About Cancer Protocols

When referring physicians review a cancer pathology report, they look for key pieces of information to guide their treatment decisions for the best possible patient outcomes. Having data in a standardized, synoptic format ensures all pertinent information is included, enabling physicians to quickly and easily find what they’re looking for—and therefore enabling more rapid and effective treatment decisions.

Recognized as a worldwide “gold standard” in cancer reporting, the College of American Pathologists (CAP) Cancer Protocols help laboratories create the highest quality cancer reports, following the latest standards and guidelines to support improved patient care. In addition, the CAP Cancer Protocols can help laboratories:

• Standardize processes for new and experienced pathologists
• Manage varied or less-familiar cases
• Reduce time spent on incomplete reports
• Meet and maintain compliance/accreditation requirements
• Measure quality within and across laboratories, networks, and systems
• Contribute to cancer research for improved treatments

The CAP Cancer Committee develops these guidelines in collaboration with cancer experts, such as oncologists, molecular experts, radiologists, surgeons, cancer registrars, and other health care professionals, to aid pathologists in cancer reporting. The Pathology Electronic Reporting (PERT) Committee integrates these standards into a computer-readable electronic format for pathologist use in AP-Laboratory Information Systems (LIS).

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