Premium
CR11
*THE MULTIDISCIPLINARY MEETING IN COLORECTAL CANCER SERVICE – ATTITUDES OF CLINICIANS AND THE IMPACT UPON PATIENT MANAGEMENT
Author(s) -
Chow Z. Y.,
Shedda S.,
Steele M.,
Gibbs P.,
Mclaughlin S.,
Jones I.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
anz journal of surgery
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.426
H-Index - 70
eISSN - 1445-2197
pISSN - 1445-1433
DOI - 10.1111/j.1445-2197.2009.04915_11.x
Subject(s) - medicine , colorectal cancer , multidisciplinary team , anus , rectum , multidisciplinary approach , family medicine , general surgery , cancer , surgery , nursing , social science , sociology
Purpose: The multidisciplinary meeting (MDM) has been widely adopted as standard of care for patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). However, there is little evidence to support the MDM, and individual clinician attitudes have not been studied. Methods: Clinicians involved in patients with CRC patients completed a questionnaire. The study was conducted in 2008 at 5 institutions, including MDM naïve (NG) and experienced groups (EG), with repetition in 6 months. The impact of the MDM was prospectively studied at a hospital from 7/7/08 to 22/12/08. The initial plan and the final consensus were recorded. Results: 22 clinicians completed the survey. The clinicians in the NG stated that there was an influence of MDM on routine patient management in 40% of patients. After 6 months, in both the EG and the NG, the MDM was felt to have an impact on the patients’ management in >70% of cases (p = 0.16). 115 cases (91 patients) were discussed at the MDM. The median age was 65 years (range 26 to 101) with 48% males. The locations were colonic 53 (46%), rectum 40 (35%), anus 6 (5%) and other 16 (14%). 80 (69%) were discussed at the time of initial diagnosis. In 79 (69%) the main issue was chemotherapy and/or radiation administration. In 17 (52%) patients it was decided that further investigations were required. There was an impact on the management in 33 (29%) patients. A change in treatment intent occurred, either curative or palliative, in 5 (15%) patients. Conclusion: Clinicians involved in an MDM believe that this influences management in majority of patients with impact on management of almost a third of patients discussed. The multidisciplinary meeting is valuable in the treatment of colorectal cancer patients.