Cancer Programs News: March 19

Get the Latest Accreditation and Site Visit Updates at the ACS Quality, Safety & Cancer Conference

Attend the 2026 ACS Quality, Safety & Cancer Conference, July 30–August 2, in Orlando, Florida, to get the latest updates on standards for the Commission on Cancer (CoC), National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC), and National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer (NAPRC), and learn what these changes will mean for your program.

Hear directly from site reviewers as they share practical tips, common pitfalls, and proven strategies to help you navigate the review process successfully, and get your questions answered during interactive office hours and live Q&A sessions.

Visit the 2026 ACS Quality, Safety & Cancer Conference webpage regularly for the latest updates, including registration opening announcements.

Apply Today for ACS Cancer Clinical Scholar in Residence Program

Do you know a resident looking to advance their career in cancer research and quality improvement (QI)? 

The ACS  is accepting applications for the 2027-2029 Cancer Clinical Scholar in Residence Program, a prestigious 2-year, on-site fellowship focused on outcomes research, health services research, healthcare policy, and quality improvement.

The selected scholar for this program will work closely with ACS Cancer Programs staff and national physician leaders to advance high-impact QI  initiatives and conduct meaningful research in surgical oncology and cancer care. Scholars receive robust mentorship in clinical research, statistics, and health services research, while collaborating with experts across the country. As part of the program, participants also earn a master’s degree aligned with their research focus.

Applicants must be US citizens, have completed at least 2 years of clinical training, and obtain approval from their home institution.

One Cancer Clinical Scholar position is open for the 2027-2029 period. Applications will be accepted through April 13, at 11:59 pm CT. 

To learn more about this program, visit our website or email cscholars@facs.org.  

Join Study on Barriers to NAPBC and NAPRC Accreditation

The ACS CoC and Cancer Research Program (ACS CRP^®) are seeking participants for a national study to examine the barriers and facilitators to obtaining NAPBC and NAPRC accreditation. The goal of the study is to identify strategies that make accreditation more valuable and attainable for programs varying in size, structure, and resources.

The study team is looking for sites that are CoC-accredited but are not currently NAPBC and/or NAPRC accredited. Programs that previously held or considered pursuing NAPRC or NAPBC accreditation are encouraged to participate; however, programs that have never considered NAPBC or NAPRC accreditation are also welcome to partake in the study.

Participation involves a 30-45-minute virtual interview between a program clinician or administrative stakeholder and a member of the research team. Responses will be kept confidential and reported only in aggregate. No incentives, including credit for any CoC standard, are provided for participation in the survey.

If you are interested in participating in the study, contact Raheem Bell, rbell@facs.org.

Neoadjuvant Therapy Use Rises Across Major Cancers

In the March issue of the Bulletin of the American College of Surgeons, authors discuss the second annual report on cancer trends and outcomes from the ACS National Cancer Database^® (NCDB^®). Diseases covered in this report include esophageal, melanoma, and prostate cancers. These reports will broaden access to aggregate findings that come from the disease sites captured in the NCDB, and future reports will cover varying disease sites.

Breast Cancer Stage at Diagnosis Differs Sharply Across Rural US Regions

Where a woman lives significantly affects whether her breast cancer is diagnosed at an early or late stage, according to a national analysis published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons. Researchers found prominent geographic variations within rural regions across the US, along with race and insurance status strongly influenced a woman’s stage of breast cancer at diagnosis.

Read more.

Gastric Cancer Surgery Webinar Is May 6

The Cancer Surgery Standards Program (CSSP)’s  Technical Standards for Cancer Surgery: Gastric Webinar will take place May 6. All attendees must re-register for this webinar with the new registration link.

This webinar will review evidence-based operative standards for gastric cancer surgery as outlined in Operative Standards for Cancer Surgery, Volume 2. Planned topics include intraoperative staging and resection of the primary tumor, assessment of surgical margins and technical aspects of regional lymphadenectomy, and reconstruction options following gastric cancer surgery. The panel discussion will feature case-based insights into the clinical management of gastric cancer.

The program is applicable to senior residents, fellows, and surgeons who perform or have an interest in gastric cancer surgery. Surgeons who attend the webinar will be eligible to receive Continuing Medical Education credits.

For more information, contact CSSP@facs.org

CoC Releases Updates to Accreditation Standards

The CoC released an updated version of its accreditation standards, Optimal Resources for Cancer Care (2020 Standards). The CoC Standards Change Log provides full details for the March 2026 changes. Key updates include:

Standard 4.2: Oncology Nursing Credentials

In addition to the revisions effective on January 1, the March 2026 version of Standard 4.2: Oncology Nursing Credentials adds an option for programs to use an action plan during the annual review if the program is not meeting its policy or Standard 4.2 requirements.

