ROLE OF SITE-SPECIFIC MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAM MANAGEMENT IN BREAST CANCER PATIENTS

Abstract

Background: Multidisciplinary team (MDT) management improves cancer outcomes but adoption remains limited in developing countries. Failure to adopt standard management protocols contributes to delays in breast cancer diagnosis and treatment. This study compares site-specific MDT versus conventional management approaches.

Objective: To evaluate site-specific Breast MDT effectiveness in reducing diagnostic and treatment delays in breast cancer patients.

Study Design: Comparative cohort study.

Study Setting: This study was conducted at the Department of Breast Surgery, Madina Teaching Hospital (MTH), Faisalabad

Study Duration: Six Months (October ’24, to March‘25).

Methodology: Comparative cohort study of 258 breast cancer patients that included 154 MDT-managed and 104 conventionally managed. Primary outcomes were time from presentation to diagnosis, diagnosis to surgery, and diagnosis to chemotherapy. Data was analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics version 26.0. Independent t-test was used for continuous variables and chi-square tests for categorical variables (p<0.05 significant).

Results: Mean age of study population in MDT group was 48.34±10.25 and in non-MDT group was 50.39±7.23 years. Among biological subtypes, HER2+ disease was 38.9% in MDT vs 83.7% in non-MDT group (p<0.001). Diagnostic work up was completed in 1 month in MDT group & 2 month in non MDT group (p<0.001). Chemotherapy initiated 3.1 months (MDT) versus 6.3 months (non-MDT) (p<0.001)—95-day advantage representing 50.5% reduction.

Conclusion: Site-specific MDT based management of breast cancer improved timely diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer patients and thus it led to better patient outcome and trust on managing team and institute.

Keywords: MDT, Breast Cancer, Breast surgery, Cancer diagnosis, Chemotherapy.