Dear AAPA Members,
Many of you know that the AAPA is a member organization of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC). It is an honor to be a part of the AJCC, collaborating with several other major healthcare associations (such as the American College of Surgeons, College of American Pathologists, American College of Physicians, Society of Surgical Oncology, etc.) in a focused and unwavering effort to improve the care of every cancer patient.
The AJCC performs a massive body of evidence based work which disseminates to the international health care community in the form of a publication titled: The AJCC Cancer Staging Manual. The Staging Manual provides a “common cancer language” for all health care providers and is the backbone for many subspecialty specific publications, such as the College of American Pathologists Cancer Protocols, and the AAPA Macroscopic Examination Guidelines: Utilization of the CAP Cancer Protocols at the Surgical Gross Bench.
In September 2017, as the Pathologists’ Assistant Member Representative of the AJCC, I had the privilege of attending the AJCC annual meeting; and, was also invited to attend the Cancer Programs Conference; representing numerous cancer programs housed under the American College of Surgeons. My delight in attending those meetings is primarily found in the underlying reality that this invitation is, by extension, to the entire membership of the AAPA. It was, and is, a tremendous recognition event for our association and profession.
The growing recognition of our association is a great reminder of the responsibility we carry on behalf of our patients with cancer. Therefore, I ask that you please follow this link to a letter drafted by the AJCC that gives you access (free of charge) to the Breast Chapter Update for the AJCC 8th Edition Cancer Staging Manual. Please take the time to become familiar with the update.
Later this month, you will receive another email that will link you to important articles that specifically address cancer staging changes or updates that are part of the 8th Edition of the AJCC Cancer Staging Manual.
Kindest regards,
Jon H. Wagner, PA(ASCP)CM
Director of Professional Outreach
AJCC Adjunct to the Board of Trustees
Editor-in-Chief, Grossing Guidelines
