Same-Day Multidisciplinary Clinics for Patients With Newly Diagnosed Adult Solid Tumor Cancer: A Systematic Review
John F Deeken1, Wayne Pereanu1, Raymond C Wadlow1
1Inova Schar Cancer Institute, Fairfax, VA.
JCO Oncology Practice
|February 20, 2026
Summary
Same-day multidisciplinary clinics (MDCs) expedite cancer care, shortening diagnosis-to-treatment times and improving guideline adherence. Evidence suggests MDCs may also enhance survival rates and patient satisfaction.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Health Services Research
- Clinical Trial Design
Background:
- Multidisciplinary clinics (MDCs) are designed to streamline complex cancer care.
- The comparative effectiveness of MDCs versus sequential referral is not well-established.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review comparative studies on same-day, colocated multidisciplinary clinics (MDCs).
- To assess the impact of MDCs on cancer treatment decisions, care timelines, guideline adherence, and patient survival.
Main Methods:
- A systematic review of MEDLINE, Embase, and CENTRAL databases was conducted.
- Twenty-seven observational cohorts comparing MDCs with routine care were included.
- Risk of bias was assessed using the ROBINS-I tool.
Main Results:
- MDCs significantly shortened the diagnosis-to-treatment interval (9.5 days sooner).
- Guideline adherence was higher in MDCs (91%) compared to routine care (68%).
- Meta-analysis indicated improved overall survival (HR, 0.77) with MDCs, alongside high patient satisfaction (>90%).
Conclusions:
- Observational data indicate MDCs accelerate cancer care, improve guideline adherence, and potentially enhance survival.
- High patient satisfaction and neutral out-of-pocket costs were observed.
- Further research using randomized or quasi-experimental designs is recommended to confirm causality.
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