Multidisciplinary care of hepatocellular carcinoma

Quality Measures for Multidisciplinary Tumor Boards and Their Role in Improving Cancer Care

While multidisciplinary tumor boards (MTBs) are widely used in managing patients with cancer, their impact on patient care and outcome is not routinely measured in different settings. The authors conducted a literature review in Medline, Google Scholar, Embase, and Web of Science using the following keywords: cancer, multidisciplinary, tumor board, quality performance indicator, lung cancer, and lymphoma. Standards from various accreditation and professional organizations were reviewed to compile relevant standards for MTB. A list of quality performance indicators that can be used to improve MTBs' performance and impact was compiled. Specific examples for non-Hodgkin lymphoma and lung cancer MTBs were presented. Guidance was provided to help MTB team members select implement the appropriate quality measures. The functions and impact of MTBs should be monitored and evaluated by a set of measures that help guide MTBs to improve their performance and provide better care to their patients.

Cancer tracking system improves timeliness of liver cancer care at a Veterans Hospital: A comparison of cohorts before and after implementation of an automated care coordination tool

INTRODUCTION

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) requires complex care coordination. Patient safety may be compromised with untimely follow-up of abnormal liver imaging. This study evaluated whether an electronic case-finding and tracking system improved timeliness of HCC care.

METHODS

An electronic medical record-linked abnormal imaging identification and tracking system was implemented at a Veterans Affairs Hospital. This system reviews all liver radiology reports, generates a queue of abnormal cases for review, and maintains a queue of cancer care events with due dates and automated reminders. This is a pre-/post-intervention cohort study to evaluate whether implementation of this tracking system reduced time between HCC diagnosis and treatment and time between first liver image suspicious for HCC, specialty care, diagnosis, and treatment at a Veterans Hospital. Patients diagnosed with HCC in the 37 months before tracking system implementation were compared to patients diagnosed with HCC in the 71 months after its implementation. Linear regression was used to calculate mean change in relevant intervals of care adjusted for age, race, ethnicity, BCLC stage, and indication for first suspicious image.

RESULTS

There were 60 patients pre-intervention and 127 post-intervention. In the post-intervention group, adjusted mean time from diagnosis to treatment was 36 days shorter (p = 0.007), time from imaging to diagnosis 51 days shorter (p = 0.21), and time from imaging to treatment 87 days shorter (p = 0.05). Patients whose imaging was performed for HCC screening had the greatest improvement in time from diagnosis to treatment (63 days, p = 0.02) and from first suspicious image to treatment (179 days, p = 0.03). The post-intervention group also had a greater proportion of HCC diagnosed at earlier BCLC stages (p<0.03).

CONCLUSIONS

The tracking system improved timeliness of HCC diagnosis and treatment and may be useful for improving HCC care delivery, including in health systems already implementing HCC screening.

Do Multidisciplinary Tumor Board Discussions Correlate With Increase in 5-Year Survival? A Meta-Analysis Study

Introduction

Due to the complex nature of cancer cases, it is imperative that the involved healthcare providers coordinate the patients care plan in union to reach the best possible outcome in the smoothest and fastest manner. This is what multidisciplinary tumor board (MTB) meetings strive to achieve. Conducting regular MTB meetings requires significant investment of time and finances. It is thus vital to assess the empirical benefits of such practice.

Methods

A meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate the literature regarding the impact of MTB meetings on patient 5-year survival. Relevant studies were identified by searching Ovid MEDLINE and Embase databases from January 1995 to July 2019. Studies were included if they assessed 5-year survival in cases discussed in MTB meetings and used a comparison group and/or a pretest and posttest design.

Results

Five articles met the study's inclusion criteria. Quality of studies was affected by selection bias and the use of historic cohorts. The results showed significantly improved 5-year survival in the MTB group compared with the non-MTB groups (odds ratio for 5-year death rate of 0.59, CI 0.45-0.78, p < 0.001).

Conclusion

This meta-analysis showed that cancer MTB meetings have a significant impact on patients' 5-year survival. This could be because of several reasons, such as less time to treatment initiation, better adherence to guidelines, higher numbers of investigational imaging, lesser surgical complications, and recurrence rates. Future prospective studies are needed to further delineate reasons for improvement of outcome to enhance the benefits of this approach.

Role of Multidisciplinary Care in the Management of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Despite advances in treatment options for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), 5-year survival for HCC remains below 20%. This poor survival is multifactorial but is partly related to underuse of curative treatment in clinical practice. In light of growing treatment options, delivered by different types of providers, optimal management requires input from multiple specialties. A multidisciplinary approach has been evolving over the past couple of decades, bringing different specialists together to develop a therapeutic plan to treat and manage HCC, which significantly increases timely guideline-concordant treatment and improves overall survival. The present review attempts to highlight the need for such a multimodal approach by providing insights on its potential structure and impact on the various aspects of HCC management.

