Cancer Programs News: June 26

Alternative Pathway Is Available for Standard 9.1 Compliance

The Commission on Cancer (CoC) and National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC) recognize that accredited programs are struggling to accrue required percentages of patients to participate in clinical research.  

Effective immediately, the CoC and NAPBC are offering an alternative pathway for Standard 9.1: Clinical Research Accrual compliance for activity from 2025 through 2028. 

Programs unable to accrue patients to clinical research at the required percentages outlined in Optimal Resources for Cancer Care (2020 Standards) and/or Optimal Resources for Breast Care (2024 Standards) may receive a "Deficient but Resolved" rating if the following requirements are met: 

• Provide an annual report to the cancer committee/Breast Program Leadership Committee (BPLC) that includes the following: 
  • Number of subjects enrolled in eligible clinical research studies (numerator) 
  • Total number of annual analytic cancer cases (denominator) 
  • Categories of clinical trials to which patients are accrued and number per category 
• Develop and report on a meaningful action plan to achieve the required level of accrual.  At a minimum, this plan must include: 
  • Open clinical research studies with identification of those with a nearing end/closing date 
  • Discussion of potential future clinical trial availability, if needed, required to achieve expected accrual percentages 
  • Review of current resources used for clinical trial accrual and assessment of any additional resources required to achieve expected accrual percentages 
  • Discussion of strategies to increase clinical trial accrual to expected accrual percentages 

The report and action plan must be provided at a cancer committee/BPLC meeting held in the first quarter of the subsequent year and must include the full calendar year’s worth of data. For example, the report on 2025 accruals must be given at a meeting during the first quarter of 2026. 

If accrual percentages are not met for multiple years within the accreditation cycle, a report and action plans must be developed each year that the accrual percentage is not met. 

This alternative pathway process may also be used for corrective action, including corrective actions due in 2025. Programs with corrective action due dates before the end of 2025 may provide a year-to-date report and action plan to resolve the deficiency. 

Questions should be submitted to coc@facs.org or napbc@facs.org.

Sequence of Colorectal Cancer Diagnosis Impacts Patients with Multiple Cancers

The results from a new study published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons showed that patient outcomes can be significantly impacted depending on when colorectal cancer is diagnosed related to other cancers. Patients initially diagnosed with colorectal cancer had better survival rates than those diagnosed with a different cancer first.

Read more.

Apply Today for Committee Membership and Leadership Openings

Committee Membership

The Commission on Cancer, National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer, and National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers are accepting applications through July 15, for new volunteers for committee membership. Applicants must be Fellows of the ACS. Candidates interested in becoming committee members may submit a Cancer Programs Committee Member Application Form. Additionally, the Cancer Surgery Standards Program (CSSP) is also seeking volunteers for committee membership. View the CSSP Committee Member Application.

Committee Leadership

Candidates for committee chair and vice chair roles must be current members of the committee. Candidates for committee chair must have served in a leadership role within the committee, typically as vice chair (some exceptions may apply). Applicants must also be Fellows of the ACS. Interested candidates should review and submit the Committee Leader Application Form. The application period will close July 15.

For questions about the new committee membership and leadership opportunities, contact cpmembership@facs.org.

CoC Updates Requirements for Annual Report

The Commission on Cancer (CoC) provided the following resource to update and clarify requirements for annual reports that must be presented to the cancer committee and documented in the meeting minutes.   

The following standards must be reported at the first quarter meeting of the following year. The report must include a full calendar year’s worth of data. For example, reports on 2025 activity must include data from all of 2025 and be reported at a meeting in the first quarter of 2026. Some programs may choose to provide partial year reports as well, but that data must also be included in the final report given in Q1 of the following year.

• Standard 2.5: Multidisciplinary Cancer Case Conference 

• Standard 4.4: Genetic Counseling 

• Standard 4.5: Palliative Care Services 

• Standard 4.8: Survivorship Program 

• Standard 5.2: Psychosocial Distress Screening 

• Standard 9.1: Clinical Research Accrual 

The following standards require an annual evaluation, but do not necessarily require a data review. They may be presented and discussed with the cancer committee at any time during the calendar year under evaluation or at a meeting during the first quarter of the following year.  

• Standard 4.6: Rehabilitative Care Services 

• Standard 4.7: Oncology Nutrition Services 

• Standard 8.1: Addressing Barriers to Care 

The following standards require annual audits, projects, reports, or events. They must be conducted and reported to the cancer committee within the calendar year per the frequency required in the standard. The report to the cancer committee may be provided at any time during the calendar year after the activity has been completed. These standards cannot be presented in the first quarter of the following calendar year.** 

• Standard 2.2: Cancer Liaison Physician* 

• Standard 5.1: College of American Pathologists Synoptic Reporting 

• Standard 6.1: Cancer Registry Quality Control 

• Standard 6.4: Rapid Cancer Reporting System: Data Submission* 

• Standard 7.1: Quality Measures 

• Standard 7.2: Monitoring Concordance with Evidence-Based Guidelines 

• Standard 7.3: Quality Improvement Initiative* 

• Standard 7.4: Cancer Program Goal* 

• Standard 8.2: Cancer Prevention Event 

• Standard 8.3: Cancer Screening Event 

*Standard requires multiple status updates per calendar year. Both updates must be provided within the calendar year or per standard requirements. 

**Standards 7.3 and 7.4 activities can be extended into a second year. To be compliant, the intent to do so must be stated during the calendar year the quality improvement or goal was initiated and a final report must be given in the subsequent year after the QI or goal is completed.

