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Ichikawa M, Uematsu K, Yano N, Yamada M, Ono T, Kawashiro S, Akamatsu H, Hagiwara Y, Sato H, Nemoto K. Implementation rate and effects of multidisciplinary team meetings on decision making about radiotherapy: an observational study at a single Japanese institution. BMC Med Inform Decis Mak 2022; 22:111. [PMID: 35477440 PMCID: PMC9044833 DOI: 10.1186/s12911-022-01849-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cancer treatment requires a multidisciplinary approach. Therefore, multidisciplinary team meetings (MDTMs) have been widely used to determine the direction of treatment. However, no standard provisions exist for conducting MDTMs, and recommendations discussed in MDTMs are sometimes not implemented. This study analyzed the indications for radiotherapy discussed and recommended at MDTMs, identified the rate of radiotherapy recommendations for patients that were not implemented, and clarified the reasons at a single academic center in Japan. METHODS This was a cross-sectional study that analyzed the minutes and electronic medical records of cases discussed at MDTMs held between April 2012-March 2017 at Yamagata University Hospital. We categorized how radiotherapy was initially presented at MDTMs, determined the rate of radiotherapy recommendations made through MDTMs, analyzed whether treatment recommendations were subsequently implemented, and examined the causes of non-implementation. We performed a statistical analysis to assess some clinical factors (sex, age, number of multidisciplinary team meetings, and classification of planned treatment) associated with the non-implementation of radiotherapy recommendations from MDTMs. RESULTS A total of 1813 cases were discussed at MDTMs, of which 71% (1293 cases) were presented with treatment plans, including radiotherapy. Further, 66% (1205 cases) were recommended for radiotherapy through the MDTMs. Recommendations from MDTMs were not implemented in 7% (142 cases). The most typical reason for non-implementation was the clinician's opinion (30%), followed by patient preferences (27%) and disease progression (20%). Change in cancer stage and improvement in symptoms were 12% and 4%, respectively. These ratios were similar each year. We could not find the factors associated with the non-implementation of radiotherapy recommendations from MDTMs. CONCLUSIONS MDTMs had a significant effect on the recommendation of radiotherapy for each patient with a tumor. The primary reason for the non-implementation of decisions made at MDTMs was the opinion of clinicians and the patient's preference. These results were similar to previous studies. We need to establish a monitoring system where patients themselves can decide the treatments based on their choices while using the recommendations from MDTMs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mayumi Ichikawa
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Yamagata University School of Medicine, 2-2-2, Iida-nishi, Yamagata, 990-9585, Japan.
| | - Ken Uematsu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Yamagata University School of Medicine, 2-2-2, Iida-nishi, Yamagata, 990-9585, Japan
| | - Natsuko Yano
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Yamagata University School of Medicine, 2-2-2, Iida-nishi, Yamagata, 990-9585, Japan
| | - Masayoshi Yamada
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Yamagata University School of Medicine, 2-2-2, Iida-nishi, Yamagata, 990-9585, Japan
| | - Takashi Ono
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Yamagata University School of Medicine, 2-2-2, Iida-nishi, Yamagata, 990-9585, Japan
| | - Shohei Kawashiro
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Yamagata University School of Medicine, 2-2-2, Iida-nishi, Yamagata, 990-9585, Japan
| | - Hiroko Akamatsu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Yamagata University School of Medicine, 2-2-2, Iida-nishi, Yamagata, 990-9585, Japan
| | - Yasuhito Hagiwara
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Yamagata University School of Medicine, 2-2-2, Iida-nishi, Yamagata, 990-9585, Japan
| | - Hiraku Sato
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Yamagata University School of Medicine, 2-2-2, Iida-nishi, Yamagata, 990-9585, Japan
| | - Kenji Nemoto
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Yamagata University School of Medicine, 2-2-2, Iida-nishi, Yamagata, 990-9585, Japan
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