title: Effect of multidisciplinary team treatment on outcomes of patients with gastrointestinal malignancy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effect of multidisciplinary team (MDT) treatment modality on outcomes of patients with gastrointestinal malignancy in China.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data about patients with gastric and colorectal cancer treated in our center during the past 10 years were collected and divided into two parts. Part 1 consisted of the data collected from 516 consecutive complicated cases discussed at MDT meetings in Peking University School of Oncology (PKUSO) from December 2005 to July 2009. Part 2 consisted of the data collected from 263 consecutive cases of resectable locally advanced rectal cancer from January 2001 to January 2005. These 263 patients were divided into neoadjuvant therapy (NT) group and control group. Patients in NT group received MDT treatment, namely neoadjuvant therapy + surgery + postoperative adjuvant therapy. Patients in control group underwent direct surgery + postoperative adjuvant therapy. The outcomes in two groups were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The treatment strategy was altered after discussed at MDT meeting in 76.81% of gastric cancer patients and in 58.33% of colorectal cancer patients before operation. The sphincter-preservation and local control of tumor were better in NT group than in control group. The 5-year overall survival rate was also higher in NT group than in control group (77.23% vs 69.75%, P = 0.049).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MDT treatment modality can significantly improve the outcomes of patients with gastrointestinal malignancy in China.
authors.affiliation: Department of Colorectal Surgery, Peking University School of Oncology, Fucheng Road 52, Haidian District, Beijing 100142, China.
authors.forename: Chang-Zheng
authors.initials: CZ
authors.lastname: Du
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Ying-Shi
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Wei-Cheng
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Xue
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gu
mesh_terms: D002681:China; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010348:Patient Care Team; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome