The psychological stress a patient goes through is enormous. With complex changes occurring in all of the cancer specialties, multidisciplinary clinics are being developed to expedite and streamline cancer care and also provide needed support to the patient. Breast cancer is an example of how multidisciplinary clinics and women s Health centers can be used help people with cancer. Treatment of breast cancer commonly involves surgical biopsy and subsequent surgical tumor removal followed by chemotherapy or hormone therapy and then radiation treatments to the breast and lymph nodes. Psychological, social, dietary and physical supports also need to be provided.
Multidisciplinary clinics bring all of the cancer treatment specialties together.
The presence of multiple specialists is for the benefit of the patient. After consultation, a case conference is held. The patient is given a treatment recommendation. Patients and their families are encouraged to be present when their case is being discussed so that they can more fully understand and deal with the whole process of cancer treatment.