Improving cancer surgery by using American College of Surgeons operative standards

Evaluation of the Implementation and Effectiveness of the American College of Surgeons Operative Standards Program

['FUNDING_R01'] · UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR · NIH-11298928

This project looks at whether using ACS operative standards leads to more accurate staging, better surgical care, and more appropriate follow-up for people having surgery for common solid tumors.

Quick facts

Phase['FUNDING_R01']
Study typeNih_funding
SexAll
SponsorUNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR (nih funded)
Locations1 site (ANN ARBOR, UNITED STATES)
Trial IDNIH-11298928 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this research studies

If you have cancer and need surgery, researchers will look across many Commission on Cancer–accredited hospitals to see how closely surgeons follow six ACS operative standards and how that relates to patient outcomes. They will use hospital records, surgical reports, and staging and treatment data to measure adherence and downstream care like receipt of adjuvant therapies. The team will also examine behavioral factors such as clinician education, audit-and-feedback, and possible bias from measurement effects. The work covers multiple common cancer types and hospitals that together serve the majority of U.S. cancer patients.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: People who have had or will have surgery for one of the covered solid tumors at Commission on Cancer–accredited U.S. hospitals are the most directly relevant group.

Not a fit: Patients treated outside CoC-accredited hospitals or with cancers not covered by the operative standards may not be impacted by this project.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to more consistent high-quality cancer operations, more accurate staging, and better use of follow-up treatments for patients.

How similar studies have performed: While other quality-improvement programs have improved aspects of cancer care, large-scale implementation of these specific operative standards is relatively new and still being tested.

Where this research is happening

ANN ARBOR, UNITED STATES

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.

View on NIH RePORTER →

Conditions: Cancer Hospital, Cancer Patient, Cancer Staging, Cancers

Last reviewed 2026-05-15 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.