title: Effect of Multidisciplinary Cancer Conference on Treatment Plan for Patients With Primary Rectal Cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although multidisciplinary cancer conferences have been reported to lead to improved patient outcomes, few studies have reported results of these for rectal cancer.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this work was to assess the quality of multidisciplinary cancer conferences, the effect of the conference on the initial treatment plan, compliance with the conference treatment recommendations, and clinical outcomes for rectal cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a prospective, longitudinal study.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted at a tertiary care academic hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with primary rectal cancer were included in this study.
  
  
  METHODS
  The intervention was a rectal cancer-specific multidisciplinary cancer conference.
  
  
  METHODS
  The quality of the multidisciplinary cancer conference was assessed using the Cancer Care Ontario Multidisciplinary Cancer Conference standards score. A change in treatment plan was defined as a change from the initial treatment plan selected by the treating physician to an alternate treatment plan recommended at the conference.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-five multidisciplinary cancer conferences were conducted over a 10-month study period. The Cancer Care Ontario Multidisciplinary Cancer Conference standards score was 7 (from a maximum score of 9). Forty-two patients with primary rectal cancer were presented, and there was a 29% (12/42) change in the initial treatment plan. A total of 42% (5/12) of these changes were attributed to reinterpretation of the MRI findings. There was 100% compliance with the conference treatment recommendations. The circumferential resection margin was positive in 5.5% (2/36).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Selection bias may have led to an overestimate of effect, and there is no control group for comparison of clinical outcomes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A high-quality rectal cancer-specific multidisciplinary cancer conference led to a 29% change in the treatment plan for patients with primary rectal cancer, with almost half of these changes attributed to reinterpretation of the magnetic resonance images.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Surgery, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada 2 Zane Cohen Centre for Digestive Diseases, Toronto, Ontario, Canada 3 Joint Department of Medical Imaging, Mount Sinai Hospital, University Health Network, Women's College, Toronto, Ontario, Canada 4 Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada 5 Department of Radiation Oncology, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada 6 Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada 7 Institute of the Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Ryan C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Snelgrove
authors.forename: Jhananiee
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Subendran
authors.forename: Kartik
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jhaveri
authors.forename: Seng
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Thipphavong
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cummings
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brierley
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kirsch
authors.forename: Erin D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Kennedy
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010347:Patient Care Planning; D010348:Patient Care Team; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers; D016896:Treatment Outcome