Cancer News: November 5

Dr. Weigel Discusses CoC Rural Accreditation on Podcast

ACS Cancer Programs Medical Director Ronald J. Weigel, MD, PhD, MBA, FACS, recently joined host Randy Lehman, MD, FACS, on The Rural American Surgeon podcast to discuss the new Commission on Cancer (CoC) Rural Cancer Program Accreditation and what it could mean for hospitals, surgeons, and cancer patients in rural communities.

In a second podcast episode, Dr. Weigel and Dr. Lehman delve deeper into the issues surrounding cancer care and surgery in rural communities.

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.

November Is Lung Cancer Awareness Month

The CoC encourages accredited cancer programs to promote lung cancer awareness and the importance of screening during November.

To help programs promote Lung Cancer Awareness Month in their community, the CoC developed customizable posters that can be downloaded from the Marketing Resources section in QPort. The posters feature a CoC Surgical Quality Partners diamond and space for institutions to add their logo, allowing programs to highlight their CoC accreditation and commitment to educating the community on ways to reduce lung cancer risk. 

Contact coc@facs.org with any questions. 

Explore On-Demand Cancer Programs Webinars

Learn more about best practices, patient care, and staging system updates in Cancer Programs on-demand webinars. Recent topics include:

“Smoking and Cessation Across the Continuum of Lung Cancer Risk, Treatment, and Survival”

This webinar highlights best practices in tobacco treatment for patients with cancer, introduces the smoking cessation standard, and clarifies expectations for upcoming site visits. Participants will gain practical guidance to support compliance and strengthen tobacco cessation efforts within their programs. Continuing education credits are offered for Registered Nurses and Oncology Data Specialists.

“Technical Standards for Sarcoma Surgery”

This Cancer Surgery Standards Program webinar highlights evidence-based operative standards for sarcoma surgery, offering guidance to support consistent, high-quality surgical care. Participants will gain actionable insights to help improve outcomes and align care with current best practices. Continuing education credits are offered for physicians.

“AJCC Protocol on Version 9 Staging System for Salivary Gland, Thymus, and Oropharynx (HPV-Associated) Cancers”

Explore the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) Version 9 updates for salivary gland, thymus, and human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated oropharyngeal cancers. Presenters will review how the latest TNM classifications incorporate modern clinical data and key prognostic factors to better support patient care in today's oncology practice.

Contact CancerProgramsEvents@facs.org with any questions.

New Program Provides Clinical Trial Matching and Support

The American Cancer Society is expanding access to cancer clinical trials through Access to Clinical Trials & Support (ACS ACTS™), a free, nationwide clinical trial matching and support service designed to help patients explore trial options and overcome common participation barriers.

Through ACS ACTS™, patients and families receive:

• Free, personalized, AI‑powered clinical trials matching
• Education and navigation support from the American Cancer Society
• Screening to help identify potential barriers to participation
• Access to wraparound support services, such as transportation and lodging assistance
• “Last mile” navigation support to help patients get to and begin their first clinical trial appointment

Patients and caregivers can get started by calling the American Cancer Society’s 24/7 National Cancer Information Center at 1‑800‑227‑2345 or by visiting www.cancer.org/acts.

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:

Augusta Health
Fishersville, VA

Bayhealth Hospital, Kent Campus
Dover, DE

Community Health Network MD Anderson Cancer Center
Indianapolis, IN

Corewell Health - South
St. Joseph, MI

Harrison Memorial Hospital
Cynthiana, KY

HCA Florida West Hospital
Pensacola, FL

Houston Methodist Hospital
Houston, TX

Logan Health
Kalispell, MT

OSF St. Joseph Medical Center
Bloomington, IL

Putnam County Hospital
Greencastle, IN

Summit Health
Florham, NJ

Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island
Providence, RI

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: 

Northwell Cancer Institute Westchester Breast Program
Mount Kisco, NY

Trinitas Regional Medical Center RWJ Barnabas Health
Elizabeth, NJ

UM Upper Chesapeake Breast Center
Bel Air, 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:

Fox Chase Cancer Center
Philadelphia, PA

Geisinger Medical Center
Danville, PA

Vassar Brothers Medical Center
Poughkeepsie, NY

Mark Your Calendars

November 9: GeneQIP Informational Webinar

July 29–August 1, 2027: ACS 2027 Quality, Safety & Cancer Conference

October 16–19, 2027: ACS 2027 Clinical Congress, San Diego, CA