This manual replaces Cancer Program Standards 2004.

Implementation of Cancer Program Standards 2004 Revised Edition (released March 2006) is required of all CoC-approved cancer programs beginning January 1, 2006.

This publication has been updated to include all revisions made to Cancer Program Standards 2004 by the Committee on Approvals of the CoC (since its original release in 2004), and includes modified interpretations of those standards that apply specifically to pediatric hospitals, pediatric components of larger facilities, Veterans Affairs facilities, and NCI-designated comprehensive cancer centers.

Standards

The revised edition contains 36 standards. Compliance with each standard is evaluated using a numeric system that describes compliance, noncompliance, or commendation. Depending on the Category of Approval, one or more of the standards may not apply to the facility. In this instance, the numeric rating "Not Applicable" is used.

Manual Format

Each chapter begins with a purpose statement followed by the individual standards. For each standard the following is provided:

• An explanation of the definition and requirement(s) of the standard
• A statement or chart of the specifications by category, including exceptions
• A detailed explanation of the documentation required to demonstrate compliance
• A definition of the rating for compliance, noncompliance, commendation, or not applicable

A concise table of requirements for each Category of Approval is included in the Appendix, and is designed to be used as a summary reference. Each table includes the requirement for each standard and can be easily removed and posted for easy viewing.

Copyright

The Commission on Cancer is pleased to provide this complimentary copy of Cancer Program Standards 2004 Revised Edition for your individual use. Please understand, however, that this information is the copyrighted property of the Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons. Any use of this material outside of its original format or context requires permission from the Commission on Cancer.

Questions

Questions regarding the standards presented in Cancer Program Standards 2004 Revised Edition should be submitted to the Inquiry and Response System. Please reference this publication when submitting your question.

Update 2008

These documents contain revised pages for Standards 2.10 and 4.3, and are to be used during 2008. These updated pages are applicable to all programs. A new staging Standard will be developed in 2008 by the Committee on Approvals, and an updated manual that includes this new Standard will be available in mid-2008.

These pages should be printed double-sided on three-hole punched paper for easy insertion.

Standards Update 2008 (40K PDF)

 

Complimentary Electronic Version of Cancer Program Standards 2004 Revised Edition Manual (565K PDF)

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To Order a Hard Copy of Cancer Program Standards 2004 Revised Edition

Resources for Cancer Programs

 Revised December 4, 2007