Research & Data

POGONIS – Childhood Cancer Database

POGONIS was built with AIM technology.

As a leader in childhood cancer care, POGO enables knowledge-sharing and facilitates the development of best practices for the childhood cancer care system. The Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario Networked Information System (POGONIS) exemplifies this; established in 1985 this remarkable registry and database captures information on childhood cancer cases in Ontario since 1985.

POGONIS is the engine driving POGO’s research activity. Our pioneering database contains detailed clinical information and specifics about children’s diagnosis, treatment, complications and long-term outcomes. Each of the five pediatric tertiary centres across Ontario feeds data on the children they care for into POGONIS and are able to use POGONIS to track their own statistics regarding patients and service output. In Ontario, POGONIS is a source of reliable, validated data used to monitor:

Using POGONIS, we can make precise estimates of and accurately project the incidence of childhood cancer in Ontario; plan new initiatives and determine staffing requirements to provide care in strategic locations across the province; share information with the Ministry of Health and other planning bodies; and provide essential data for research studies and population-based research.

As POGONIS has captured data on a unique population over a long period of time, POGO is able to conduct research with a breadth and scope that is unparalleled elsewhere. What we’ve learned about childhood cancer care in Ontario is applicable to health systems across Canada and around the world.

The POGONIS Nomenclature and Diagnostic Classification system is mapped to the International Classification of Childhood Cancer (ICCC) system and the ICD-O 3rd Edition. This facilitates comparison with other national and international childhood cancer databases.

Learn about how POGO values privacy and protects the personal health information of children and families.

Data Anatomy

Understand how POGONIS data is organized.
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Data Requests

Find out how your research can be conducted using POGONIS and the other POGO personal health information (PHI) data holdings.
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“The POGO childhood cancer registry, POGONIS, is an unparalleled resource for pediatric cancer research. The results of projects generated from POGO’s registry will have immediate and lasting impact on the care of Ontario’s children with cancer, as well as that of children around the globe – both those who are newly diagnosed and the growing population of long-term survivors.”

– Dr. Paul Nathan, Pediatric Oncologist, Hospital for Sick Children