scholarly journals Does multidisciplinary videoconferencing between a head-and-neck cancer centre and its partner hospital add value to their patient care and decision-making? A mixed-method evaluation

BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. e028609
Author(s):  
Lidia S van Huizen ◽  
Pieter Dijkstra ◽  
Gyorgy B Halmos ◽  
Johanna G M van den Hoek ◽  
Klaas T van der Laan ◽  
...  

ObjectivesGiven the difficulties in diagnosing and treating head-and-neck cancer, care is centralised in the Netherlands in eight head-and-neck cancer centres and six satellite regional hospitals as preferred partners. A requirement is that all patients of the partner should be discussed in a multidisciplinary team meeting (MDT) with the head-and-neck centre as part of a Dutch health policy rule. In this mixed-method study, we evaluate the value that the video-conferenced MDT adds to the MDTs in the care pathway, quantitative regarding recommendations given and qualitative in terms of benefits for the teams and the patient.DesignA sequential mixed-method study.SettingOne oncology centre and its partner in the Northern part of the Netherlands.ParticipantsHead-and-neck cancer specialists presenting patient cases during video-conferenced MDT over a period of 6 months. Semistructured interviews held with six medical specialists, three from the centre and three from the partner.Primary and secondary outcome measuresPercentage of cases in which recommendations were given on diagnostic and/or therapeutic plans during video-conferenced MDT.ResultsIn eight of the 336 patient cases presented (2%), specialists offered recommendations to the collaborating team (three given from centre to partner and five from partner to centre). Recommendations mainly consisted of alternative diagnostic modalities or treatment plans for a specific patient. Interviews revealed that specialists perceive added value in discussing complex cases because the other team offered a fresh perspective by hearing the case ‘as new’. The teams recognise the importance of keeping their medical viewpoints aligned, but the requirement (that the partner should discuss all patients) was seen as outdated.ConclusionsThe added value of the video-conferenced MDT is small considering patient care, but the specialists recognised that it is important to keep their medical viewpoints aligned and that their patients benefit from the discussions on complex cases.

2021 ◽  
Vol 39 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. 6040-6040
Author(s):  
Anna C. H. Willemsen ◽  
Annemieke Kok ◽  
Laura W.J. Baijens ◽  
J. P. De Boer ◽  
Remco de Bree ◽  
...  

6040 Background: Patients who receive chemoradiation or bioradiation (CRT/BRT) for locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (LAHNSCC) often experience high toxicity rates, which may interfere with oral intake, leading to (temporary) tube feeding (TF) dependency. International guidelines recommend gastrostomy insertion when the expected use of TF exceeds four weeks. In this study we aimed to update and externally validate a prediction model to identify patients in need for TF for at least four weeks, meeting the international criteria for prophylactic gastrostomy insertion. Methods: This retrospective multicenter cohort study was performed in four tertiary referral head and neck cancer centers in the Netherlands. The prediction model was developed using data from the University Medical Center Utrecht and the Netherlands Cancer Institute. The model was externally validated in patients from the Maastricht University Medical Center and Radboud University Medical Center. The primary endpoint was TF, initiated during or within 30 days after completion of CRT/BRT, and administered for at least four weeks. Potential predictors were retrieved from patient medical records and radiotherapy dose-volume parameters were calculated. Results: The developmental and validation cohort included 409 and 334 patients respectively. Multivariable analysis showed significant predictive value (p < 0.05) for adjusted diet at start of CRT/BRT, percentage weight change prior to treatment initiation, WHO performance status, tumor-site, nodal stage, mean radiation dose to the contralateral parotid gland, and mean radiation dose to the oral cavity. The area under the receiver operating characteristics curve for the updated model was 0.73 and after external validation 0.64. Positive and negative predictive value at 90% cut off were 80.0% and 48.2% respectively. Conclusions: This externally validated prediction model to estimate TF-dependency for at least four weeks in LAHNSCC patients performs well. This model, which will be presented, can be used in clinical practice to guide personalized decision making on prophylactic gastrostomy insertion.


