An expected rate table is required only when Relative Survival or Crude Probability of Death Using Expected Survival has been chosen on the Statistic tab. SEER*Stat's expected rates are obtained from the expected rate table by matching the cohort cases by race, sex, age, and date at which the age was coded. Together the observed and expected rates are used to generate relative survival rates.
The expected rate tables distributed with SEER*Stat contain the expected probabilities of survival generated from the general U.S. population. Each database in SEER*Stat has a default expected rate table. Each year, survival statistics are calculated for the SEER Cancer Statistics Review using the data submission available at the time of publication and that submission's default expected rate table.
The following describes the expected rate tables delivered with the SEER Limited-Use databases.
U.S. 1970, 1980, 1990 (White, Black, Other) matches to the cohort cases using the SEER Race Recode A variable and applies the 1970 rates to 1973-1975 diagnosis years, the 1980 rates to the 1976-1985 diagnosis years, and 1990 rates to the diagnosis years recorded in 1986 through the year of latest diagnosis.
U.S. 1970, 1980 (Expanded Races) matches to the cohort cases using the SEER Race Recode B variable and applies 1970 rates to the 1973-1975 diagnosis years and the 1980 rates to the diagnosis years recorded in 1976 and after.
U.S. 1935, 1940, 1945, ..., 1980 (White, Black) matches to the cohort cases using the SEER Race Recode A variable and applies the 1975 rates to the 1973-1977 diagnosis years and the 1980 rates to all cases diagnosed in or after 1978.
It is also possible to prepare your own expected rate tables using SEER*Prep.