AUTHOR=Xu Fei , Ou Dan , Qi Weixiang , Wang Shubei , Han Yiming , Cai Gang , Cao Lu , Xu Cheng , Chen Jia-Yi 

TITLE=Impact of multidisciplinary team on the pattern of care for brain metastasis from breast cancer

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Oncology

VOLUME=Volume 13 - 2023

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/oncology/articles/10.3389/fonc.2023.1160802

DOI=10.3389/fonc.2023.1160802

ISSN=2234-943X

ABSTRACT=To explore how a multidisciplinary team(MDT) affects patterns of local or systematic treatment.We retrospectively reviewed the data of consecutive patients in the breast cancer with brain metastases(BCBM) database at our institution from January 2011 to April 2021.The patients were divided into an MDT group and a non-MDT group.A total of 208 patients were analysed, including 104 each in the MDT and non-MDT groups. After MDT, 56 patients (53.8% ) was found to have intracranial "diagnosis upgrade". In the matched population, patients in the MDT group were recorded a higher proportion of meningeal metastases (14.4% vs. 4.8%, P = 0.02), symptomatic tumour progression (11.5% vs. 5.8%, P =0.04) and an increased number of occurrences of brain metastases(BM) progression (P<0.05). Attending MDT was an independent factor associated with ≥2 courses of intracranial radiotherapy(RT) (odds ratio (OR) 5.4, 95% confidence interval(CI): 2.7-10.9, P < 0.001), novel RT technique use(7.0, 95% CI 3.5-14.0, P<0.001), prospective clinical research (OR 5.7, 95% CI 2.4-13.4, P<0.001).Patients with complex conditions are often referred for MDT discussions. An MDT may improve the qualities of intracranial RT and systemic therapy, resulting in benefits of overall survival for breast patients after BM. This encourages that treatment recommendations for patients with BMBC should be discussed within an MDT.