Article
Evaluating the need for a regional virtual neurooncological tumour board – a survey study
Erhebung der Notwendigkeit einer interdisziplinären virtuellen Tumorkonferenz für neuroonkologische Patienten – vorläufige Ergebnisse einer Zuweiserumfrage
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Published: | June 4, 2021 |
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Objective: The ongoing improvements in oncology and the demographic development in western countries have led to an over proportional increase in cancer patients. Cancer care is best facilitated through tumor board (TB) conferences, as these are associated with overall improvement of outcome. Because of limited resources and limited access to TB conferences, multidisciplinary care is not available at every institution. This has further deteriorated due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Aim of this survey was to evaluate the acceptance for a regional virtual TB for neurooncological patients.
Methods: A survey comprising of 7 questions was send to 9 secondary care hospitals and 33 outpatient practise centers specialized in oncology within the catchment area of 2 million inhabitants of the University Hospital Augsburg, Bavaria.
Results: The questionnaire response rate was 43% (18/42). Most of the participating institutions (89%) care for <50 patients/year with primary or secondary central nervous system tumors of the neurocranium or spine. There was a high satisfaction rate of neurooncological treatment of 89%. All of the participating centers consider an interdisciplinary tumor board recommendation as “important” or “very important” for further patient treatment. For more than half of the participants (56%), it was difficult to access a TB conference. The willingness to participate in a virtual TB conference was high (89%) without financial compensation (61%).
Conclusion: The need for a virtual interdisciplinary neurooncological tumor conference within secondary care hospitals and oncological outpatient centers is high.