title: Collaborative Care in NSCLC; the Role of Early Palliative Care.
abstract: The management of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has evolved into a multidisciplinary team approach that traditionally has involved medical oncology, radiation oncology, and thoracic surgery. However, in the era of personalized medicine the importance of molecular diagnostics requires adequate tissue for histologic subtyping and molecular testing and thus requires the engagement of other subspecialties such as pathology, respirology, and interventional radiology. Unfortunately in 2014, the majority of patients presenting with NSCLC will succumb to their disease and the early integration of palliative care into the treatment strategy will improve the quality of life and end-of-life care of our patients and may in fact improve their overall survival.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family and Community Medicine, Division of Palliative Medicine, University of Toronto , Toronto, ON , Canada.
authors.forename: Marnie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Howe
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, University of Toronto , Toronto, ON , Canada.
authors.forename: Ronald L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Burkes
keywords: NSCLC; collaborative care; early palliative care