The National Comprehensive Cancer Network® (NCCN®), a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)-approved provider-led entity for imaging appropriate use criteria, continues to build its library of these standards and has published NCCN Imaging Appropriate Use Criteria™ for an additional 15 NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines®). Launched in June 2016, NCCN Imaging Appropriate Use Criteria currently are available for 35 NCCN Guidelines.
New NCCN Imaging Appropriate Use Criteria have been published for the following:
- Basal Cell Skin Cancer
- Bone Cancer
- Breast Cancer Screening and Diagnosis
- Central Nervous System Cancers
- Cervical Cancer
- Colorectal Cancer Screening
- Dermatofibrosarcoma Protuberans
- Kidney Cancer
- Merkel Cell Carcinoma
- Multiple Myeloma
- Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer
- Occult Primary (Cancer of Unknown Origin)
- Squamous Cell Skin Cancer
- Uterine Cancer
- Vulvar Cancer
NCCN Imaging Appropriate Use Criteria are an easy-to-use, single source for criteria pertaining to cancer screening, diagnosis, staging, treatment response assessment, follow-up, and surveillance, as outlined within the library of NCCN Guidelines. These criteria include all imaging procedures recommended in the NCCN Guidelines, including radiographs, computed tomography scans, magnetic resonance imaging, functional nuclear medicine imaging, and ultrasound.
The new criteria are available through a Web-based user interface that provides a searchable and user-customized display. The complete library of NCCN Imaging Appropriate Use Criteria is scheduled to be available in 2017.
The NCCN Guidelines are the recognized standard for clinical policy in cancer care and are often the most thorough and most frequently updated clinical practice guidelines available in any area of medicine. Other NCCN Guidelines–derivative products include:
The NCCN Drugs & Biologics Compendium (NCCN Compendium®) contains authoritative, scientifically derived information designed to support decision-making about the appropriate use of drugs and biologics in patients with cancer. The NCCN Compendium is recognized by public and private insurers alike, including CMS and UnitedHealthcare, as an authoritative reference for oncology coverage policy.
The NCCN Biomarkers Compendium® contains information designed to support decision-making around the use of biomarker testing in patients with cancer.
The NCCN Chemotherapy Order Templates (NCCN Templates®) include chemotherapy, immunotherapy, supportive care agents, doses, schedules, monitoring parameters, and safety instructions for regimens recommended in the NCCN Guidelines. Special instructions for self-administered chemotherapeutic agents are also provided.
For more information and to access the NCCN Imaging Appropriate Use Criteria, visit NCCN.org/ImagingAUC. ■
