title: Feasibility of a multdisciplinary lung cancer videoconference between a peripheral hospital and a comprehensive cancer centre.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Treatment of lung cancer patients is changing rapidly and new treatment options have emerged in recent years. In 2007, to guarantee the best treatment procedure for lung cancer patients being treated in our peripheral hospital, we decided to introduce an interdisciplinary tumour videoconference between the Haemato-Oncological Day Hospital in Merano and the Comprehensive Cancer Centre Innsbruck. This retrospective analysis aims to describe the feasibility of such a conference.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred and three patients with lung cancer treated at the peripheral hospital of Merano between May 2003 until May 2011 were retrospectively analysed. After introduction of the tumour videoconference in 2007, 54% (n = 110) of the patients in this cohort were discussed in the conference.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred and four videoconferences were performed. Videoconference was feasible for 110 patients. Radiotherapeutic treatments were prescribed more frequently in patients from the conference group. Overall, major and minor treatment changes were undertaken in 7% (n = 8) and 18% (n = 20), respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Interdisciplinary tumour videoconference is feasible between a peripheral hospital and a comprehensive cancer centre. Radiotherapeutic treatment was prescribed more frequently, suggesting that such a conference facilitates the access to cancer-centre-specific treatment modalities. Accordingly, tumour videoconference between a peripheral hospital and a cancer centre is to be recommend.
authors: Haemato-Oncological Day Hospital, Franz Tappeiner Hospital, IT-39012 Merano, Italy.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Seeber
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Mitterer
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Gunsilius
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Mazzoleni
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Giovannetti
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Farsad
authors: W
authors: W
authors: Eisterer
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Gastl
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Pall
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Wieser
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Lukas
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Wimmer
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Spizzo
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D000368:Aged; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D003625:Data Collection; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010347:Patient Care Planning; D011379:Prognosis; D019114:Remote Consultation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055752:Small Cell Lung Carcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D049269:Videoconferencing