title: [Responsibilities and importance of tumor centers for interdisciplinary tumor therapy].
abstract: Early diagnosis, therapy and follow-up of tumor patients rest on the three pillars of medical care: tumor centers, hospitals and physicians. The tumor centers are the pace makers and coordinators in the following functions: definition of primary treatment and additional therapies and their standard of quality; implementation of primary multimodal therapies and treatment of rare tumors; development of improved treatment methods for tumor metastases and local recurrence, including surgical treatment; improvement of diagnostic and therapeutic (surgical) potential through interdisciplinary research, especially in the fields of tumor biology and tumor immunology; and establishment of a standardized follow-up and new care and treatment strategies for the improvement of the patients' quality of life.
authors.affiliation: Chirurgische Univ.-Klinik, Heidelberg.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schlag
mesh_terms: D000359:Aftercare / Q000379:methods; D002173:Cancer Care Facilities; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D006801:Humans; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D010348:Patient Care Team; D012106:Research