Mission

The Commission on Cancer (CoC) is a consortium of professional organizations dedicated to improving survival and quality of life for cancer patients through standard-setting, prevention, research, education, and the monitoring of comprehensive quality care.

History

Established by the American College of Surgeons (ACoS) in 1922, the multidisciplinary CoC establishes standards to ensure quality, multidisciplinary, and comprehensive cancer care delivery in health care settings; conducts surveys in health care settings to assess compliance with those standards; collects standardized data from CoC-accredited health care settings to measure cancer care quality; uses data to monitor treatment patterns and outcomes and enhance cancer control and clinical surveillance activities, and develops effective educational interventions to improve cancer prevention, early detection, cancer care delivery, and outcomes in health care settings.

Membership

CoC membership is comprised of  97 individuals who are either surgeons representing the ACoS or representatives from the 42 national, professional organizations or Member Organizations, affiliated with the CoC.  These individuals direct the activities of the Commission through committee work.  These activities are coordinated through the Executive, Approvals, Cancer Liaison, Education, and Quality Integration Committees, and related subcommittees and workgroups of the CoC.

Organizations interested in applying to become a Member Organization of the CoC, should contact Lynda Watt for the Member Organization Application at lwatt@facs.org or call 312-202-5085.

Executive Committee

CoC Chair and Executive Committee Chair:  Frederick L. Greene, MD, FACS

The CoC Executive Committee conducts the interim business of the Commission and administers the goals and objectives of the CoC as set forth by its mission statement.  The Committee reviews policies, plans activities, makes recommendations regarding membership, considers actions coming before it, and recommends actions to the membership of the CoC. 

The Executive Committee is comprised of the chair and chair-elect of the CoC, an advisor from the ACoS Board of Regents, the chairs of the four standing committees, and a representative from each of the following organizations:  American College of Radiology, American Cancer Society, American Joint Committee on Cancer, American Society of Clinical Oncology, American Society for  Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology, the College of American Pathologists, Oncology Nursing Society, and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network.

Subcommittees of the Executive Committee include the Legislative Task Force responsible for addressing cancer legislative issues that impact the activities of the CoC.

Committee on Approvals

Chair:  Diana Dickson-Witmer, MD, FACS
Vice-Chair: Stephen E. Ettinghausen, MD, FACS

The CoC Committee on Approvals encourages hospitals, treatment centers, and other facilities to improve their quality of patient care through various cancer-related programs.  Participating programs are concerned with the continuum of cancer care from prevention and early detection, pretreatment evaluation, and staging, to optimal treatment, rehabilitation, surveillance for recurrent disease, support services, end-of-life or lifelong follow-up care.

Approval is granted only to those facilities that have voluntarily committed to provide the best in cancer care and are able to comply with established CoC standards.  Each cancer program must undergo a rigorous evaluation and review of its performance and compliance with CoC standards every three years.  There are currently 1,433 CoC-approved cancer programs.  These programs diagnose and treat 80% of newly diagnosed cancer patients annually. 

To learn more about the benefits of approval, the quality standards set by the CoC, and eligibility criteria to become an approved cancer program, visit the Approvals Program pages for detailed information.

The Committee on Approvals has three subcommittees.  The Program Review Subcommittee is responsible for making approval award decisions for programs that do not meet all of the standards; the Field Staff Subcommittee is responsible for the recruitment, training, and evaluation of the cancer program surveyor team, and the Recruitment and Retention Subcommittee is responsible for developing strategies to increase applications by new cancer programs, monitoring program withdrawals, and implementing interventions for program retention.

Committee on Cancer Liaison

Chair:  Jon M. Greif, DO, FACS
Vice-Chair: Aaron D. Bleznak, MD, FACS

The Committee on Cancer Liaison directs the activities of the Cancer Liaison Program, which is comprised of a network of more than 1,600 volunteer Cancer Liaison Physicians (CLPs) who provide local support for the Commission on Cancer's (CoC) programs and activities.  The Committee also directs the activities of the network's 65 volunteer State Chairs responsible for managing state-based cancer activities and their respective groups of Cancer Liaison Physicians appointed in local facilities to support the activities of the CoC and American Cancer Society (ACS).  The Committee also oversees the implementation of priorities established by the funding agency, the ACS.

To learn more about the Cancer Liaison Program, the role of the CLP, and how to become and/or appoint a CLP, visit the Cancer Liaison Program pages for detailed information.

Education Committee

Chair:  Miguel Rodriguez-Bigas, MD, FACS
Vice-Chair:  Michael A. Choti, MD, FACS

The Committee on Education is The Committee on Education directs the activities of the CoC's Education Program by defining and developing programs and products to address the educational needs of the CoC's constituency.  As needed, subcommittees may be formed to manage the duties and responsibilities associated with specific educational activities.

Activities under the direction of the committee include the development of the CoC's professional education program for the American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress, selection of the Keynote Speaker for the CoC Annual Meeting, planning and conduct of the CoC's bi-annual conference, annual planning to address the educational needs of the CoC's constituents, and contributions to the content of the Online Education Center.

To learn more about the educational offerings of the CoC, visit the Education pages for detailed information.

Quality Integration Committee

Chair:  Stephen B.  Edge, MD, FACS
Vice-Chair: Richard S. Swanson, MD, FACS

The Quality Integration Committee is the central advisory panel that guides and assists in the prioritization of work conducted by the National Cancer Data Base (NCDB).  The Committee is concerned with and represents the CoC in matters addressing the progress and direction of research and education as it pertains to improving the care of cancer patients.