The Room Where It Happens: A Behind the Scenes Look at the NCCN Guidelines Development Process

Because they are exceptionally thorough, frequently updated, and based on a rigorous process, the NCCN Guidelines are a widely recognized standard for clinical direction in oncology. Insight into the processes behind the development of the NCCN Guidelines can help fellows recognize the importance of consulting the Guidelines regularly and can strengthen their confidence regarding the recommendations within the Guidelines. These insights might also help these potential future NCCN Guidelines panel members to minimize their own potential conflicts of interest and be aware of their biases.

Target Audience

This program is designed to meet the educational needs of physicians, nurses, PAs, pharmacists, and other health care professionals who manage patients with cancer.

Learning Objectives

Following this activity, participants should be able to:

  • Explain the common considerations and approaches used by NCCN Guidelines panels when updating or developing NCCN Guidelines recommendations.
  • Describe how panels apply the NCCN Categories of Evidence and Consensus and the NCCN Categories of Preference to recommendations within NCCN Guidelines.
  • Delineate the ways in which NCCN manages conflict of interest and bias among Guidelines panel members.
Additional information
Supporters: 

This activity is supported by educational grants from:

  • Taiho Oncology, Inc.
  • Revolution Medicines

Supported by an independent educational grant from Daiichi Sankyo.

This educational activity is supported by an independent medical education grant from GSK. 

Course summary
Available credit: 
  • 1.25 AAPA Category 1 CME credit
  • 1.25 ACPE contact hours
  • 1.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
  • 1.25 ANCC contact hours
  • 1.25 Participation
Course opens: 
06/15/2026
Course expires: 
03/01/2027
Part of: 
Recorded Presentations from the NCCN 2026 Oncology Fellows Program: New Horizons in Quality Cancer Care™
Moderator
 
Thomas W. Flaig, MD
University of Colorado Cancer Center
 
Panelists
 
Deborah A. Freedman-Cass, PhD
National Comprehensive Cancer Network

Gregory J. Riely, MD, PhD
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Bryan J. Schneider, MD
University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center
 
NCCN Continuing Education Disclosure Policy
 
It is the policy of NCCN that all planners, faculty, moderators, authors, reviewers and anyone involved in the planning and delivery of NCCN continuing education activities are expected to disclose ALL financial relationships they have had in the past 24 months with ineligible companies. The ACCME Standards for Integrity and Independence require that individuals who refuse to provide this information will be disqualified from involvement in the planning and implementation of accredited continuing education presented by NCCN. NCCN identifies, mitigates and discloses to learners all relevant financial relationships.
 
In addition, all content has been reviewed to ensure education promotes safe, effective patient care and does not promote the products or services of an ineligible company. Content, including any presentation of therapeutic options, is fair, balanced, evidence-based, scientifically accurate, and free of commercial bias and marketing. 
 
Definitions  
 
Ineligible Company: An ineligible company is any entity whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients. 
 
Relevant Financial Relationships: Financial relationships of any dollar amount occurring within the past 24 months are defined as relevant if the educational content an individual can control is related to the business lines or products of an ineligible company. There is no minimum financial threshold. We ask for disclosure of ALL financial relationships with ineligible companies, regardless of the amount and regardless of the potential relevance of each relationship to the education.
 
Faculty Disclaimers  
 
All faculty for this continuing education activity are competent in the subject matter and qualified by experience, training, and/or preparation for the tasks and methods of delivery. Faculty presentations may include discussion of off-label use. Faculty will disclose that the use in question is not currently approved by the FDA per the product labeling or marketing.
 
Faculty Disclosures
 
The faculty listed below have no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose.
 
Deborah A. Freedman-Cass, PhD
Bryan J. Schneider, MD
 
The faculty listed below have the following relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose. All of the relevant financial relationships listed for these individuals have been mitigated. 
 

Thomas W. Flaig, MD
Agensys, Inc.: Grant/Research Support
Astellas Pharma US, Inc.: Grant/Research Support
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP: Grant/Research Support
Aurora Oncology: Equity Interest/Stock Options; Intellectual Property Rights
Bristol Myers Squibb: Grant/Research Support
Criterium: Consulting Fee; Scientific Advisor
Genentech, Inc.: Grant/Research Support
Janssen Pharmaceutica Products, LP: Grant/Research Support; Scientific Advisor
Merck & Co., Inc.: Grant/Research Support
Myovant Sciences GmbH/Sumitomo Pharma Co. Ltd: Grant/Research Support
sanofi-aventis U.S.: Grant/Research Support
SeaGen: Grant/Research Support

Gregory J. Riely, MD, PhD
Amgen Inc.: Grant/Research Support
Bristol Myers Squibb: Grant/Research Support
Eli Lilly and Company: Grant/Research Support
Pfizer Inc.: Grant/Research Support
Roche Laboratories, Inc.: Grant/Research Support 

NCCN Staff Disclosures
 
None of the planners for this educational activity have relevant financial relationship(s) to disclose with ineligible companies whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients.
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In support of improving patient care, National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

Physicians: NCCN designates this enduring material for a maximum of 1.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Nurses: NCCN designates this educational activity for a maximum of 1.25 contact hours.

Pharmacists: NCCN designates this knowledge-based continuing education activity for 1.25 contact hours (0.125 CEUs) of continuing education credit. UAN:  JA4008196-0000-26-051-H01-P

PAs: NCCN has been authorized by the American Academy of PAs (AAPA) to award AAPA Category 1 CME credit for activities planned in accordance with AAPA CME Criteria. This activity is designated for 1.25 AAPA Category 1 CME credits. Approval is valid until March 1, 2027. PAs should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation.

Available Credit

  • 1.25 AAPA Category 1 CME credit
  • 1.25 ACPE contact hours
  • 1.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
  • 1.25 ANCC contact hours
  • 1.25 Participation
Please login or register to take this course.

Required Hardware/software

To complete this activity, users will need: 

  • A device with an Internet connection and sound playback capability (speakers or a headset) 
  • Adobe Reader or other PDF reader software for certificate viewing/printing