Press Releases

University of Cincinnati Cancer Center Earns 88th Consecutive CoC Accreditation

Jun. 30, 2022

CINCINNATI, OH - One of five oldest CoC cancer programs nationally committed to improving cancer care.


The University of Cincinnati Cancer Center announced it has earned its 88th consecutive year of accreditation through the Commission on Cancer (CoC), a quality program of the American College of Surgeons (ACS). The University of Cincinnati Cancer Center was one of the first of five cancer centers nationally to receive this designation.

What is the American College of Surgeons Commission of Cancer Accreditation?

Established in 1922, the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer is a consortium of professional organizations dedicated to improving patient outcomes and quality of life for cancer patients through standard-setting, prevention, research, education and the monitoring of comprehensive, quality care. Its membership includes Fellows of the American College of Surgeons.

As an academic health system that combines research, teaching and clinical practice; the University of Cincinnati Cancer Center is part of only 13% of CoC accredited programs that classify as an Academic Comprehensive Cancer Program. The Cancer Center continues to lead and offer patient access to national clinical trials that inform and advance cancer care research, including the “Beat AML” study that is exploring personalized treatment options for individuals diagnosed with a rare form of blood cancer, acute myelogenous leukemia (AML).

What does CoC accreditation mean for the University of Cincinnati Cancer Center and UC Health?

“The Commission on Cancer reaccreditation is an extension of our commitment to putting patients and families first. As an academic health system with access to clinical trials and advanced care methods, we value the opportunity to contribute to improving cancer care across the nation,” says Amanda Jackson, MD, UC Health physician and associate professor at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. “This long history of CoC accreditation would not be possible without the unique talents and unwavering commitment of our staff.” Dr. Jackson serves as the University of Cincinnati Cancer Center’s Commission on Cancer Chair.

The University of Cincinnati Cancer Center includes over 90 cancer specialists, including subspecialty and multidisciplinary expertise in 10 expert disease groups that treat the rarest forms of cancer with the latest technology. It serves as the region’s only head and neck cancer center, offering complex surgical reconstruction including microvascular techniques, and is only one of only two proton therapy centers in Ohio and one of only 39 centers in the U.S.

How has the University of Cincinnati Cancer Center met the rigorous CoC accreditation standards?

CoC accreditation standards require programs to meet 34 quality care standards, be evaluated every three years through a survey process and maintain levels of excellence in the delivery of comprehensive, patient-centered care. 

One of these requirements is adopting a multidisciplinary approach to treating cancer as a complex group of diseases, which requires consultation among surgeons, medical and radiation oncologists, diagnostic radiologists, pathologists and other cancer specialists—multidisciplinary partnerships result in improved patient care. At the University of Cincinnati Cancer Center, a weekly tumor board involving subspecialists from across all disciplines meets weekly to discuss patient progress and treatments.

The University of Cincinnati Cancer Center also established the region’s first and only oncology primary care clinic, which offers services targeted toward improving patients’ quality of life. The Cancer Survivorship and Supportive Services Program provides healthy lifestyle and integrative health care options specific to cancer patients. These supportive care programs use evidence-based therapies such as counseling and emotional support, yoga therapy, nutrition classes and acupuncture to help patients manage symptoms, reduce stress and live their best lives possible both during and after treatment.

As a CoC accredited program, The University of Cincinnati Cancer Center contributes data to the National Cancer Data Base (NCDB), a joint program of the CoC and American Cancer Society. This nationwide oncological outcome database is the largest clinical disease registry in the world and includes data on all types of cancer. The data is tracked and analyzed through the NCDB and used to explore trends in cancer care. CoC-accredited cancer centers, in turn, have access to information derived from this type of data analysis, which is used to create national, regional and state benchmark reports, which in turn help CoC facilities with their quality improvement efforts.

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