Blockchain Application to the Cancer Registry Database

Abstract

Blockchain, since its 2008 conceptual inception, has largely been contextualized in crypto currencies. Today, blockchain technology has matured to a level that allows the exploration of its application to other and diverse domains, including the management of cancer registries. When collecting and handling data relating to cancer diagnosis and treatment as mandated by law in many municipalities, the process is both time-consuming and requires significant coordination among multiple levels of data collecting jurisdictions. This often leads to inconsistent data vis-à-vis the various levels of data storage. This paper calls for using a blockchain-based mechanism to alert the data users on possible inconsistencies prior to applying the collected data in cancer research. A system framework drawing on the design science research methodology is found to result in increased data quality so as to improve cancer research outcome accuracies.