This report describes the results of a data query of the patients that had at least 1 face-to-face encounter and a recorded diagnosis code (e.g., ICD-10) at a health care setting across PCORnet between January 1 – December 31, 2025. The query used a 5-year “look-back” period between January 1, 2021 – December 31, 2025, to identify patients with diagnosis codes for specific malignant cancers that were reflected in the electronic health record. The query results will enhance public awareness of the population of patients with malignant cancer as well as utilization of health care services by these patients across sites participating in PCORnet that potentially would be available for future health care research.
The Coordinating Center collaborated with PCORI to develop the specifications and criteria for this data query. Collaborators developed a comprehensive list of malignant cancers to be included in this query. The query identified demographic and geographic characteristics of the referenced patient population with at least 1 face-to-face encounter at a site participating in PCORnet during the 1-year query period (January 1 – December 31, 2025). From this patient population, the query characterized patients who had a diagnosis code for any of the given malignant cancers in their electronic health record within a 5-year period (January 1, 2021 – December 31, 2025). The data query also described additional co-occurring cancer conditions, cancer-related therapies and medications, procedures, and utilization of health care settings.
Additional methods and information used to specify the query and define the cohorts are available upon request by emailing [email protected].
The Coordinating Center programmed and distributed this data query to 74 partners in PCORnet.