Binnur Donmez Yilmaz1, Semra Gunay2, Asli Erturk3, Aysun Arslantas4, Pinar Ozay Nayir5, Sevda Saglampinar Karyagar6, Biray Erturk7, Sener Cihan8
1 Department of Radiation Oncology 2 Department of General Surgery 3 Department of Radiology 4 Department of Radiation Oncology 5 Department of Pathology 6 Department of Nuclear Medicine 7 Department of Genetics 8 Department of Medical Oncology Cemil Tascioglu City Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
Summary
Purpose: This study aimed to assess the impact of multidisciplinary meetings (MDM) on breast cancer diagnosis and tailored treatment planning.
Methods: Data from 680 breast cancer patients treated at the Cemil Tascioglu City Hospital between January 2018 and December 2019 were analyzed. Treatment decisions were made based on the discussions in the MDMs.
Results: The median age of the patients was 54 years (range: 21-84), with the stage distribution as follows: stage 1-2 (86.62%), stage 3 (5.15%), and stage 4 (8.2%). The molecular subtype distribution was 339 patients with luminal A (54%), 113 HER2-positive (18%), 90 patients with luminal B (14.4%), and 82 patients with triple-negative (13.2%) breast cancer. In 193 cases (28%), treatment decisions made in MDMs favored either a different surgical technique or sequence of chemotherapy. The median time between initial diagnosis and treatment decision was 5.8 weeks (range: 1-20).
Conclusions: The findings emphasize the importance of MDMs in tailoring treatment plans for breast cancer patients. Early identification of risk groups and suspicious areas in the breast or axilla can lead to modifications in treatment strategies, potentially impacting patient outcomes. Streamlining additional examinations to facilitate quicker decision-making in MDMs is crucial for optimizing patient care.
Keywords: breast cancer, magnetic resonance imaging, multidisciplinary, neoadjuvant chemotherapy, risk group.
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