MP-SIR Selection Tab

The Selection tab in an MP-SIR session is used to define the cohort to be analyzed by specifying criteria for an index record.

The Selection tab and Table tab are often confused; please read Selection Tab vs. Table Tab to avoid common mistakes.

The Selection tab in an MP-SIR session consists of one standard selection statement box, and shortcuts for some common selections.

Standard Index Record Selections

The Standard Index Record Selections section of the Selection tab provides shortcuts for common index record selections. It is possible, but not necessary, to build a selection statement in the Additional Index Record Selections box that is equivalent to any of the options in this section.

Select Only Malignant Behavior - Select this option to include only cases with a malignant behavior. The Behavior variable is part of the morphology of cancer. The SEER program only collects information on in situ and malignant cancers. If the behavior code is malignant, the case will be included in the analysis.
Select Only Male or Female Sex - Select this option to include only cases where sex is either Male of Female (for example no cases of unknown or transgender patients).
Select Only Known Age - Select this option to include only cases of a known age.
Select Only Cases in Research Database - Select this option to include only cases in the selected Research Database.
Exclude Death Certificate Only and Autopsy Only Cases - Select this option to exclude all cases where cancer was reported through only a death certificate or autopsy. If the Type of Reporting Source variable indicates that a death certificate or autopsy was the only source of information for the case, the case will be excluded from the analysis.

View Statements Link

This link opens the Standard Selection Details dialog, which provides information on the standard options selected.

Additional Index Record Selections

The index record in an MP-SIR session defines cohort members and is the first record that matches the selection criteria.

Create a selection statement in this box to limit the records included in your analysis based on variables not covered by the standard index record selections.

To begin building a selection statement, click the Edit button to open the Case Selection dialog. If there is no selection statement, all cases in the database which match the standard selections you made above will be included in your analysis. Therefore, you should only make a selection statement for variables used to exclude cases. To clear the entire statement from the selection box, click Clear.

Multiple Primary Selection

Use the drop-down list to choose what should be considered a "first record" for the purposes of this analysis.

First Primary Only (Sequence Number 0 or 1) - A person will be included in the cohort if their first (or only) primary cancer matches the other selection criteria. (A sequence number of 0 indicates that the tumor is the only one in the individual's history, while a sequence number of 1 indicates that it is the first of two or more tumors in the individual's history.)
First Primary in Database - A person will be included in the cohort if their first primary cancer in the database matches the other selection criteria, even if they have prior primary cancers that are not included in the database (i.e., if their first primary cancer in the database has a sequence number of 2 or greater).
First Malignant Primary Only (Non-Reported Tumors Assumed Malignant) - A person will be included in the cohort if their first malignant primary cancer matches the other selection criteria. For the purposes of this criterion, prior primary cancers not included in the database are assumed to be malignant, as most cancers collected by SEER are. If an individual's first record in the database has a sequence number of 2 or greater, this option will exclude that individual from a cohort, since it is assumed that the individual's first record in the database is not their first malignant tumor. However, if an individual has a record of a non-malignant tumor with a sequence number of 1, their subsequent malignant tumors can be considered for inclusion in the cohort. Note that this differs from combining the "First Primary in Database" and "Select Only Malignant Behavior" options: in that case, a non-malignant first primary would exclude the individual from the cohort regardless of the content of subsequent records.
First Malignant Primary in Database - A person will be included in the cohort if their first malignant primary cancer in the database matches the other selection criteria.
First Record Matching Selection Criteria - Any first record for a person which matches the other selection criteria will cause the person to be included in the cohort, regardless of whether it is malignant or the first primary cancer.