Multidisciplinary Approach to HCC Management: How Can This Be Done?

Multidisciplinary tumor boards have evolved to address the increasing complexity of cancer care management. Given that hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) often arises in the setting of underlying cirrhosis, expert input from hepatologists alongside hepatobiliary and transplant surgeons, radiation oncologists, interventional and body radiologists, and medical oncologists has become increasingly important in order to offer patients appropriate cancer treatments. The MDLTB structure has evolved since the early 2000s to bring these specialists together at regularly scheduled meetings to develop a therapeutic treatment plan for HCC management. MDLTBs have reduced the time to treatment and improved patient satisfaction. Standardized documentation with common data elements has been recommended to ensure adequate communication from MDLTB to referring healthcare providers. Retrospective studies consistently highlight the frequency of changes in treatment plans after MDLTB review to better adhere to guideline recommended care. Despite several decades of MDLTBs implementation, few studies describe clinical outcomes associated with MDLTBs such as patient survival and cost benefits. More research is needed in this area to further justify the heavy use of resources that are needed to maintain MDLTBs. Development and use of a centralized database to store such information may assist with future studies of clinical outcomes and inform quality improvement projects.

Multidisciplinary team approach to end-stage dialysis access patients

BACKGROUND

The hemodialysis reliable outflow (HeRO) access device is a permanent dialysis graft used in patients with central venous obstruction. Given the complexity of care related to end-stage dialysis access (ESDA) patients, a multidisciplinary approach has been used to achieve operative success of HeRO graft placement.

METHODS

The single-center retrospective review included adult patients that were seen in ESDA clinic who underwent a HeRO graft placement from September 2010-September 2014 under the care of a team consisting of a nephrologist, an interventional radiologist, and a surgeon. The effectiveness of the multidisciplinary approach was evaluated using outcome variables including successful HeRO graft placement, operative complications, the rate of obtaining central venous access, and advanced endovascular maneuvers performed by interventional radiology to obtain central venous access.

RESULTS

A multidisciplinary approach has been used in 33 ESDA patients. Access to the right atrium was achieved in 100% of cases. Fifty-eight percent of patients required advanced endovascular maneuvers in the interventional radiology suite to obtain central venous access. Successful HeRO graft placement was achieved in 94% (31 of 33) of the study population. No intraoperative complications were encountered. Median primary and secondary patency rates were 83 d (interquartile range: 45-170) and 345 d (interquartile range: 146-579) per HeRO graft placement, respectively. Primary and secondary patency rates at 60 d were 70% (23 of 33) and 79% (26 of 33), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

In this difficult patient population, a multidisciplinary team can provide a unique and collaborative approach to HeRO graft placement in patients with complex central venous outflow obstruction.

Establishment of a Regional Virtual Tumor Board Program to Improve the Process of Care for Patients With Hepatocellular Carcinoma

PURPOSE

Multidisciplinary evaluation (MDE) of hepatocellular cancer (HCC) is the current standard, often provided through a tumor board (TB) forum; this standard is limited by oncology workforce shortages and lack of a TB at every institution. Virtual TBs (VTBs) may help overcome these limitations. Our study aim was to assess the impact of a regional VTB on the MDE process for patients with HCC.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study was conducted, including patients with HCC referred to a tertiary cancer center from regional facilities (2009 to 2013). Baseline characteristics and outcomes were compared based on the referral mechanism: VTB versus subspecialty consultation (non-VTB). The primary outcome was comprehensive MDE (all required specialists present and key topics discussed). Secondary outcomes included timeliness of MDE and travel burden to complete MDE. Univariable and multivariable logistic regressions were performed to examine the association of a VTB with comprehensive MDE.

RESULTS

A total of 116 patients were included in the study; 48 (41.4%) were evaluated through the VTB. A higher proportion of VTB patients received comprehensive MDE (91.7% v 64.7%; P = .001); the VTB was independently associated with higher odds of accomplishing comprehensive MDE (odds ratio, 6.0; 95% CI, 1.2 to 29.9; P = .02). VTB patients completed MDE significantly faster (median, 23 v 39 days; P < .001), with lower travel burden (median, 0 v 683 miles traveled; P < .001).

CONCLUSION

This VTB program positively affected the process of care for patients with HCC by improving the quality and timeliness of the MDE process, while avoiding the burden arising from travel needs. Future studies should focus on implementation of VTB programs on a wider scale.

Multidisciplinary cancer care: does it improve outcomes?

