American Society of Clinical Oncology/National Comprehensive Cancer Network Quality Measures.
OBJECTIVE
The National Cancer Policy Board recommended the creation of quality measures and a national reporting system in 1999. Representatives from the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) collaborated to create metrics suitable for national performance measurement.


METHODS
Content and methodology experts nominated by ASCO and NCCN met to select and refine metrics for breast, colon, and rectal cancer based on National Initiative for Cancer Care Quality and NCCN measures and NCCN and ASCO guidelines. Measures were selected based on their impact on disease free and overall survival, the degree to which opportunities for improvement exist, and the feasibility of data collection.


RESULTS
Three breast cancer measures and four colorectal cancer measures were chosen. Measures for breast cancer included adjuvant hormone therapy for hormone receptor-positive tumors, chemotherapy for hormone receptor-negative cancer, and radiation after lumpectomy. Colorectal measures included adjuvant radiation and chemotherapy for rectal cancer, and adjuvant chemotherapy for colon cancer. All but one were recommended as accountability measures and one for quality improvement (removal and examination of 12 or more lymph nodes in colon cancer). Specifications were developed for each measure using tumor registries as the data source.


CONCLUSIONS
ASCO/NCCN measures can be implemented by health systems, provider groups or payors for improvement or accountability using local tumor registries to furnish data on staging and treatment.
Desch
Christopher E
CE
National Comprehensive Cancer Network, Fort Washington, PA, USA.
McNiff
Kristen K
KK
Schneider
Eric C
EC
Schrag
Deborah
D
McClure
Joan
J
Lepisto
Eva
E
Donaldson
Molla S
MS
Kahn
Katherine L
KL
Weeks
Jane C
JC
Ko
Clifford Y
CY
Stewart
Andrew K
AK
Edge
Stephen B
SB
D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009367:Neoplasm Staging / Q000592:standards*; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards*; D012042:Registries