The Mount Sinai Hospital and Mount Sinai Queens Achieve NAPRC Accreditation for Rectal Cancer Care
From left to right: Patricia Sylla, MD, NAPRC Program Co-Director; Laura Caplan, PA, NAPRC Program Coordinator; and Peter Kozuch, MD, NAPRC Program Co-Director.
Photo credit Mount Sinai Health System
In recognition of Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, the Mount Sinai Tisch Cancer Center proudly announces that the rectal cancer programs at The Mount Sinai Hospital and Mount Sinai Queens have earned a three-year accreditation from the National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer (NAPRC), a distinction that reflects the highest standards in rectal cancer care.
Colorectal cancer remains the second leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States and is now the leading cause of cancer-related mortality among adults under age 50. These trends underscore the critical importance of screening beginning at age 45, prompt evaluation of symptoms such as rectal bleeding, and timely referral to specialized multidisciplinary centers.
“Mount Sinai is one of the largest rectal cancer programs in the region to achieve this recognition,” said Patricia Sylla, MD, Chief of the Mount Sinai Health System’s Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery and Co-Director of the NAPRC. “Our program brings together more than 40 dedicated specialists—including colorectal surgeons, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, radiologists, pathologists, advanced practice practitioners, and trainees—who collaborate to deliver truly comprehensive, patient-centered care. This accreditation, which was more than three years in the making, reflects Mount Sinai’s unwavering commitment to excellence, continuous quality improvement, and integrated care for patients with rectal cancer.”
Established by the American College of Surgeons, the NAPRC sets rigorous evidence-based standards designed to improve outcomes and ensure that patients with rectal cancer receive coordinated high-quality multidisciplinary care. Accreditation is awarded only to programs demonstrating excellence in clinical care, program structure, quality improvement, and data-driven performance.
NAPRC accreditation requires strict adherence to best practices in diagnosis, staging, treatment planning, and survivorship, as well as ongoing evaluation of clinical outcomes.
“One of the most gratifying aspects of pursuing NAPRC accreditation was witnessing the extraordinary collaboration across our multidisciplinary colorectal cancer team,” said Peter Kozuch, MD, Site Director for the Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology at Mount Sinai West and Co-Director of NAPRC. “Our weekly multidisciplinary tumor board exemplifies this teamwork, providing patients and referring physicians with expert guidance at every pivotal point in care. Achieving accreditation for one of the largest and most diverse colorectal cancer teams in the country marks a significant milestone in our mission to serve patients and communities with world-leading cancer care.”
“NAPRC standards promote continuous learning, innovation, and quality improvement,” Dr. Kozuch added. “Pursuing this accreditation has strengthened Mount Sinai’s educational mission. It is incredibly rewarding to see trainees across specialties engage with our processes and contribute to advancing care.”
The NAPRC accreditation affirms Mount Sinai’s leadership in rectal cancer treatment and its dedication to delivering coordinated, evidence-based care designed to improve patient outcomes.
Mount Sinai Colon and Rectal Cancer Treatment and Screening locations:
The Mount Sinai Hospital: 1468 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10029
Mount Sinai Queens: 25-10 30th Avenue, Astoria, NY 11102
We have excellent care in New York City and the surrounding suburbs:
https://www.mountsinai.org/care/cancer/services/colon/locations
About the Mount Sinai Health System
Mount Sinai Health System is one of the largest academic medical systems in the New York metro area, with 48,000 employees working across seven hospitals, more than 400 outpatient practices, more than 600 research and clinical labs, a school of nursing, and a leading school of medicine and graduate education. Mount Sinai advances health for all people, everywhere, by taking on the most complex health care challenges of our time—discovering and applying new scientific learning and knowledge; developing safer, more effective treatments; educating the next generation of medical leaders and innovators; and supporting local communities by delivering high-quality care to all who need it.
Through the integration of its hospitals, labs, and schools, Mount Sinai offers comprehensive health care solutions from birth through geriatrics, leveraging innovative approaches such as artificial intelligence and informatics while keeping patients’ medical and emotional needs at the center of all treatment. The Health System includes approximately 9,000 primary and specialty care physicians and 10 free-standing joint-venture centers throughout the five boroughs of New York City, Westchester, Long Island, and Florida. Hospitals within the System are consistently ranked by Newsweek’s® “The World’s Best Smart Hospitals, Best in State Hospitals, World Best Hospitals and Best Specialty Hospitals” and by U.S. News & World Report's® “Best Hospitals” and “Best Children’s Hospitals.” The Mount Sinai Hospital is on the U.S. News & World Report® “Best Hospitals” Honor Roll for 2025-2026.
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