What type of data does "aggregate data" refer to?

Aggregate data refers to data that has been summarized or compiled in such a way that individual patient identifiers are no longer present. This type of data typically combines information from multiple patients to provide overall trends or statistics. By omitting personal identifiers, aggregate data ensures patient privacy and confidentiality while still allowing for analysis of broader patterns, treatment outcomes, or disease prevalence within a larger population.

In the context of healthcare and oncology, aggregate data is vital for researchers and healthcare providers when evaluating treatment effectiveness, understanding epidemiology trends, or assessing quality of care across populations. It provides valuable insights while maintaining the anonymity of individual patients, which is crucial in compliance with regulations such as HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) in the United States.