Cancer Programs News: August 6

ACS Cancer Programs Update Accreditation Fees

Cancer Programs’ annual accreditation fees have been adjusted for 2027. The new fee amounts will go into effect for subscriptions beginning or renewing on or after January 1, 2027. For detailed Commission on Cancer (CoC), National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC), and National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer (NAPRC) fee information and fee schedules, review the 2027 fee chart in the Resources section of QPort.

AJCC Will Release New Staging Protocols for Implementation in 2027

The American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) is finalizing new staging protocols for breast, colon, rectum, conjunctival carcinoma, conjunctival melanoma, and lacrimal gland cancers. The updated protocols are expected to be released in the fourth quarter of 2026 and will become effective for cases diagnosed on or after January 1, 2027.

These updates reflect AJCC's ongoing commitment to advancing evidence-based cancer staging and supporting high-quality patient care. As with previous protocol updates, the new guidance will have important implications for clinical documentation, cancer registry abstraction, staging practices, quality reporting, and multidisciplinary cancer program operations.

CoC-accredited programs should begin planning for implementation by monitoring AJCC communications, reviewing educational resources as they become available, and incorporating the new protocols into staff education and workflow updates. Cancer registrars, physicians, and other members of the cancer care team should work collaboratively to ensure a smooth transition before the January 1 effective date.

AJCC will provide additional information, including educational materials and implementation guidance, following the official release later this year.

Reminder: Share Your Feedback on Proposed CoC Exercise Oncology Services Standard

There's still time to provide your feedback on the proposed CoC Exercise Oncology Services Standard. The public comment period remains open through August 13, and all CoC-accredited programs and stakeholders are encouraged to participate.

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

• Draft Exercise Oncology Services Standard
• Feedback survey

Your feedback is an important part of the standards development process. Comments received during the public comment period will be carefully reviewed and used to refine the proposed standard and its compliance measures before implementation. An implementation timeline will be announced once the standard has been finalized.

To ensure all feedback is captured and considered, questions regarding the proposed standard should be submitted through the survey. While individual responses will not be provided, every comment will be reviewed.

NAPRC Accreditation Is Associated with Improvements in Care Quality and Patient Volume

A recent article in the Bulletin of the American College of Surgeons highlights new research showing that National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer (NAPRC) accreditation is associated with improved care quality and increased rectal cancer patient volume.

Using National Cancer Database^® (NCDB^®) data, recent studies found that hospitals accredited by the NAPRC have reduced circumferential resection margin positivity, increased guideline-concordant carcinoembryonic antigen testing, and higher patient and surgical volumes after accreditation. The article also reviews recent updates to the NAPRC standards intended to support high-quality, multidisciplinary rectal cancer care.

Review July 2026 Updates to the NAPRC Standards

The NAPRC recently released the July 2026 updates to the Optimal Resources for Rectal Cancer Care (2026 Standards). Programs should review these updates to ensure they are aware of the latest requirements and recommendations.

Highlights of the July updates include:

• Standard 2.4: Rectal Cancer Multidisciplinary Team Meetings: The standard now recommends that patients presented at a Rectal Cancer Multidisciplinary Team (RC-MDT) meeting without all required specialties present be re-presented at a future meeting that includes the full multidisciplinary team. This recommendation reinforces the importance of comprehensive multidisciplinary input in treatment planning.
• Standard 5.8: Operative Report Elements: The synoptic reporting elements for "total mesorectal excision (TME) photographed" and "short narrative" are no longer required in the surgical resection operative report. In addition, the specimen photograph element has been removed from the local excision operative report template.
• Standard 5.11: Treatment Outcome Discussion and Outcome Summary: Beginning in 2027, post-neoadjuvant patient presentations must also include a post-treatment CT scan of the chest, abdomen, and pelvis. In addition, clarifying edits specify that post-treatment MRI examinations must meet the requirements of Standard 5.4 and use the appropriate Society of Abdominal Radiology reporting template.

The Post-Treatment Outcome Discussion and Summary template has also been updated to reflect these changes.

For complete details, review the NAPRC Standards Changelog. Questions about the updates can be submitted through CAnswer Forum.

Webinars Focus On Cancer Staging Updates and Breast Cancer Care During Pregnancy

ACS Cancer Programs offers a wide range of on-demand webinars for healthcare professionals involved in the care of cancer patients. Sessions include:

• “AJCC Protocol Version 9 Staging System for Mesothelioma Cancer”: Presenters review important updates and innovations in AJCC Version 9 TNM classification for mesothelioma staging, with a focus on how these changes affect clinical practice and patient care. Continuing education credits are available for registered nurses and oncology data specialists.
• “Modern Management of Breast Cancer During Pregnancy”: This webinar examines the risks and benefits of treatment options for pregnancy-associated breast cancer, providing clear, evidence-based insights to support informed clinical decision-making. Attendees will gain guidance to help tailor care to support both maternal and fetal outcomes.

Contact CancerProgramsEvents@facs.org with any questions.

Help Breast Cancer Patients Navigate Menopause 

Join Living Beyond Breast Cancer at 11:00 am CT on August 19  for “Menopause Management, Hormone Replacement Therapy, and Shared Decision-Making.” Webinar presenters will review the latest evidence on hormonal and non-hormonal symptom management, hormone replacement therapy, lifestyle approaches, and strategies for helping patients understand their options and make informed decisions.

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:

Amarillo VA Health Care System
Amarillo, TX

Contra Costa Regional Medical Center
Martinez, CA

Flagler Hospital
Saint Augustine FL

Kuakini Medical Center
Honolulu, HI

Northwell Cancer Institute of Westchester
Sleepy Hollow, NY

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: 

Advocate Health Comprehensive Breast Care Program South Chicago
Oak Lawn, IL

UF Health Jacksonville
Jacksonville, FL

UPMC Western Maryland
Cumberland, MD

NAPRC Recognizes Accredited Sites

The ACS National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer (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:

Ascension Southeast Wisconsin Hospital Inc.
Milwaukee, WI

Corewell Health Grand Rapids Hospitals - Blodgett & Butterworth
Grand Rapids, MI

Decatur Memorial Hospital Cancer Care Institute
Decatur, IL

Tampa General Hospital
Tampa, FL

Virginia Mason Medical Center
Seattle, WA

White Plains Hospital Center for Cancer Care
White Plains, NY

Mark Your Calendars

September 26–29: ACS Clinical Congress 2026