Completeness for 2010 incidence of all invasive cancers excluding NMSC was estimated at 97.2% within five years of incidence.

For the four cancers with the highest incidence, colorectal cancer, lung cancer, female breast cancer and prostate cancer, five year completeness was estimated at 99.0%, 98.7%, 99.3% and 96.2% respectively.

This indicates that NCRI has achieved very high levels of case ascertainment, which is essential when providing analysis in respect of the current level of cancer in the country and when providing input in to future planning of cancer services.

Completeness has shown little change, or increased slightly, between 2005 and 2010, for all cancers excluding NMSC, with small increases for three of the four most common cancers, namely colorectal, female breast, and prostate cancer