The organization and formatting of the standard were also updated to clarify the existing requirements. No other substantive changes have been made. The implementation timeline for this standard remains the same. The FAQ has been extensively updated to answer common program questions.

Register now for a webinar on April 8, which will review Standard 4.2 requirements in detail.

Standards 5.1, 5.9, and 7.1

Standards 5.1, 5.9, and 7.1 were updated to clarify that any required action plans are included with the internal audit when presented to the cancer committee and included in cancer committee meeting minutes.

Operative Standards 5.3–5.6

Standards 5.3–5.6 were updated as follows:

• Added language to clarify that if a program performs less than 30 cases that meet the scope of the standard, all applicable cases need to be reviewed as part of the internal audit
• Updated Documentation section to include cancer committee meeting minutes documenting the audit and any necessary action plans
• Updated Measure of Compliance section to clarify that the cancer committee report must meet the requirements from “Standards Requiring Annual Review”

Standard 6.1: Cancer Registry Quality Control

The Specifications by Category for Integrated Network Cancer Programs and NCI Networks for Standard 6.1 have been updated. Previous language was subject to multiple interpretations, so the requirements have been clarified to better accomplish the goals of this standard.

Rural Cancer Program Specifications

The recently-released rural cancer program requirements were added to the Specifications by Category section. Register now for the March 25 webinar to learn more about this new category of participation for hospitals located in rural counties.

Questions on any of these updates may be submitted to the CAnswer Forum.

Updated FAQs Are Available for Standards 4.8 and 5.9

Updated Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) documents for CoC Standards 4.8: Survivorship and 5.9: Smoking Cessation for Patients with Cancer are now posted. The FAQs can be found on the Resources page of QPort, within the respective chapters of the Standards Resource Library.

CoC Is Accepting Submissions for the 2026 Research Paper Competition

The CoC 2026 Cancer Research Paper Competition for physicians in training is accepting submissions through June 8. Categories for submission are clinical research and basic science. The first-place recipients will be awarded a $1,000 honorarium and an opportunity to present their papers at the CoC’s Plenary Session during the 2026 Clinical Congress in September. Second- and third-place recipients will each receive $500.

More information on eligibility, requirements, and awards is available on the CoC website. Submissions should be sent to mleeb@facs.org

CoC Seeks CLP Feedback for Operative Standards Study 

The Assessing the Effectiveness and Significance of the Operative Standards Program (AESOP) study is a 5-year, multi-institutional initiative funded by the National Cancer Institute. The AESOP team is evaluating how the CoC Operative Standards are implemented and their impact on cancer care. A central component of this work involves collecting insights from Cancer Liaison Physicians (CLPs) through national surveys.

The CLPs at programs undergoing CoC accreditation site visits this month will receive a survey link from REDCap@facs.org. CLPs are asked to complete the 10-to-15-minute survey within 2 weeks of receiving the email. In appreciation for their time, CLPs will receive a $25 gift card upon completion of the survey.

CLP participation is critical to the AESOP study and will inform future work. Contact AESOP@facs.org with questions.

Learn more about the AESOP study in the January issue of the Bulletin of the American College of Surgeons, in which authors discuss the aims and progress of the program.

NAPBC Public Comment Opportunity Closes March 31

The NAPBC sent an email to NAPBC-accredited programs requesting feedback by Tuesday, March 31, on two proposed standards:

• Function and Movement for Patients with Breast Cancer
• Lymphedema Assessment

The Function and Movement for Patients with Breast Cancer standard requires NAPBC-accredited programs to implement a protocol ensuring all breast cancer patients undergo a functional assessment at least once before starting treatment. Exercise is recommended for all patients during active therapy, and programs must provide educational materials that align with evidence-based exercise recommendations.

Functional assessments and exercise are currently required in multiple NAPBC standards. For clarity and to avoid programs receiving multiple deficiencies for these assessments, NAPBC is pulling these requirements into its own standard.

The Lymphedema Assessment standard is a new requirement. It requires programs to develop and implement a protocol to assess lymphedema in breast cancer patients who undergo lymph node removal. The protocol must define the timing of assessment, the approved method used (such as bioelectrical impedance spectroscopy, circumferential measurements, or validated surveys), and thresholds for referral to physical therapy. Compliance requires documented implementation of the protocol and appropriate referral to physical therapy or occupational therapy.

