[Are decisions of multidisciplinary tumor boards in accordance with the guidelines? Experience of an university reference center for breast cancer]

Abstract

Objective: Multidisciplinary meeting (MDM) should ensure a homogeneous management of the patients by following breast cancer guidelines. Are these guidelines really applied in MDM decisions?

Patients and methods: We reviewed the last 200 cases of patients operated in our department for breast cancer. We searched for each case if MDM had been consulted, at which step of the management and if the decision was in accordance with our guidelines.

Results: Mean age of the 200 patients was 56 (range 27-87)years old and 145 of them (72,5%) had an invasive breast cancer. All cases were presented to the MDM, 148 (74%) preoperatively and 200 (100%) postoperatively. Only four decisions did not follow our guidelines. In three cases, the decision was explained within the MDM report and in one case, the decision was not explained but could be understood.

Discussion and conclusion: We found a significant relation between MDM decisions and our guidelines. However, complex cases require adapting the guidelines to the particularity and the wishes of the patients.