A multidisciplinary clinic approach is the key to successful treatment of aggressive, locally advanced prostate cancer, according to researchers from the Kimmel Cancer Center (KCC) of Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia.
The National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated cancer center established the Multidisciplinary Genitourinary Cancer Clinic (MDGUCC) in 1996. The clinic team works with patients and referring physicians to design treatment plans tailored to the needs of the individual patient. “The primary goal of the MDGUCC approach to prostate cancer is to provide this balanced information in an open and interactive fashion, with all clinical specialists present at the same time,” explained Leonard G. Gomella, MD, lead study investigator.
In the November issue of Journal of Oncology Practice, Gomella and his associates report the 15-year prostate cancer experience in this clinic. They compared data from Jefferson’s Oncology Data Services with data from the NCI Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Program.
Comparison of 10-year survival data for stage III and stage IV prostate cancer showed that survival rates for patients treated at KCC exceed SEER’s nationwide survival of locally advanced aggressive prostate cancer.
Patient surveys showed high satisfaction with the patient-centered model of care practiced at the multidisciplinary clinic.
“The multidisciplinary clinic approach to prostate cancer enhances outcomes through a coordinated approach to all the therapeutic options,” commented Richard Pestell, MD, PhD, MBBS, FRACP, director of the KCC.