Multidisciplinary considerations in cancer treatment: origin and scope

The Tumor Board constitutes the control area where multidisciplinary protocols are created and where each patient's circumstance is thoroughly reviewed from the perspective of all pertinent clinical disciplines. Such input is an essential component of quality control at all levels of management of the cancer patient. This pertains whether in a community hospital or in a specialized cancer center. Cooperative groups and other research organizations have recognized the essential nature of this input, especially for the integration of new measures with those therapeutic modalities that are already established. Thus treatment may show a logical evolution by continuously updating standard approaches through clinical trials posing the most relevant question from the point of view of all modalities, while maintaining stringent quality control. Examples of questions being posed by therapeutic advances in testicular and ovarian cancer are described. The key element in accomplishing these advances is multidisciplinary participation.