Cancer Programs News: December 4

Cancer QI Program Reduces Missed Appointments

An ACS Cancer Programs quality improvement program found that transportation barriers and illness are among the top reasons cancer patients miss critical radiation therapy appointments. Providing hospitals and patients with structured support can reduce missed appointments by up to 40%.

Read a summary of the study and learn more about the ACS Breaking Barriers Toolkit.

The full results of the Breaking Barriers initiative, driven by data from more than 90,000 cancer patients, are published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.

NAPBC and NAPRC Announce Changes to QI Standards

ACS Cancer Programs have updated the requirements for National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC) Standard 7.3 and National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer (NAPRC) Standard 7.2. Beginning January 1, 2026, NAPBC- and NAPRC-accredited programs will be required to conduct one quality improvement (QI) project per accreditation review cycle (every 3 years). These changes were recently highlighted in QI-focused NAPBC and NAPRC webinars.

A Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document has been added to the existing program FAQs located in the Resources section of QPort.

Sign Up for Small Group QI Coaching Calls

Join a small group of ACS Cancer Programs-accredited programs and quality improvement (QI) experts for upcoming coaching Zoom calls that will include feedback on current initiatives, ideas for future projects, and a review of available tools. Other peer programs will participate in these calls to offer ideas and feedback. Come prepared with your problem statement or questions.

To keep the calls small and conversational, no more than 20 people will be registered per call, and each name will be kept on the list for future sessions (approximately two sessions are held per month).

Complete this survey to receive a registration link.  You can also email questions or QI project ideas ahead of time to cancerqi@facs.org.  

New AJCC Staging System Protocols Are Live

The American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) has released two new staging system protocols for salivary glands and oropharynx (human papillomavirus [HPV]-associated), effective January 1, 2026. Physicians, registrars, researchers, and other users will benefit from the updated content, which includes tables, explanatory notes, and illustrations. These new Version 9 protocols will replace the 8th edition site content for minor salivary glands cancer and the HPV-mediated (p16+) oropharyngeal cancer.

The new AJCC staging system protocols for salivary glands and oropharynx (HPV-associated) are available on Amazon as an eBook and in a print-on-demand.

CoC Provides Additional Guidance for Standard 7.1 Compliance

Commission on Cancer (CoC) Standard 7.1: Quality Measures requires CoC-accredited programs to review and react to their recent data, as that is most reflective of current performance. However, there is significant variation among accredited programs regarding both timeliness of abstraction and cancer case volume. This makes it difficult for the CoC to select a time frame of data that will not disadvantage either large volume and/or rapidly abstracting programs (by having them review older data) or smaller volume and/or later abstracting programs (by having them review data with low numbers and wide confidence intervals).

The CoC directs programs—during the required reviews of the Standard 7.1 quality measures—to review the most recent 3 years of data, including the most recent complete year. That year can be identified by bolder green-yellow-red colors and the column label "Performance Rate" as opposed to years with incomplete data, which are labeled "Estimated Performance Rate." 

Programs should react to any noncompliant (red) levels of performance in the most recent year of data containing meaningful volumes. A volume of at least 50% of the most recent complete year is considered meaningful.

Questions on the requirements for Standard 7.1: Quality Measures should be submitted to the CAnswer Forum. Questions on quality measure specifications should be submitted to NCDB@facs.org.

CoC Pediatric Programs Must Comply with Event Requirements in 2026

Commission on Cancer (CoC) Standard 8.2: Cancer Prevention Event requires that programs provide an event focused on preventive care. Previously, Pediatric Cancer Programs (PCP) or CoC Pediatric Specialty (CoC-PS) programs were exempt from this standard. However, beginning in 2026, PCP and CoC-PS programs must provide one event per year for children and/or young adults that addresses topics such as human papillomavirus vaccination, obesity, smoking, sunscreen use, or other pediatric cancer prevention topics. Compliance will be reviewed beginning with site visits occurring in 2027.

Specific to CoC-PS programs, if the prevention event offered by the adult CoC program applies to children and/or young adults, it can be used to support compliance for both adult and pediatric compliance.

For information, refer to the Optimal Resources for Cancer Care (2020 Standards), Standard 8.2: Cancer Prevention Event, and the specifications by category for PCP and CoC-PS programs. Additional information regarding CoC Pediatric Standards was published in the November 13 issue of Cancer Programs News. Programs participating in the CoC’s PCP and CoC-PS programs, and those planning to apply, are encouraged to closely review these updates.

Questions related to the Optimal Resources for Cancer Care (2020 Standards) can be submitted to the CAnswer Forum.

NAPBC Updates FAQs for Standards

The Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for the 2024 National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC) standards have been updated with information on the following:

• The updated requirements for Standard 4.2: Oncology Nursing Credentials and how they impact programs accredited by the Commission on Cancer (CoC) and those that aren’t accredited by the CoC
• Guidelines related to the change in the number of quality improvement projects that must be completed each accreditation cycle and the ability to count NAPBC projects for CoC credit

 Questions about the NAPBC standards may be submitted to the CAnswer Forum.

NAPBC Navigation Professionals Must Meet Training/Certification Requirements by End of Year

To meet compliance with National Accreditation for Breast Centers (NAPBC) Standard 4.5, navigation professionals must meet the training or certification requirements before the start of 2026.

All navigation professionals at NAPBC-accredited programs must hold either a qualifying healthcare certification that includes patient navigation training within its examination or provide documentation of completed competency-based training and education in patient navigation for patients with breast disease or breast cancer from a qualifying training program.