Multidisciplinary care has been advocated as a solution for increasingly complex treatment decisions in cancer patients. The impact of multidisciplinary care on patient survival has been studied, but evidence is limited by poor methodological quality. Lack of conclusive evidence for increased survival is balanced against improvements in quality of care, guideline adherence, reduction in wait times, and greater satisfaction for patients and care providers.

Latin American Association for the Study of the Liver (LAASL) clinical practice guidelines: management of hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common cancer in the world and the third most common cause of cancer death, and accounts for 5.6% of all cancers. Nearly 82% of the approximately 550,000 liver cancer deaths each year occur in Asia. In some regions, cancer-related death from HCC is second only to lung cancer. The incidence and mortality of HCC are increasing in America countries as a result of an ageing cohort infected with chronic hepatitis C, and are expected to continue to rise as a consequence of the obesity epidemic. Clinical care and survival for patients with HCC has advanced considerably during the last two decades, thanks to improvements in patient stratification, an enhanced understanding of the pathophysiology of the disease, and because of developments in diagnostic procedures and the introduction of novel therapies and strategies in prevention. Nevertheless, HCC remains the third most common cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. These LAASL recommendations on treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma are intended to assist physicians and other healthcare providers, as well as patients and other interested individuals, in the clinical decision-making process by describing the optimal management of patients with liver cancer.

Utilization of hospital-based chaplain services among newly diagnosed male Veterans Affairs colorectal cancer patients

The aim of the study was to examine utilization of chaplain services among Veterans Affairs patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). In 2009, the Cancer Care Assessment and Responsive Evaluation Studies questionnaire was mailed to VA CRC patients diagnosed in 2008 (67 % response rate). Multivariable logistic regression examined factors associated with chaplain utilization. Of 918 male respondents, 36 % reported utilizing chaplains. Chaplain services were more likely to be utilized by patients with higher pain levels (OR = 1.017; 95 % CI = 0.999-1.035), younger age (age OR = 0.979; 95 % CI = 0.964-0.996), and later cancer stage (early stage OR = 0.743; 95 % CI = 0.559-0.985). Chaplain services are most utilized by younger, sicker patients.

Multidisciplinary management of hepatocellular carcinoma: a model for therapy

A multidisciplinary model is a useful approach in the management of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) to coordinate, individualize, and optimize care. The HCC Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) at Temple University Hospital was established in 2008 and comprises hepatologists, interventional radiologists, transplant surgeons, oncologists, residents, midlevel providers, and support staff. Patients may be enrolled by referral from (1) oncologists at Temple, (2) the hepatitis screening clinic recently established at Temple and staffed by hepatology residents, or (3) community practices. MDT conferences are held weekly, during which cases are discussed (based on medical history, interpretation of images, and laboratory analyses) and treatment plans are formulated. The Temple treatment algorithm follows current standards of care, guided by tumor volume and morphology, but the novel multidisciplinary interaction challenges members to tailor therapy to achieve the best possible outcomes. Patients with a solitary lesion ≤ 2 cm may receive no treatment until eligible for transplantation or locoregional therapy or resection, with imaging every 3 to 6 months to monitor tumor progression. In patients with tumors > 2 cm and ≤ 5 cm, microwave ablation therapy is used if lesions are discrete and accessible. Conventional transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) or drug-eluting bead TACE (DEB-TACE) or yttrium-90 microspheres are utilized in multifocal disease. Patients with lesions > 5 cm are candidates for TACE for downstaging the tumor. Sorafenib is typically reserved for unresectable lesions between 2 cm and 5 cm. Frequently, we administer sorafenib continuously and in combination with DEB-TACE. In our experience, sorafenib does not produce effects on the tumor vasculature or blood flow that would impair the efficacy of DEB-TACE. The literature documents improved outcomes in HCC and other cancers associated with the introduction of multidisciplinary care. The role and organization of the MDT is influenced by team culture, expertise, and process, as well as institutional and larger environmental contexts.

Role of the multidisciplinary team in the diagnosis and treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma

It has long been appreciated that hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a complex disease. HCC is typically preceded by liver cirrhosis, which is itself caused by various types of hepatitis of both viral and nonviral etiologies. Thus, the treatment of patients with HCC requires multiple healthcare professionals, including hepatologists, medical oncologists, surgical oncologists, transplantation surgeons, diagnostic radiologists, pathologists, nurses, nurse practitioners and interventional radiologists. These specialists should meet regularly to review patients' progress, ensure that treatments are individualized for each patient and agree on next steps. We review case presentations provided by the authors to illustrate the benefits and advantages of the multidisciplinary team matrix in the management of patients with HCC, including the effects of this treatment technique on patient outcome, survival and quality of life.

Examining the potential relationship between multidisciplinary cancer care and patient survival: an international literature review

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

The aim of this review is to examine the relationship between multidisciplinary cancer care and patient survival.

