Chapter 2

OVERALL PLAN AND METHODS

Initial Registration:

              An invitation was sent to the Principals of all Medical Colleges (based on the list with the Medical Council of India) with copies to the Head of the Department of Pathology during November-December 2000. Similar letters were also sent to several major hospitals all over India. In all 264 institutions were contacted. A registration form was also sent along with the letter. The form requested institutions to provide information on the following items:

1. Name and address of Institution;

2. Name of Head of Institution;

3. Name and designation of Principal Investigator, Co-Principal Investigator and Faculty-in-charge;

4. Possible method to interview and record residential address of the patient in whom a malignancy has been diagnosed;

5. Number of malignant neoplasms reported per annum by the department of pathology (comprising histo-pathology, haematology and cytology);

6. Computer facilities, internet and telephone connectivity and access to the same in the institution and in the department of pathology;

7. Budgetary requirement for collation and transmission of core items of patient information;

8. Approval of Head of Institution and Head of the Department of Pathology (or other as the case may be) for participation in the study with respective signatures.

The form also made clear that:

A. The Principal Investigator will be the main corresponding/contact person for all matters including release of funds and be overall in-charge of the project in the respective institution.

B. However, a person preferably a junior faculty member on the permanent role had to be identified. This person would be responsible for the day-to-day working of the project. The person so identified should be interested in such work in the project that involves:

(i) completion of identifying information, especially residential status of all malignant neoplasms as and when reported in the Department of Pathology;

(ii) completion of Topography and Morphology details including coding of such cases;

(iii) ensuring that the same was correctly entered on to the computer;

(iv) ensuring that the data so entered was regularly transmitted through the net to the Coordinating Unit;

(v) replying to queries concerning the data transmitted.

Appropriate training and guidance were to be provided on all of the above.