These clarifications will be included in an updated version of Optimal Resources for Cancer Care (2020 Standards), which will be released later this summer. Information will also be added to each of the above standards to clearly outline when the annual report must be presented and documented. 

The following quick reference chart will replace the information under the Standards Requiring Annual Review headline on page v: 

*Standard requires multiple status updates per calendar year. Both updates must be provided within the calendar year or per standard requirements. A Standard 7.3 project or Standard 7.4 goal that extends into a second year will only count for the year it is initiated. 

Questions regarding the CoC Standards should be submitted to coc@facs.org.

CoC Leaders Discuss Cancer Survivorship

June is National Cancer Survivors Month. In a recent ACS national press conference, Commission on Cancer Chair Laurie J. Kirstein, MD, FACS, and Vice Chair Daniel Boffa, MD, FACS, discussed what cancer survivorship means and the factors both patients and providers should consider in the journey from diagnosis through survivorship. Watch below.

CoC Research Paper Competition Closes July 7

The Commission on Cancer (CoC) is now accepting submissions from physicians in training for the 2025 Cancer Research Paper Competition. Categories for submission are clinical research and basic science. The first-place winners will receive a $1,000 honorarium and an opportunity to present their papers at the CoC’s Plenary Session during the 2025 Clinical Congress in October. Second- and third-place winners 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 by July 7.

NAPRC Webinar Will Focus on Resources for Meeting New Standards

The National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer (NAPRC) recently released its updated standards for accreditation, Optimal Resources for Rectal Cancer Care (2026 Standards). On July 15, at 4:00 pm CT, the NAPRC will host a webinar that will review new tools and resources available for programs to use in meeting and documenting compliance with the new standards.  

The NAPRC has applied for continuing education credits for this webinar with the National Cancer Registrars Association and California Board of Registered Nursing.

Visit the Cancer Programs website to view additional educational resources.

Register Today for NAPBC Breast Screening Webinar

Join the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC) at 12:00 pm CT on September 18, for the webinar Breast Screening: What Every Physician Needs to Know. Webinar speakers will provide an overview of current screening recommendations for women at average risk of breast cancer in addition to those with dense breast tissue; discuss screening protocols for transgender patients; and review options for supplemental imaging for women who carry genetic mutations.

The NAPBC has applied for Continuing Education credits for this webinar with the National Cancer Registrars Association and the California Board of Registered Nursing.

Visit the Cancer Programs website to view additional educational resources.

Patient Education and Breast Cancer Surgery On-Demand Course Is Available

Healthcare professionals can learn how to apply best practices and improve surgical outcomes through patient education with an on-demand course from ACS Patient Education: Breast Cancer Surgery: Meeting Standards and Improving Outcomes-Enduring.

Patient education and surgical breast cancer experts will review current practices in breast cancer surgical care, including pain management, lymphedema prevention, and wound care. In addition, easy-to-use educational programs and checklists that are aligned with the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers standards will be presented.

The webinar costs $30 to attend and offers Continuing Medical Education and Continuing Education credits.

CDC Releases Updated US Cancer Statistics

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released the latest US Cancer Statistics (USCS), with new cancer diagnoses through 2022 and cancer death rates through 2023. The USCS combines cancer registry data from the CDC’s National Program of Cancer Registries and the National Cancer Institute’s Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program.

The latest USCS data release includes an updated Data Visualizations tool to improve navigation and user experience. Researchers can use the public use database to learn more about cancer incidence and population data in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Contact uscsdata@cdc.gov with questions.

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:

Adventist Health St. Helena Martin O'Neil Cancer Center
St. Helena, CA

Alexander T. Augusta Military Medical Center
Fort Belvoir, VA

Carle Foundation Hospital
Urbana, IL

Franciscan Health System
Tacoma, WA

Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center
Wilkes-Barre

Great Plains Health
North Platte, NE

HCA Florida St. Petersburg Hospital
St. Petersburg, FL

HealthPartners Cancer Care
St. Paul, MN

Indiana University Health Bedford Hospital
Bedford, IN

Integris Baptist Medical Center
Oklahoma City, OK

Integris Southwest Medical Center
Oklahoma City, OK

Kootenai Health
Alene, ID

Piedmont Cancer Network
Atlanta, GA

Penn Medicine Doylestown Hospital
Doylestown, PA

St. Luke's - Cornwall Hospital
Newburgh, NY

University Hospital
Newark, NJ

Washington VA Medical Center
Washington, DC

NAPBC Recognizes Accredited Sites

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:

Ascension All Saints Hospital
Racine, WI

Deaconess Breast Center
Evansville, IN

Henry Ford Breast Care Program
Grosse Pointe, MI

Leslie Simon Breast Care and Cytodiagnosis Center
Englewood, NJ

UPMC-Memorial Hospital
York, PA

NAPRC Recognizes Accredited Sites

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:

NYU Langone Hospitals
New York, NY

Orlando Health Cancer Institute
Orlando, FL

Providence Mission Hospital
Mission Viejo, CA

University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital
Birmingham, AL

University of Miami Hospital and Clinics
Miami, FL

Mark Your Calendars

July 15: NAPRC: Tools and Resources

July 17–20: ACS Quality and Safety Conference, San Diego, CA

August 19: NAPRC Site Visit Process: Success Using the New Standards

September 18: NAPBC: MRI and Imaging Webinar

October 4–7: ACS Clinical Congress 2025, Chicago, IL

October 21: NAPRC: QI for NAPRC Programs

November 13: NAPBC: Auxiliary Surgical Management

November 18: NAPRC: Case Studies and Process Improvement: Promoting Success in NAPRC Programs