CoC Standards 5.6 and 5.7 Clarified in Recent CoC Manual Update

On February 27, the CoC released the latest update to its 2020 accreditation standards, Optimal Resources for Cancer Care (2020 Standards).  The updated standards and changelog documenting the standards revisions made in this release are available for download on the CoC website.

In addition to edits in other standards outlined in the changelog, Optimal Resources for Cancer Care (2020 Standards) has been revised to provide the most recent updates to language and clarification edits for Standards 5.6 and 5.7, detailed below.

• The scope of Standard 5.6 (colon resection) was updated to clarify that the standard only applies to colon adenocarcinoma.
• For Standard 5.6, the tumor location and extent of colon and vascular resection synoptic elements were updated to include “select all that apply,” which may apply to cases involving multiple primary tumors.
• The scope of Standard 5.7 (total mesorectal excision) was updated to clarify that in-situ lesions are excluded.

For more information on the CoC standards, Optimal Resources for Cancer Care (2020 Standards), please visit the CoC website. Questions regarding the CoC accreditation standards should be submitted through the CAnswer Forum. Questions related to the CoC Operative Standards can be directed to cssp@facs.org.