What is a multidisciplinary clinic?
What is a Multidisciplinary Clinic?
Cancer treatment now requires a coordinated treatment plan, which involves surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. A multidisciplinary clinic is an opportunity to meet with all the specialists in one session. They then review all the biopsy findings with the pathologists and the radiological studies (CT scans, MRIs, mammograms, etc)
with the radiologist, and recommend a course of action.
Some tumors are still treated with surgery first, but many are often better treated with some pre treatment, with radiation and chemotherapy. This may enable a better, curative operation.
Is a Multidisciplinary clinic visit essential? No.
In fact, often in straightforward situations, it is unnecessary.
What is essential is that
-all the consultants talk to each other
-review the Pathology and X-rays findings
-present all the options to you, and explain their recommendations.
Tertiary referral centers at major hospitals are focused on Multidisciplinary Clinics, mainly because they are the entry point into their “Disease Centers”.
In the community, specialists talk to each other all the time, without a formal multidisciplinary clinic. They may have Tumor Boards where they present challenging situations for discussion. Visiting experts may participate in these discussions. They may call or email an expert elsewhere for advice. Communication takes place in different ways.