Number of cancer cases inflated in Maryland registry, audit finds

The problem was, about 400 of them didn’t have cancer, a recent audit found.

Cancer registry data had been “deliberately altered” to show inflated numbers of people with cancer, according to an audit of the state health department’s Family Health Administration.

“It’s just wrong. Data has to be accurate,” said Del. Dan Morhaim, D-District 11, a member of the Health and Government Operations Committee, adding he would be asking “tough follow-up questions” about the findings released Monday from the state Office of Legislative Audits.

The findings are being investigated by the criminal division of the Attorney General’s Office.

An employee of a former vendor for the Maryland Cancer Registry, Macro International Inc., altered the 2002 data to over-report certain kinds of cancer. 

For example, overall cases in the registry rose 8 percent from 1998 to 2002. But data showed cervical cancer cases jumping 90 percent and melanoma rising 70 percent during that same time, auditors found.

In its own investigation, the vendor found more than 13 percent of all cancer cases diagnosed in 2002 were altered, specifically cervical, prostate and melanoma cases, the audit states.

A condition of the vendor’s contract is to have the data certified by a national association, and one way to receive certification is to show the data is complete. Previous data from this vendor had not been certified, suggesting the numbers were altered in an attempt to show complete data and thus be certified, said Bruce Myers, the state’s legislative auditor.

“It’s hard to tell what the motivations were behind all of this,” he said.

Incorrect data was sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, other states and researchers, Myers said.

The department required Macro International to develop a plan to “re-examine and rectify all of the data in question,” Dr. Russell Moy, director of the Family Health Administration, said in a statement.

Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Secretary John Colmers said the administration is “committed to accurate and timely data.”

“We are continuing to follow up on potential criminal investigations and data integrity reporting to the federal government,” he said in a phone interview.

Meanwhile, the women contacted about the cancer study were sent letters in May 2006 informing them that some asked to participate were sent letters with inaccurate information and that the study was being suspended, Moy said.

Macro International officials did not return calls for comment.

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smichael@baltimoreexaminer.com