Under the theme “Harnessing the Power of Collaboration,” the 2025 ACS Cancer Conference, held in Phoenix, Arizona, March 12–14, explored the meaning of collaboration to address the evolving needs of cancer patients, survivors, and their caregivers. Five key takeaways emanating from this year’s event are described in the April issue of the ACS Bulletin.
May is Melanoma Awareness Month and June 1 is National Cancer Survivors Day. ACS Cancer Programs can help your site raise awareness and promote these events with customizable posters that can be downloaded through the Quality Portal (QPort). Contact coc@facs.org, napbc@facs.org, or naprc@facs.org with any questions.
The Assessing the Effectiveness and Significance of the Operative Standards Program (AESOP) seeks to evaluate the impact of the Commission on Cancer (CoC) Operative Standards (Standards 5.3-5.8) on short-term cancer care outcomes. One of the grant aims includes a CoC Special Study, which involves oncology data specialists collecting additional data from the medical record on patients included in their cancer registry that underwent cancer surgery at their facility. The Special Study will launch in early 2027.
In preparation for the Special Study, a pilot study will be conducted in CoC-accredited cancer programs beginning in April 2026. The pilot study will include 25 cancer facilities with various program selections, case volumes, and geographic location. The AESOP study team is currently reviewing the interest form submissions and will contact sites via email if they are selected to participate.
Thank you to those who volunteered to participate in the pilot for the upcoming CoC Special Study. At this time, the interest form is closed and responses will no longer be accepted.
Contact AESOP@facs.org with any questions.
The Cancer Surgery Standards Program (CSSP), in collaboration with the ACS International Relations Committee, will host a webinar on the Operative Standards for Breast Cancer on Tuesday, May 6, at 5:00 pm CT. Panelists will share information on how the Operative Standards for Cancer Surgery manuals provide guidelines for surgeons who treat breast cancer internationally, as well as how they can access and utilize the standards in their practice. Register today.
The CSSP will host an educational webinar for surgeons on the technical standards for colon cancer surgery on Tuesday, June 3, at 5:00 pm CT. The Technical Standards for Colon Cancer Surgery webinar will review evidence-based operative standards for the performance of colon surgery as outlined in the Operative Standards for Cancer Surgery, Volume 1.
The speakers will present on abdominal exploration, extent of the mobilization, achieving a regional lymphadenectomy, managing multivisceral resection, and lymphadenectomy beyond the primary distribution as endorsed by the ACS Cancer Research Program and CSSP. The discussion will include insights into clinical management of colon cancer through case study review.
Surgeons attending the webinar will receive Continuing Medical Education (CME) credits. We encourage staff at CoC-accredited cancer programs to share this information with surgeons, trainees, and fellows with an interest in colon cancer surgery. Registration is required to attend this webinar.
For more information contact CSSP@facs.org.
The CoC National Cancer Database (NCDB) has added one new primary site for Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary (HPB) cancer and five new quality measures. Three of these quality measures relate to the new HPB primary site, one is for the primary site of breast, and one is for head and neck. Log into the Rapid Cancer Reporting System or visit the NCDB Quality Measures website for additional details.
The new quality measures are as follows:
The CoC has extended the nomination deadline for the annual Cancer Liaison Physician (CLP) Outstanding Performance Award program. To submit a nomination, complete this survey by May 19. The CoC State Chair CLP Education Advisory Group will review the nominations and choose the winners, which will be announced this summer.
CLPs can be nominated by members of an accredited program’s cancer committee, registrars, CoC site reviewers and State Chairs, American Cancer Society regional staff members, and by self-nomination. For more information on eligibility criteria and the nomination process, visit the CoC website. Email mleeb@facs.org with any questions.
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:
Baptist Hospital
Pensacola, FL
Baylor Scott & White Medical Center - Irving
Irving, TX
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Boston, MA
Boulder Community Health
Boulder, CO
Brown University Health Cancer Institute
Providence, RI
EvergreenHealth
Kirkland, WA
Fisher-Titus Medical Center
Norwalk, OH
HCA Florida Blake Hospital
Bradenton, FL
Henrico Doctors' Hospital
Richmond, VA
Indiana University Regional Academic Health Center
Bloomington, IN
Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital
Darby, PA
Mount Sinai Beth Israel & Mount Sinai West
New York, NY
Platte Valley Hospital- Intermountain
Brighton, CO
St. Jude Medical Center
Fullerton, CA
Swedish Hospital
Chicago, IL
Torrance Memorial Medical Center
Torrance, CA
University of Illinois Hospital & Health Sciences System
Chicago, IL
UTSW William P. Clements University Hospital
Dallas, TX
The ACS NAPBC recognizes the following breast sites for demonstrating their commitment to providing high-quality, patient-centered cancer care to patients and the community by recently earning NAPBC reaccreditation:
Advocate Aurora Comprehensive Breast Program of Southern WI
Burlington, WI
Breast Center. Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center
Los Angeles, CA
The Janet Knowles Breast Cancer Center
Camden, NJ
Munson Healthcare: Smith Family Breast Health Center
Traverse City, MI
The ACS NAPRC 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 NAPRC accreditation:
Cleveland Clinic Florida Weston Hospital
Weston, FL
Rush University Medical Center
Chicago, IL
May 6: IRC and CSSP Webinar: Operative Standards for Breast Cancer
May 20: NAPRC Standards: Expectations and Resources for NAPRC Accredited Program
June 3: Technical Standards for Colon Cancer Surgery
July 17–20: ACS Quality and Safety Conference, San Diego, CA
October 4–7: ACS Clinical Congress 2025, Chicago, IL