LEWISTON – Dr. Yue Guo of Lewiston recently received a three-year appointment as cancer liaison physician for the Hospital Cancer Program at Central Maine Medical Center. The Cancer Liaison Physician Program is an integral part of the Commission on Cancer (CoC) of the American College of Surgeons.

Guo is among a national network of more than 1,600 volunteer cancer liaison physicians who provide leadership and support to the CoC Approvals Program, and other Commission on Cancer activities at their local facility.

Guo, who has a significant interest in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with malignant diseases, provides direction as a member of the multidisciplinary cancer committee at CMMC to maintain or seek CoC approval of their cancer program.

The Commission on Cancer is a consortium of professional organizations dedicated to reducing the morbidity and mortality of cancer through education, standard-setting, and monitoring quality of cancer care. Its membership includes Fellows of the American College of Surgeons and 39 national organizations that reflect the full spectrum of cancer care.

Twenty-two percent of the hospitals in the United States have cancer programs approved by the Commission of Cancer and 80 percent of newly diagnosed cancer patients are treated in these institutions.