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Review
. 2020 Sep 30:12:9363-9374.
doi: 10.2147/CMAR.S220976. eCollection 2020.

Benefits and Limitations of a Multidisciplinary Approach in Cancer Patient Management

Rossana Berardi  1 , Francesca Morgese  1 , Silvia Rinaldi  1 , Mariangela Torniai  1 , Giulia Mentrasti  1 , Laura Scortichini  1 , Riccardo Giampieri  1
Affiliations
Review

Benefits and Limitations of a Multidisciplinary Approach in Cancer Patient Management

Rossana Berardi et al. Cancer Manag Res. .

Abstract

Over the years, a growing body of literature has confirmed as beneficial the implementation of a multidisciplinary approach in the so-often-intricate scenario of cancer patients' management. Together with the consolidation of tumor-board experience in clinical practice, certain aspects have emerged as controversial and a source of current debate. In this systematic literature review, we focused our attention on the impact of multidisciplinary tumor boards, assessing benefits and limitations as a result of the dissemination of such approaches. On the bright side, adherence to clinical guidelines, treatment outcomes, and overall improvement in decision-making processes have been recognized as advantages. On the other side, our analysis highlights a few limitations that should be taken into account to optimize cancer patients' management. Of note, some issues, such as costs, legal responsibility, geographic barriers, and treatment delays, have yet to be resolved. In order partly to address this matter, software platforms and novel methods of computational analysis may provide the needed support. Therefore, the aim of our analysis was to describe the multidisciplinary approach in cancer care in terms of adherence to clinical guidelines, treatment outcomes, and overall improvement in decision-making processes through a systematic review of the literature.

Keywords: benefits; cancer patients; limitations; multidisciplinary; tumor board.

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Conflict of interest statement

Rossana Berardi reports grants from Astra Zeneca, Novartis, Merck Sharp & Dohme, and Lilly and personal fees from Otsuka, Boehringer, Merck Sharp & Dohme, and Lilly outside the submitted work. The other authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Multidisciplinary tumor board.
Figure 2
Figure 2
PRISMA.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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