New International Cancer Classification Improves Data and Registries
Updated system supports more accurate cancer coding worldwide
IARC
The International Agency for Research on Cancer released an overview of the updated International Classification of Diseases for Oncology (ICD-O), a global standard used for cancer registration and research. The revised classification reflects advances in tumor characterization and improves consistency, data quality, and comparability across cancer registries. The update supports epidemiological research, health system planning, and evaluation of cancer control strategies by enabling more precise and interoperable cancer data collection.
ICD-O-4
The fourth edition (ICD-O-4) provides an improved structure of unique codes for existing and newly defined tumour entities and has been harmonized with the 11th revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11).
Methods
Based on an International Association of Cancer Registries (IACR) survey of cancer registries, over 90 % of the respondents (250 of 276) agreed to an update of ICD-O-3.2 morphology by the addition of a fifth digit to the existing four-digit histology code. Following the 5th Edition of the WHO Classification of Tumours (WCT), a beta version of ICD-O-4 was developed and disseminated for open consultation by the International Agency on Research for Cancer (IARC) on the WCT website.
Conclusion
ICD-O-4 is compiled in consultation with pathologists, epidemiologists, public health researchers as well as the cancer registry community. The five-digit histology codes enable a hierarchical and detailed coding of tumours, while the new topography and behaviour codes reflect the evidence base on tumour aetiology, stage and behaviour.
The evolution of the ICD-O classification is shown in the following image.
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This project has received funding from the European Union’s EU4HEALTH Programme under the Grant Agreement no 101162959