Lung Cancer ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 94 ◽  
pp. 54-60 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander V. Louie ◽  
Ronald A. Damhuis ◽  
Cornelis J. Haasbeek ◽  
Andrew Warner ◽  
Danielle Rodin ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 39 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. e18038-e18038
Author(s):  
Muhammad Usman Zafar ◽  
Zahid Tarar ◽  
Ghulam Ghous ◽  
Umer Farooq ◽  
Masood Anwar

e18038 Background: Patients with head and neck cancer carry the prospect of facial disfigurement in addition to the effects on speech, smell, sight, and taste. As such they are at a higher risk of acquiring emotional distress. Despite this, depression is underreported in this population. We review the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) to understand the effects of depression in patients admitted with any diagnosis of head and neck cancer. Methods: We designed a retrospective study and utilized NIS data for the year 2018. We identified patients with any history of Head and Neck cancer using their specific ICD-10 codes. We also identified codes for depressive disorders. Primary outcome was effect of depression on comorbidities. Secondary outcome was hospital length of stay. Utilizing STATA MP 16.1 we performed multivariate logistic regression analysis. Various comorbidities including previous history of coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, stroke, smoking, hyperlipidemia, and chemotherapy were incorporated into the analysis. Results: The study population included 15,689 patients that were 18 years or older. Mean age was 64 years. Only 28% of the population was females. The mean hospital length of stay was approximately 7 days. In this group of patients, 12% had a history of depression. Among the different types of head and neck cancers oropharyngeal cancers had the highest percentage of depression rates (14%). In multivariable analysis, patients with depression had a higher comorbidity index but this result did not reach statistical significance (Odds Ratio (OR) 1.02, p = 0.054, 95% Confidence Intervals (CI) 0.999 – 1.045). Patients had higher odds of having depression if they also had a history of stroke (OR 1.4, 95% CI 1.13 – 1.73), prior history of chemotherapy (OR 1.25, 95% CI 1.09 – 1.43), history of hyperlipidemia (OR 1.31, 95% CI 1.16 – 1.48) or were admitted over the weekend (OR 1.21, 95% CI 1.07 – 1.38). Younger age was associated with lower odds of depression (OR 0.98, 95% CI 0.98 – 0.99). Women had higher odds of having depression (OR 1.68, 95% CI 1.51 – 1.88). When compared with white people, people from the following demographics had lower odds of depression – Black (OR 0.56, 95% CI 0.47 – 0.68), Hispanic (OR 0.64, 95% CI 0.49 – 0.83), Asian (OR 0.26, 95% CI 0.17 – 0.43), and others (OR 0.53, 95% CI 0.35 – 0.79). Hospital length of stay was higher among patients with depression (OR 0.7, 95% CI 0.2 – 1.15). Conclusions: Among patients with head and neck cancer, odds of having depression are higher in the white population, older patients, females and patients with prior history of chemotherapy. Depression is associated with higher hospital length of stay. These findings help understand the effect of depression on this susceptible population and identify at risk patients for appropriate screening.


Cancers ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 551 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chantal M. Driessen ◽  
Janneke C. Ham ◽  
Maroeska te Loo ◽  
Esther van Meerten ◽  
Maurits van Lamoen ◽  
...  

Ototoxicity and nephrotoxicity are potentially irreversible side effects of chemoradiotherapy with cisplatin in locally advanced head and neck cancer (LAHNC) patients. Several predictive genetic variants have been described, but as yet none in LAHNC patients. The aim of this study is to investigate genetic variants as predictors for ototoxicity and nephrotoxicity in LAHNC patients treated with cisplatin-containing chemoradiotherapy. Our prospective cohort of 92 patients was genotyped for 10 genetic variants and evaluated for their association with cisplatin-induced ototoxicity (ACYP2, COMT, TPMT and WFS1) and nephrotoxicity (OCT2, MATE and XPD). Ototoxicity was determined by patient-reported complaints as well as tone audiometrical assessments. Nephrotoxicity was defined as a decrease of ≥25% in creatinine clearance during treatment compared to baseline. A significant association was observed between carriership of the A allele for rs1872328 in the ACYP2 gene and cisplatin-induced clinically determined ototoxicity (p = 0.019), and not for ototoxicity measured by tone audiometrical assessments (p = 0.449). Carriership of a T allele for rs316019 in the OCT2 gene was significantly associated with nephrotoxicity at any time during chemoradiotherapy (p = 0.022), but not with nephrotoxicity at the end of the chemoradiotherapy. In conclusion, we showed prospectively that in LAHNC patients genetic variants in ACYP2 are significantly associated with clinically determined ototoxicity. Validation studies are necessary to prove the added value for individualized treatments plans in these patients.


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