METHODS

A literature review was undertaken between January 1950 and September 2009. Included studies described multidisciplinary cancer care and its relation to patient survival. Multidisciplinary care was defined as involvement of a team of clinical and allied specialists whose intent is individualized patient management. Studies were critically appraised for internal and external validity. All study designs were included.

RESULTS

Twenty-one studies met eligibility criteria for this review, including two systematic reviews, one abstract, and 18 original studies. Pooling of results was not possible due to heterogeneity of patient populations, disease sites, measured outcomes, and follow-up periods. Twelve studies (one prospective and six retrospective cohort studies, five before-after series) reported statistically significant association between multidisciplinary care and patient survival.

CONCLUSIONS

Due to methodological limitations, this review is unable to assert a causal relationship between multidisciplinary care and patient survival. In order to better evaluate this relationship, the oncology community must first accept a common definition of multidisciplinary care. Future efforts can then elucidate which aspects of multidisciplinary care impact survival, with consideration of confounding patient and tumour factors.

Management of Patients Who Have Undergone Hepatic Artery Chemoembolization

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common cause of all malignancies and causes approximately one million deaths each year. Surgical liver resection is the only cure for HCC; however, few patients are eligible to undergo this procedure. Hepatic artery chemoembolization (HACE) is a technique that delivers high concentrations of chemotherapeutic agents and blocks the blood supply to the liver for prolonged periods of time. HACE has demonstrated an overall increase in survival. The HACE procedure, pre- and postprocedure complications, and the care required by patients with HCC are critical for oncology nurses to understand.

Hospice palliative care for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma in Taiwan

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the leading causes of cancer death in Taiwan. In order to delineate the unique demographic features and clinical profile of terminal HCC, we conducted a retrospective study in a hospital-based hospice in Taiwan. Of a total of 991 terminally ill cancer patients (654 men and 337 women, mean age 66.1 years) admitted to our palliative care unit during a three-year period, 110 patients (11.1%) were diagnosed as having HCC (93 men and 17 women, mean age 60.5 years). The most common metastatic sites were bone and lung. Eighty-five HCC patients (77.3%) also had associated liver cirrhosis. The most common symptoms of HCC patients upon admission to the hospice ward were pain, fatigue or weakness, anorexia/vomiting, peripheral edema, cachexia, and ascites. Hypoalbuminemia, anemia, hyponatremia and jaundice were common laboratory abnormalities. Eighty-four patients (76.4%) required opiates for pain management. Upper gastrointestinal bleeding or varices bleeding developed in 76 patients (69.1%). Ninety-four patients (85.5%) died at the hospital, and the overall median survival time at hospice ward was 12 days. Because of more severe underlying portal hypertension and deteriorated liver function, terminal HCC patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis (Child-Pugh class C) had a significantly higher prevalence of peripheral edema, ascites, dyspnea, jaundice, thrombocytopenia, and stage III-IV hepatic encephalopathy than noncirrhotic or Child-Pugh class A and B terminal HCC patients. Symptoms and signs resulting from these portal hypertensions frequently complicated the symptomatic management of terminal HCC patients in the hospice ward. The treatment of these complications is mostly empirical in hospice ward, where intensive laboratory or diagnostic tests are usually not performed. In conclusion, symptoms and signs of terminally ill HCC patients in hospice are unique and should be managed appropriately.

The development of a telemedical cancer center within the Veterans Affairs Health Care System: a report of preliminary clinical results

In order to optimize the delivery of multidisciplinary cancer care to veterans, our institution has developed a regional cancer center with a telemedical outreach program. The objectives of this report are to describe the organization and function of the telemedical cancer center and to report our early clinical results. The Veterans Affairs Health Care System is organized into a series of integrated service networks that serve veterans within different areas throughout the United States. Within Veterans Integrated Service Network 20 (Washington, Alaska, Idaho, Oregon) we have developed a regional cancer center with telemedicine links to four outlying facilities within the service area. The telemedical outreach effort functions through the use of a multidisciplinary telemedicine tumor board. The tumor board serves patients in outlying facilities by providing comprehensive, multidisciplinary consultation for the complete range of malignancies. For individuals who do require referral to the cancer center, the tumor board serves to coordinate the logistical and clinical details of the referral process. This program has been in existence for 1 year. During that time 85 patients have been evaluated in the telemedicine tumor board. Sixty-two percent of the patients were treated at their closest facility; 38% were referred to the cancer center for treatment and/or additional diagnostic studies. The patients' diagnoses included the entire clinical spectrum of malignant disease. Preliminary clinical results demonstrate the program is feasible and it improves access to multidisciplinary cancer care. Potential benefits include improved referral coordination and minimization of patient travel and treatment delays.