer registration, and modifies datasets every year, and distributes the standardized hospital-based cancer registry software "Hos-CanR", which is used at about 250 hospitals.

It also devised an education program for cancer registrars, held week-long workshops at Tokyo twice a year, and 2-day workshops twice a year at 8 cities in which about 800 registrars participated.

Furthermore, the Division has managed the National Cancer Center Hospital Cancer Registry since 2004, registering more than 8000 records a year.

Equalizing cancer care quality is one of the main topics in cancer control. In order to evaluate the achievement of equalization, development of measures of the quality of cancer care is necessary. In this context, a quality indicator is currently under development for 5 major sites of cancer and palliative care.

The Division is in charge of providing information on cancer statistics. The updated data of cancer mortality, incidence, survival, and prevalence, the secular trends of cancer mortality and incidence, and the framework of cancer control in Japan have been published both in English and Japanese: "Cancer Statistics in Japan". International comparisons of time trends in the incidence were conducted for all cancers and cancers arising from various sites ^(190-199). International comparisons of cumulative gallbladder cancer risk were also conducted ⁽²⁰⁰⁾.

In collaboration with the Japan Public Health Center-based prospective Study and other epidemiological and clinical studies, the association of various risk/prognostic factors and cancer are evaluated ^(201-205). A new cohort is being established for breast cancer patients, to investigate the effect of lifestyle factors and alternative medicine on their QOL and prognosis. As for educational contribution, an e-learning system for clinical research methodology has been established for anyone involved in clinical research.

The mission of the Cancer Information Services is to provide credible information about cancer. In the National Cancer Information Network, Cancer Information Services, plays an important role in providing cancer-related information directly to our audiences, including patients and their families, public, healthcare professionals, policy makers and researchers, but also indirectly by supporting the 286 designated cancer care hospitals and their cancer information & support centers. Currently, we provide multi-channel cancer information services through the internet, brochures, lectures, and public meetings.

The National Cancer Center is designated by the World Health Organization as the WHO Collaborating Center (WHO-CC) for Reference on Smoking and Health and this Division is responsible for running the Center. Regarding the health effects of smoking, lung cancer risk after smoking cessation was examined with pooled large-scale cohort data, and a risk reduction was observed even after cessation of smoking in the seventh decade of life ⁽²⁰⁵⁾. To promote effective tobacco control in Japan and other Asian countries, two websites for tobacco-related documents have been opened (the Regional Action Plan 2005-2009 and the Role of Health Professionals in Tobacco Control).