Qualifying examples for both compliance options are outlined in Standard 4.5 within Optimal Resources for Breast Care (2024 Standards). Note: In-house navigation training programs do not meet the requirements of Standard 4.5.

Questions about NAPBC Standard 4.5 may be submitted to the CAnswer Forum.

Just a Few Weeks Remain to Claim Credits for 2025 ACS Cancer Conference

Don’t miss the opportunity to view recordings from the 2025 ACS Cancer Conference: Harnessing the Power of Collaboration. Conference speakers explored how partnerships among national organizations, physicians, advanced practice providers, and allied health professionals are driving improvements in cancer care. Topics included:

• Innovations in cancer treatment and clinical practice
• Enhancements in data collection and outcomes analysis
• Emerging research findings

If you were unable to attend the conference and workshops in Phoenix, Arizona, register now. If you prepaid for the recordings, you have been enrolled in the courses.

Attendees at the 2-day conference can claim additional credits available in the recordings. This course offers a maximum of 22.75 Continuing Medical Education credits for physicians,  25.5 Continuing Education credits for Oncology Data Specialists, and 25.5 Continuing Nursing Education credits.

Recordings are also available on demand from the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers and National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer workshops in Phoenix.

All credits and coursework for the conference and the workshops must be completed by the 11:59 pm CT on Wednesday, December 31. For questions regarding the workshops and conference, contact CancerProgramsEvents@facs.org.

Survey Will Gauge Disaster Preparedness and Experience

The American Cancer Society is hosting a survey that seeks to understand cancer centers' experience with disaster events, as well as the current disaster risk management practices they are using to improve preparedness and response moving forward. 

You may forward this survey to anyone with relevant expertise within your institution. The deadline for completing this 10-minute survey is January 29, 2026.

Results will be kept anonymous and only reported in aggregate. Completing this survey has no bearing on accreditation status and is entirely optional. If you have questions about this survey, contact leticia.nogueira@cancer.org. If you are experiencing any technical issues, reach out to cancerqi@facs.org.

Webinar Series Explores Blood Cancer Care

The American Cancer Society Hematologic Cancer Collaborative is hosting a webinar series exploring the blood cancer continuum. Designed for community cancer care programs, this series features expert insights, real-world case studies from community cancer care programs, and practical strategies to help overcome challenges and improve outcomes for patients with blood cancer.

The first session explores the complexities of diagnosing and initiating treatment for blood cancers in diverse community cancer care settings. Future sessions will cover transitions and shared care, as well as survivorship, long-term care, and end-of-life care.

American Cancer Society Offers Patient Navigation Implementation Guide

The Promising Practices Supporting the Sustainability of Patient Navigation: An Implementation Guide provides practical strategies to sustain and institutionalize patient navigation. Developed by the American Cancer Society National Navigation Roundtable, this implementation guide contains a patient navigation sustainability assessment tool, planning resources, and real-world examples for application.

Recognize Oncology Navigators on December 9

December 9 marks the second annual National Oncology Navigator Day, which is an opportunity to recognize the compassionate professionals who guide, support, and advocate for patients throughout their cancer journey. Navigators play an essential role in:

• Improving access to timely, quality care
• Reducing healthcare disparities
• Promoting patient-centered outcomes
• Elevating the standard of cancer support services

For more information, visit the National Consortium of Breast Centers website or contact Sylvia@breastcare.org.

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:

AdventHealth Ocala
Ocala, FL

Allegheny Health Network
Pittsburgh, PA

Barnes-Jewish Hospital
St. Louis, MO

Berkshire Medical Center
Pittsfield, MA

Bryan Medical Center
Lincoln, NE

CaroMont Regional Medical Center
Gastonia, NC

Colquitt Regional Medical Center
Moultrie, GA

Covenant Health
Lubbock, TX

Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center
Lebanon, NH

Enloe Health
Chico, CA

Erie County Medical Center Corporation
Buffalo, NY

Forrest General Hospital
Hattiesburg, MS

Kaiser Permanente Washington
Renton, WA

Methodist Charlton Medical Center
Dallas, TX

Methodist Healthcare System
San Antonio, TX

OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center
Rockford, IL

Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center
Charleston, SC

UPMC Hamot
Erie, PA

Washington Hospital Healthcare System
Fremont, CA

Winter Haven Hospital - BayCare Health System
Winter Haven, FL

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:

Allina Health Cancer Institute - St. Paul
St. Paul, MN

Breast Center at Doctors Hospital at Renaissance Health System
Edinburg, TX

The Carol W. & Julius A. Rippel Breast Center at The Carol G. Simon Cancer Center
Morristown, NJ

Carteret Health Care
Morehead City, NC

Clara Maass Medical Center
Belleville, NJ

Inova Breast Care Institute-Fair Oaks Hospital
Fairfax, VA

The Jewish Hospital- Mercy Health
Cincinnati, OH

Northwestern Medicine, South Region
Orland Park, IL

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:

Enloe Health
Chico, CA

Lenox Hill Hospital
New York, NY

Park Nicollet Methodist Hospital
Saint Louis Park, MN

Mark Your Calendars

December 4: CoC: Understanding Lymphedema: Science, Screening, and Guidelines

December 8: CoC: Pediatric Webinar

December 9: CoC: Managing Lymphedema: Multidisciplinary Approaches to Treatment and Survivorship

January 21, 2026: Technical Standards for Sarcoma Surgery

January 29: NAPBC: Axillary Management in Breast Cancer

February 18: Technical Standards for Gastric Surgery

July 30–August 2: Quality, Safety & Cancer Conference

September 26–29: ACS Clinical Congress 2026