Which of the following physician specialties is NOT required on the cancer committee?

The role of the cancer committee is to oversee the cancer program at a facility and ensure compliance with the standards set forth by the Commission on Cancer (CoC). Each specialty on the committee contributes essential insights and expertise that enhance cancer care quality and patient outcomes.

A geneticist, while important in the context of genetic counseling and assessing hereditary cancer risks, is not one of the critical specialties mandated for cancer committees as defined by CoC requirements. The presence of a surgeon, medical oncologist, and pathologist is vital as they provide essential surgical, medical, and diagnostic perspectives critical to cancer treatment and management.

Surgeons are necessary for leading surgical interventions, medical oncologists are crucial for systemic therapies, and pathologists play a key role in diagnosing cancer and providing essential tissue analysis essential for treatment decisions. Although geneticists contribute valuable information regarding hereditary cancer syndromes, their expertise does not fall under the core requirement for the committee, which focuses primarily on direct clinical management and treatment planning processes.

In summary, the absence of geneticists from the mandatory list of specialties reflects the need for a core focus on surgical, medical, and pathology expertise within the committee while recognizing that genetic counseling can be integrated into patient care through other pathways.