Book excerpt: Presented by the American College of Surgeons and the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology, the first comprehensive, evidence-based examination of cancer surgery techniques as standards distills the well-defined protocols and techniques that are critical to achieve optimal outcomes in a cancer operation. This unique, one of a kind collaboration between the American College of Surgeons and the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology focuses on best practices and state-of-the-art methodologies. Operative Standards for Cancer Surgery clearly describes the surgical activities that occur between skin incision and skin closure that directly affect cancer outcomes.