Impact of the multidisciplinary cancer team on the diagnostic and therapeutic care pathway of early breast cancer patients and perception of team members: the experience of a cancer centre in Italy

Cancer Invest. 2023 Dec 27:1-12. doi: 10.1080/07357907.2023.2300442. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTLiterature on the role of multidisciplinary team (MDT) in cancer is still controversial. We aimed to investigate MDT impact on a panel of indicators in breast cancer care in a single-center retrospective study performed in a Cancer Reference Center in Italy. We analysed the diagnostic and therapeutic care pathway (DTCP) of 266 early breast cancer patients managed by our MDT during 2019-2020.Process indicators reflecting the change of the diagnostic and therapeutic care pathways occurred after the MDT discussion were computed. Further, the performance of some quality care indicators in breast cancer care since the establishment of the MDT activity and the breast cancer MDT members' perceptions were also investigated. According to our study, MDT approach improves breast cancer management by increasing the completion of staging and by encouraging neo-adjuvant treatment and a less conservative but appropriate and faster surgery. In the view of MDT members' perspective it also improves decision-making and training and creates a positive work environment. Globally our study encourages MDT rollout in breast cancer care. However, to enhance the reliability and comparability of the results of studies investigating MDT effectiveness in clinical practice, shared guidelines on its operationalisation are desirable.PMID:38149612 | DOI:10.1080/07357907.2023.2300442

Source: Cancer Investigation - December 27, 2023 Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Aml Capobianco G Gallucci L Lapadula G Dinardo G La Torre N Sisti L G Sisti Source Type: research