We need to find out whether people in the EPIC cohort have developed cancer or other diseases, or have died. It is important to have this information for all participants, so that we can make sure that we are making valid comparisons when we look at diet and other factors in people who have developed a particular disease and people who have not.

Several organisations are helping us to collect this information:

The East Anglian Cancer Registry
The East Anglian Cancer Registry records information on people in East Anglia diagnosed with cancer. We find out about newly diagnosed cancers in people in the EPIC cohort through the questionnaires they return, and from the Cancer Registry.

ENCORE
ENCORE is the database of hospital admissions kept by the East Norfolk Health Commission. At regular intervals, details of hospital admissions are sent to EPIC. ENCORE provides excellent data on admissions to hospital for all but those people admitted to private hospitals.

The Family Health Service Authorities
Some individuals leave the area after they have joined EPIC. The Family Health Service Authorities (FHSAs) helps us to track these individuals. If a participant has registered with a new GP within the area, the FHSA informs EPIC of the name and address of the new GP. The participant is then tracked with the co-operation of the new GP. The same method is used if someone leaves the area, but in this case the FHSA notifies EPIC of the new FHSA, which notifies EPIC of the new GP.

Office for National Statistics
The Office for National Statistics (http://www.statistics.gov.uk/) has a list of EPIC participants. They notify us when people on the list have died or have been diagnosed with cancer. Working with the Office in addition to the East Anglian Cancer Registry is necessary to get this information for people who have moved out of Norfolk since they joined EPIC.

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