The multidisciplinary management of bone and soft tissue sarcoma: an essential organizational framework

Abstract

Geoffrey W Siegel,1 J Sybil Biermann,1 Rashmi Chugh,2 Jon A Jacobson,3 David Lucas,4 Mary Feng,5 Andrew C Chang,6 Sean R Smith,7 Sandra Wong,6 Jill L Hasen1 1Department of Orthopedics, 2Department of Medical Oncology, 3Department of Radiology, 4Department of Pathology, 5Department of Radiation, 6Department of Surgery, 7Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA Abstract: The rarity of bone and soft tissue sarcoma, the difficulty in interpretation of imaging and histology, the plethora of treatment modalities, and the complexity and intensity of the treatment contribute to the need for systematic multidisciplinary team management of patients with these diseases. An integrated multidisciplinary clinic and team with a structured sarcoma tumor board facilitate team coordination and communication. This paper reviews the rationale for multidisciplinary management of sarcoma and details the operational structure of the Multidisciplinary Sarcoma Clinic and Sarcoma Tumor Board. The structured Multidisciplinary Sarcoma Tumor Board provides opportunity for improvement in logistics, teaching, quality, and enrollment in clinical trials. Keywords: sarcoma, sarcoma care, sarcoma tumor board, collaborative approach