title: Survey of utilization of multidisciplinary management tumor boards in Arab countries.
abstract: Multidisciplinary management (MDM) of cancer patients provides better care and is recommended by all authorities and published guidelines. There is very little documentation of MDM practices in low and middle income countries. A survey of 338 practicing oncology specialists from various Arab countries was conducted at four major pan-Arab oncology conferences in the first half of 2010. While 72% of respondents reported having an MDM tumor board, only 49% reported that their tumor boards met on a weekly basis. Of those who do not have a tumor board, 57% attend a tumor board meeting at another hospital within their country. 60% of respondents attend tumor board meetings to seek group opinion and help in the management of their patients. 93% of physicians surveyed agreed that tumor boards should be mandatory. The vast majority of physicians agreed that in the absence of all specialties, "mini tumor boards" should be organized between available specialists at all hospitals that treat cancer patients.
authors.affiliation: Breast Center of Excellence, NK Basile Cancer Institute, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon. nagi.saghir@aub.edu.lb
authors.forename: Nagi S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: El Saghir
authors.forename: Nadine
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: El-Asmar
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hajj
authors.forename: Toufic
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Eid
authors.forename: Sami
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Khatib
authors.forename: Adda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bounedjar
authors.forename: Dahish
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ajarim
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shamseddine
authors.forename: Fady
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Geara
authors.forename: Abdelrahman
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jazieh
authors.forename: Hamdy A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Azim
authors.forename: Yasser
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Abdelkader
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kattan
authors.forename: Omalkhair
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Abulkhair
mesh_terms: D000349:Africa; D001208:Asia; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D008877:Middle East; D016522:Oncology Service, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010346:Patient Care Management / Q000379:methods* / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires