The Data Analytics team supports HICOR's mission to reduce the economic and human burden of cancer for all communities through the collection, analysis, and dissemination of screening and cancer care data. We maintain a data repository to facilitate answering scientific questions, support project-specific data needs and serve as a resource to investigators as needed. 

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About  |  Population Explorer Tool  |  Using the Data Repository  |  Additional Information  |  Data Team  |  Other Data Resources

About HICOR Data Repository

HICOR cancer registry records

HICOR's data repository is an engine that powers our science. The repository - which links cancer registry, healthcare claims, and financial records - serves as a foundation for research study development and community-engaged quality and cost reporting.

The HICOR Data Repository combines data from major payers in Washington state and state cancer registries. The repository contains ~70% of adult (18+) cancer cases in Washington state and has available data from 2011. Data is updated annually, and access requires Data User Agreement (DUA) and Instutional Review Board (IRB) approval. Our repository allows researchers to study how factors such as insurance status and health-related social needs impact cancer outcomes and care delivery.

The data can be used for the following research or reporting projects: 

  • Patterns of Care
  • Cancer Outcomes Research
  • Community Reporting on Cost and Quality
  • Healthcare Utilization
  • Economic Impact of Cancer

HICOR Population Explorer Tool

The HICOR Population Explorer Tool allows you to determine the availability of specific populations within the HICOR Data Repository. This interactive tool enables you to explore and filter data.

The population explorer tool captures population data

Using the HICOR Data Repository 

After project feasibility is assessed, a cost estimate to cover analyst time will be provided. For compliance reasons, the project must be considered part of HICOR's portfolio of work. One option is to include a HICOR investigator as study personnel on your project. Please email HICOR's Data Operations Manager at wewright@fredhutch.org for questions.

Here's how to get started on a project with us:

Assess Feasibility

Project Set-Up

  • Meet with the HICOR Data Team to obtain cost estimate.
  • Obtain IRB approval. 
  • Submit a Formal Application for HICOR Data.
  • Submit compliance documentation.

Project Start

  • A HICOR analyst will be assigned to the project for data pull. 
  • A kickoff meeting will be scheduled.
  • Project work will be completed by HICOR analyst or your project staff. 

HICOR Data Additional Information

  • Washington state cancer registry data from the SEER Western Washington Cancer Surveillance System (CSS) and the Washington State Cancer Registry (WSCR) 
  • Claims data from Medicare, Washinton state Medicaid and select commercial insurers 
  • Credit reporting data from TransUnion and Equifax 
  • Public data, including census files 

Data is collected on patients from 2011 and is updated annually. However, not all data sources provide data for the entire time period. The HICOR Data Dictionary provides detailed definitions and descriptions of the variables available in our datasets.

  • Limited clinical information: Not all clinical variables may be available 
  • Cell size restrictions: To protect patient privacy, cell sizes less than 11 are required to be suppressed in manuscripts, abstracts, presentations, and other publications 

Please use the following citation format: 

  • Hutchinson Institute for Cancer Outcomes Research (HICOR). Published June 27, 2024. HICOR Data Repository. Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center. https://wacd.fredhutch.org/hicor/. [Date Accessed.]

Your analyst may access the data if all the appropriate compliance documentation has been submitted in order to access HICOR data. If you are external to Fred Hutch, you must be onboarded as a non-employee. 

If you don't have your own analyst, a HICOR analyst may be available for project work. Please see the next section. 

HICOR Data Team

HICOR data team

The HICOR Data Analytics Team manages the HICOR Data Repository and consists of analysts and management to support HICOR research.

The HICOR data team supports the following research tasks:

  • Data infrastructure
  • Data cleaning
  • Data analysis
  • Publication and presentation support
  • Data governance

We have experience with a wide range of data analysis techniques, including:

  • Missing data imputation
  • Power calculations
  • Propensity score weighting and matching
  • Regression modeling
  • Longitudinal and multilevel data analysis
  • Survival analysis
  • Machine learning
  • Simulation and calibration
  • Optimization techniques
  • R package development

Our analysts mostly use SAS and R, but are familiar with a variety of software, including:

  • SAS
  • R
  • Stata
  • SOL
  • REDCap
  • Python
  • Tableau
  • JavaScript
  • Spark

Other Data Resources for Researchers

SEER Patterns of Care

An interactive website for aggregate data from patterns of care studies

The Health Information National Trends Survey

American public’s knowledge of, attitudes toward, and use of cancer- and health-related information

SEER-Medicare Health Outcomes Survey (SEER-MHOS)

Health-related quality of life of Medicare Advantage enrollees

SEER-CAHPS

Quality of cancer care research resource 

SEER-Medicare

Information on Medicare beneficiaries with cancer

PROSPR DataShare

PROSPR (Population-based Research to Optimize the Screening Process) collects cancer screening process data

Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS)

Collects comprehensive data on health care utilization and expenditures

Contact HICOR Data Analytics

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center campus

Winona Wright

Data Operations Manager, HICOR

1100 Fairview Ave. N., M3-B232
Seattle, WA 98109-1024

206.667.3701

Arnold Building, 3rd Floor