Te Rēhita Mate Ūtaetae, the Breast Cancer Foundation National Register

Te Rēhita, the National Register, holds a rich database of patients who have been diagnosed with breast cancer since 2000. Approximately 3,300 new patient registrations are added each year.

Breast Cancer Foundation NZ has been collecting data from the five New Zealand regional Breast Cancer Patient Registers in Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Wellington and Christchurch since 2000. In 2020, the decision was made to expand Te Rēhita, the National Register, to cover the entirety of New Zealand, and this goal was achieved in early 2021. 

Te Rēhita, the National Register, collects information such as demographics, diagnosis, follow-up and treatments. Researchers and clinicians can request de-identified data from Te Rēhita, the National Register, for research and audit purposes.

The Foundation has provided significant funding – over $2.5 million – to the development and management of regional registers as part of Breast Cancer Foundation NZ’s ‘Research for Life ‘ Programme. BCFNZ has also committed $5 million for the lifetime of Te Rēhita, the National Register.

On World Cancer Day (4 February) 2022, BCFNZ published its first and biggest study of Te Rēhita Mate Ūtaetae - Breast Cancer Foundation National Register.

The unparalleled data in the Register has given us the information we need to carry out a wide-ranging review of the state of breast cancer in Aotearoa New Zealand.

The 170-page report, titled 30,000 voices: Informing a better future for breast cancer in Aotearoa New Zealand, finds NZ’s five-year survival rates are comparable to other countries. But when looking at the 10-year statistics, it becomes obvious that not everyone has benefited to the same extent.

Breast Cancer Foundation NZ hopes these findings, based on analyses performed by an experienced team at the University of Auckland’s Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, along with high-level recommendations to decision-makers and healthcare professionals, will enable even greater advances in breast cancer treatment and survival.

New Zealand needs a national breast cancer patient register because breast cancer is a significant health issue for New Zealand women. It is the leading cause of cancer deaths for women. Maori women are almost 50% more likely to die from their cancer than non-Maori and all New Zealand women have a higher death rate from breast cancer when compared to other countries such as Canada, the United States and Australia. Alarmingly, New Zealand’s breast cancer death rate is 20% higher than Australia’s.

A breast cancer register allows us to have a greater understanding of the nature of breast cancer and its treatment in New Zealand. It records detailed information about diagnosis, treatment and outcomes of patients with breast cancer within New Zealand. For example, the information tells us how well patients do on different treatments and what treatments are most successful. As Gavin Harris, a specalist pathologist in Christchurch highlights, “breast cancer registers help to improve the management and treatment of current and future New Zealand breast cancer patients”.

The Register is a computerised database where the information is entered and stored in a confidential manner. A governance group controls the use and release of information.

Both public and private sector breast cancer patients are eligible to participate in the regional registers; however, participation is voluntary and participants do have the right to opt out of the register if they wish.

Less than 1% of breast cancer patients opt out. Therefore Te Rēhita, the National Register collects 99% of eligible breast cancer cases. Participants are followed up each year to monitor how they are doing following their breast cancer diagnosis. The Register include patients with invasive breast cancer and DCIS (ductal carcinoma in situ – a pre-invasive cancer).

Information on Te Rēhita, the National Register, is used for:

• Research, such as identifying breast cancer trends, assessing new and existing treatments and addressing inequities in care
• Healthcare planning
• Audits for quality measurement and improvement

Te Rēhita Mate Ūtaetae, the Breast Cancer Foundation National Register, also houses research that uses data from the register, such as the poster below:

Te Rēhita Mate Ūtaetae, the Breast Cancer Foundation National Register, website has information for researchers and patients, as well as information on its governing bodies. Researchers and clinicians can request data from Te Rēhita, the National Register, through the website, and it also holds published research utilising data from Te Rēhita, the National Register, which is available to download.

Email: admin@breastcancerregister.org.nz

Ph: 0800 005 849

Postal address:

Free Post 104 Breast Cancer Foundation National Register
Private Bag 92189 Breast Clinic,
Level 6, Building 4, Greenlane Clinical Centre,
Auckland 1142