September 2001
Highlights for the month:
National Cancer Information Center (NCIC) Rollout Under Way
Beginning August 30 and ending September 7, the CoC in collaboration with the American Cancer Society is launching its new Web-enabled database that will allow staff at CoC-approved cancer programs to access data about its facility and update or enter new information in a more convenient and efficient manner. This information will be shared with the ACS on its Web site and through the Call Center. On September 7, you will be able to access the database through our Web site at http://www.facs.org/dept/cancer/index.html. For more information on this system, see the February 2001 issue of "Flash" or contact Connie Blankenship at cblankenship@facs.org.
Highlights
Medicaid Coverage for Breast and Cervical Cancer Extended
Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson has given approval to nine states to extend Medicaid coverage for treatment of breast and cervical cancer for women who were diagnosed under a federal screening program. Alabama, Georgia, Iowa, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, South Carolina, Virginia, and Washington will join the 10 states that already provide this option to their residents. This coverage was provided by the Breast and Cervical Cancer Prevention and Treatment Act of 2000, which was signed into law last year. For more details, visit http://www.hcfa.gov/medicaid/bccpt.
Highlights
Internet-Based Database Being Developed for Approved Cancer Programs
With financial support from the American Cancer Society, the CoC is redesigning and integrating three databases into a relational database that utilizes Internet and Oracle database technology. Hospitals with approved cancer programs will submit facility and patient data for three CoC programs through a password-protected, secure Web site. The first application of this database gives approved programs an opportunity to share data on selected resources and services and profiles their cancer site and stage distributions for the American Cancer Society's National Cancer Information Center (NCIC). In a second application, available at the end of 2001, approved hospitals will be able to access new and improved National Cancer Data Base Benchmark Reports online and submit patient data for the 2000 Call for Data. And finally, online submission of data for the approvals survey application is scheduled to begin in July 2002. For more information, contact jsylvester@facs.org.
Highlights
COC Develops New Format for Communicating with Constituents
The CoC is pleased to introduce our new News and Events Web page at http://www.facs.org/dept/cancer/cannews.html. Here, you'll have access to all the latest CoC-related information. The News and Events page will offer timely information from the various programs within the Commission. It will also provide information in more depth and detail than you will find in the "CoC Flash." Since we plan to regularly rotate this material off the page to make room for more current news, we'll have an archive page with a handy search function available to help you find older information. The CoC has discontinued the publication of the formal "News from the Commission on Cancer" newsletter.
Highlights
Annual Call For Data Information Online
The NCDB has posted the submission specifications for its Annual Call for Data 1985/1990/1995/2000 on the CoC Web site at http://www.facs.org/dept/cancer/ncdb/index.html. Here you'll find a data quality statement, instructions for case submission, vendor specifications, and more. The submission deadline for this Call for Data is November 30, 2001. For questions regarding this information, contact Mary Jo Strebel and mstrebel@facs.org.
Highlights
Standard #6: No Increase in Number of Patients on Protocol
Standard 6.2.1, "Volume I: Cancer Program Standards," establishes the minimum requirement for accrual to clinical trials for hospital programs in the following categories: NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center Programs; Teaching Hospital Cancer Programs; and Community Hospital Comprehensive Cancer Programs with at least 750 annual analytic accessions. The accrual requirement for hospital programs in these categories is 2% of the number of annual analytic accessions. This requirement has not changed for hospital programs.
Highlights
Space Available in Basic Registry Data Collection Workshop
Don't forget to sign up for the CoC's October Basic Registry Data Collection Workshop. The objective of this workshop is to provide attendees with the basic tools necessary to collect data as an integral part of a Commission on Cancer-approved program. This is an intensive training course with eight-hour class days and homework assignments. For additional details and registration information, see our Web site at http://www.facs.org/dept/cancer/coc/regtrain.html.
Highlights
Coding Reminders for ICD-O-3 and Seer Summary Stage 2000
- If you're abstracting cases diagnosed prior to 1/1/2001, but accessioned after 1/1/2001, you must use the ICD-O-2 coding scheme. ICD-O-3 is only to be used on cases diagnosed on or after 1/1/2001.
- SSS2000 codes must be implemented with cases diagnosed on or after 1/1/2001. For cases diagnosed prior to 1/1/2001, use SEER Summary Stage 1977.
Highlights
Collaborative Stage Testing Under Way
Approximately 120 volunteers have been sent the Collaborative Stage Project test kit. They will review the cases included in the test and use the Collaborative Stage data sets to complete the case abstracts. Participants are required to return the test materials during the week of September 10, 2001.
Highlights
To Subscribe to CoC Flash
CoC Flash is e-mailed automatically each month to individuals for whom the Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons has an e-mail address. If you wish to continue to receive the newsletter on a monthly basis, you need do nothing. You can discontinue your subscription by writing to coc@facs.org and requesting that your name be deleted from the database. Individuals not currently receiving the newsletter may subscribe to the publication by sending an e-mail message to coc@facs.org and asking to be added to our electronic distribution database.
To Submit Information
CoC Flash will accept submissions received by the monthly deadlines stated below. However, the CoC reserves the right to decide whether or not the materials are appropriate for inclusion. Information for CoC Flash should be timely, news worthy, brief, and of use and interest to the constituents of the Commission, which include cancer registrars, liaison physicians, cancer committee chairs, and other cancer-oriented health care professionals. To submit material, send it to coc@facs.org.
The Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons is a not-for-profit, tax-exempt organization dedicated to decreasing the morbidity and mortality caused by cancer through prevention, monitoring and reporting of care, standard-setting, and education. CoC Flash is a monthly news service for constituents of the CoC provided by the Commission and the Cancer Department of the American College of Surgeons.
CoC Flash
Commission on Cancer
