About the Cancer Registry of Norway
The Cancer Registry of Norway is part of the health administration. As part of the change in the central health administration, the Cancer Registry was from the 1th of January 2024 transferred to the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, organized as a separate unit. 
Before this, the Cancer Registry was organized as an independent unit under Oslo University Hospital HF, with its own advisory board. Parts of the board's role will be taken over by a strategic advisory group.
The Cancer Registry of Norway collects data and prepares statistics on cancer incidence in Norway, and has extensive research activity. The Cancer Registry of Norway also has administrative responsibility for the public cancer screening programmes in Norway.
The Cancer Registry of Norway was established in 1951 and is one of the oldest national cancer registries in the world. This, combined with the unique social security number system we have in Norway, makes the Cancer Registry's data, also from an international perspective, particularly well suited for generating new knowledge through research and disseminating knowledge about cancer.
The staff of the Cancer Registry of Norway consists of approximately 200 people (equivalent to 165 full-time positions) and is organised into three departments, three screening sections and an administrative department.
The Cancer Registry of Norway has around 25 researchers and 25 early career researchers (PhD and Post.docs), with various types of professional backgrounds, including medicine, statistics, computer science and psychology.
Purpose of the Cancer Registry of Norway
The regulations relating to collection and processing of health information in the Cancer Registry of Norway (Kreftregisterforskriften) stipulate the following main objectives for the Cancer Registry:
Registration:
Collect and, within the framework of the regulations, process data on cancer cases and cancer examinations in Norway in order to map the developement of cancer diseases in the country and shed light on changes over time.
Research:
Conduct, promote and provide a basis for research to develop new knowledge about the cancer causes, diagnosis, natural course and treatment effects of cancer in order to promote and develop the quality of preventive measures and health care offered or provided against cancer, including following up individual patients and patient groups. More about the Cancer Registry's research.
Information:
Provide advice and guidance on health care against cancer, and provide advice and information to the rest of the public administration and the population on measures that can prevent the development of cancer. More about the Cancer Registry's information work.
Processing and collection of health information
The Cancer Registry of Norway has its own regulations that provide rules for the collection and processing of health information in the registry. From 01.01.2002, Kreftregisterforskriften entered into force. The Cancer Registry of Norway is also subject to Helseregisterloven.
Through this Act and the regulations, the Cancer Registry of Norway was given a more secure legal basis for its activities.
The Cancer Registry Regulations have stipulated formal requirements for both the health institutions and the Cancer Registry. This means, among other things, that everyone who treats cancer patients has been obliged to report to the Cancer Registry of Norway within two months after information about cancer has been documented.
Health institutions have also been required to have systems in place to ensure that cancer reports are sent to the Cancer Registry of Norway within the deadline.
The Cancer Registry of Norway is obliged to notify the Norwegian Board of Health Supervision if health institutions do not comply with the regulations.
All cases of cancer in Norway must be reported to the Cancer Registry of Norway
All the country's doctors are required by law to report new cases of cancer to us. Cancer must be reported if cancer is suspected even though no definite diagnosis has been made, or if a diagnosis is made for the first time at autopsy. In case of doubt as to the obligation to notify, notification must be sent. Read more about reporting here.
Quality registries
The Cancer Registry's expertise in diagnostics and treatment is steadily increasing. Based on this, the Cancer Registry, in collaboration with the clinical community in Norway, has for the past 20 years developed National Quality Registries for the treatment of Cancer.
Screening programmes
The Cancer Registry of Norway also has the administrative responsibility for the public cancer screening programmes in Norway, BreastScreen Norway, CervicalScreen Norway and ColorectalScreen Norway. These screening programmes aim to prevent cancer death by detecting cancer or precancerous lesions as early as possible.
From 2012, the Cancer Registry of Norway also has a secretariat function for a pilot project on screening for colorectal cancer. In May 2022, the introduction of the National Colorectal Cancer Screening Programme started, the rollout will continue in 2023.
