Commission on Cancer
CoC Announces New Smoking Cessation Standard
Based on the success of its Just Ask and Beyond Ask quality improvement projects, the Commission on Cancer (CoC) developed Standard 5.9: Smoking Cessation for Patients with Cancer.
Cigarette smoking by patients with cancer and survivors is known to cause adverse health outcomes, including increased overall and cancer-related mortality, risk for second cancer, and increased toxicity from cancer treatment. Smoking cessation following a cancer diagnosis improves cancer outcomes and enhances quality of life.
Beginning January 1, 2026, each cancer committee must implement a process for patients with newly diagnosed cancer to be screened for current smoking. Patients who report current smoking must receive or be referred for smoking cessation treatment consistent with evidence-based guidelines. Each calendar year, the cancer committee must conduct an internal audit to assess compliance with the standard. If the compliance threshold is not met, programs must develop and implement an action plan, with documentation in the cancer committee meeting minutes.
- Starting January 1, 2026, programs are expected to have completed the protocol and initiated the process. An audit must be completed to establish baseline compliance. If the required threshold is not met, no action plan is required.
- Starting January 1, 2027, programs are expected to demonstrate compliance with the standard. The annual audit must show that 90% of cancer patients with newly diagnosed cancer are screened for current smoking status and 80% of active smokers are treated or referred. If neither of these metrics are met, the program must develop an action plan to achieve these targets.
An updated version of the CoC accreditation standards, Optimal Resources for Cancer Care (2020 Standards), will be released this fall and will include Standard 5.9. Additional resources regarding Standard 5.9 are available:
- The Standards Resource Library, accessible in QPort, includes a Frequently Asked Questions document, an implementation packet, and an Electronic Health Records guidance video.
- On October 28, at 3:00 pm CT, the CoC will host the webinar CoC: Smoking Cessation Standard. Presenters will review the evidence for the standard and provide an overview of compliance requirements.
Questions on Standard 5.9 should be submitted to the CAnswer Forum.
CoC Releases Revised Standard 4.2: Oncology Nursing Credentials
The Commission on Cancer (CoC) has released the revised Standard 4.2: Oncology Nursing Credentials, effective January 1, 2026.
Standard 4.2: Oncology Nursing Credentials
The cancer program must demonstrate compliance with this standard by assessing oncology nursing continuing education and oncology nursing competency for all nurses providing direct oncology care:
- Confirmation of current cancer-specific certification in the nurse’s specialty through an accredited certification program
or
- Completion of 18 Nursing Continuing Professional Development (NCPD) contact hours each accreditation cycle
- The required NCPD contact hours must be relevant to oncology nursing care
and
- Completion of oncology nursing competency assessment in the nurse’s specialty, administered by the CoC-accredited facility each calendar year
The cancer program must develop and implement and protocol to review and assess oncology nursing continuing education and oncology nursing competency.
View the complete requirements. The revised Standard 4.2 will be included in an updated version of the CoC Standards released this Fall.
Standard 4.2: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document in the Standards Resource Library has been updated for the revised Standard 4.2, and includes resources for assessing oncology nursing competency.
Implementation
Starting January 1, 2026: Programs are expected to have completed the required protocol and initiated the process of reviewing and assessing oncology nursing continuing education and oncology nursing competency.
If the program determines it is not capable of meeting compliance with Standard 4.2, the program is allowed to develop and implement an action plan to help achieve compliance.
The action plan must outline the specific issue(s) affecting compliance and the interventions that will be implemented to achieve compliance. The specifics of the action plan must be documented in the cancer committee meeting minutes.
Starting January 1, 2027: Programs must demonstrate compliance with this standard.
Corrective Action
Programs rated non-compliant with Standard 4.2 during a CoC site visit in 2024 or 2025 may develop or revise their corrective action plan to meet the new requirements of Standard 4.2.
Corrective action plans must include information on how the program will meet the standard, with an established timeframe for achieving compliance. Corrective action plans must be documented in the cancer committee meeting minutes.
Questions regarding CoC Standard 4.2 should be submitted through the CAnswer Forum.
Your Perspective Could Help Elevate Lung Cancer Care
A lung cancer specialty accreditation is under consideration as a potential enhancement to the Commission on Cancer (CoC) program, in collaboration with the ACS and The Society of Thoracic Surgeons.
To help evaluate opportunity for improvement, CoC-accredited hospitals are encouraged to complete this brief survey by Friday, August 29. Responses will inform if a dedicated lung cancer accreditation would help support your work and improve patient care.
Contact CoC@facs.org with any questions.
CoC Accreditation Is Becoming More Accessible to Rural Hospitals
In the July/August issue of the Bulletin of the American College of Surgeons, authors discuss how Commission on Cancer (CoC) accreditation is making care more accessible for patients in rural hospitals. CoC accreditation addresses rural disparities in cancer care by providing a comprehensive framework for program development and tools for data monitoring and quality improvement. In addition, the CoC will offer a new rural accreditation track for hospitals, with implementation planned for 2026.
Promote Prostate Cancer Awareness Month
The Commission on Cancer (CoC) encourages your site to promote prostate cancer awareness and the importance of screening during Prostate Cancer Awareness Month in September. According to the American Cancer Society, in 2025 an estimated 313,780 new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed in the US and about 35,770 men will die from prostate cancer.
To help raise awareness about prostate cancer within your program and community, the CoC developed customizable posters that can be downloaded from the Marketing Resources section in your site's QPort. The posters feature a CoC Surgical Quality Partners diamond and space for institutions to add their logo, which will allow programs an opportunity to promote their CoC accreditation and their commitment to educating the community on ways to reduce prostate cancer risk.
Contact coc@facs.org with any questions.
Prostate Cancer Management Reviewed in July/August Bulletin
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men in the US and the second-most common among men globally. An article in the July/August issue of the Bulletin of the American College of Surgeons explores current, multidisciplinary treatment options, including optimal surgical or nonsurgical treatment and decisions regarding whether surgery, or any treatment, is necessary in each case.