The draft standards and public comment survey may be accessed using the links below:

• Draft Function and Movement for Patients with Breast Cancer
• Draft Lymphedema Assessment
• Feedback Survey

The information received during the public comment period will be used to further refine the standards requirements and compliance measures. An implementation timeline will be provided once the revisions are finalized.

All questions related to the content of the standards revisions must be submitted through the feedback survey. Questions and feedback provided will not be answered with a direct response, but all feedback will be considered.

Join the March 25 CoC Rural Interest Webinar

The CoC has developed a new accreditation path for hospitals located in rural counties, offering the proven benefits of CoC accreditation in a package tailored for the unique aspects of taking care of cancer patients in a rural setting.

During the webinar CoC Accreditation: What Rural Hospitals Need to Know at 4:00 pm CT on Wednesday, March 25, presenters will review the impact of CoC accreditation for rural hospitals and the new set of CoC accreditation requirements for hospitals in rural counties.

Share this information with any colleagues providing care in rural counties who may be interested. Email CoC@facs.org with questions.

Register to View the Lymphedema Webinar Series and Earn Credits

The CoC hosted a two-part educational webinar series on lymphedema. Topics reviewed in the series included:

• Preventing and diagnosing breast cancer-related lymphedema, as well as recognizing high-risk patients
• Identifying early signs for timely intervention
• Working within a multidisciplinary team to optimize long-term care

In Understanding Lymphedema: Science, Screening, and Guidelines, presenters discussed the lymphedema pathophysiology, misconceptions regarding lymphedema, and screening guidelines.

Managing Lymphedema: Multidisciplinary Approaches to Treatment and Survivorship addressed both surgical and nonsurgical options for managing lymphedema and strategies for sequencing therapies based on individual patient presentations.

Each webinar offers one Continuing Education credit from the National Cancer Registrars Association and California Board of Registered Nursing. Register today to view the recordings and claim credits.

CoC Recognizes Accredited Sites

The ACS CoC recognizes the following cancer sites for demonstrating their commitment to providing high-quality, patient-centered cancer care to patients and the community by recently earning CoC reaccreditation:

Arrowhead Regional Medical Center
Colton, CA

Bon Secours St. Francis Health System
Greenville, SC

Georgetown University Medical Center
Washington, DC

HCA Florida Gulf Coast Hospital
Panama City, FL

Holyoke Medical Center
Holyoke, MA

Indiana Regional Medical Center
Indiana, PA

Ingalls Memorial Hospital
Harvey, IL

Kadlec Regional Medical Center
Richland, WA

Kaiser Permanente Washington
Renton, WA

Maine Medical Center
Portland, ME

Maine Medical Center
Portland, ME

Marietta Memorial Hospital
Belpre, OH

Methodist Fremont Health
Fremont, NE

OSF Saint Francis Medical Center
Peoria, IL

Owensboro Health Regional Hospital
Owensboro, KY

Southcoast Hospitals Group
Fairhaven, MA

SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital
St. Louis, MO

Trinity Health of New England - Saint Francis Hospital
Hartford, CT

William R. Bliss Cancer Center
Ames, IA

NAPBC Recognizes Accredited Site

The ACS NAPBC recognizes the following breast site for demonstrating its commitment to providing high-quality, patient-centered cancer care to patients and the community by recently earning NAPBC reaccreditation:

Allina Health Cancer Institute - St. Paul
St. Paul , MN

Aurora Comprehensive Breast Centers of Greater Milwaukee
Milwaukee, WI

Central Maine Medical Center Breast Health
Lewiston, ME

Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center
Wilkes Barre, PA

The Jacqueline M. Wilentz Comprehensive Breast Center
Long Branch, NJ

Maine Medical Center Cancer Institute Breast Care Center
Scarborough, ME

Marshfield Clinic
Marshfield, WI

Memorial Hermann Greater Heights Hospital
Houston, TX

Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center
Buffalo, NY

Sentara Williamsburg Comprehensive Breast Center: Women's Imaging Pavilion
Williamsburg, VA

Tift Comprehensive Breast Center
Tifton, GA

William R. Bliss Cancer Center
Ames, IA

Mark Your Calendars

March 25: CoC Accreditation: What Rural Hospitals Need to Know

April 8: CoC Standard 4.2: Update on the Oncology Nursing Credential

April 21: NAPRC Standards Update

May 6: Technical Standards for Cancer Surgery Gastric Webinar

July 30–August 2: Quality, Safety & Cancer Conference

September 26–29: ACS Clinical Congress 2026