Just yesterday I was chatting with a colleague about the history of lung cancer treatment. We talked about how lung cancer was treated just a few decades ago versus what's happening at present and where treatment is headed in the future. It was one of those conversations that make my kids groan - "mom talking about the 'olden days' of medicine" - but in this case there was no nostalgia. I was genuinely excited about the direction medicine is taking for people with lung cancer.
Almost uncannily, the first article I happened to review this morning made me feel like someone had eavesdropped on that conversation and delivered - overnight - an eloquent review of the entire topic.
The crux of the article is that we are heading on a path in which lung cancer is addressed by a team. While historically we treated everyone with lung cancer in essentially the same manner, with care managed by a single physician, the new "ideal" is to have a "team" of doctors and other health care providers (something termed multidisciplinary management in medical lingo) to manage each person with cancer in a unique way.
This article highlighted some of the following points on where the future of lung cancer treatment is headed:
- A multidisciplinary approach should be used throughout a patient's journey with lung cancer - beginning with diagnosis, continuing throughout treatment and end-of-life care for those people in whom cancer progresses.
- Unlike the days of old in which a paternalistic physician "told" a patient what treatment she should undergo, patients need to be involved in the decision making process.
- Palliative care should be an early part of the treatment plan - not something that is delayed until all other treatments are exhausted. As noted recently, palliative care not only improves quality of life for people living with lung cancer, but may improve survival as well.
- Multidisciplinary case conferencing - meetings in which the myriad of providers caring for a patient gather to discuss management - is an important part of care.
- Psychosocial and nutritional support should be a routine part of care.
Thinking about the future of lung cancer treatment in this way is exciting - and maybe, just maybe, my kids will soon be groaning saying, "now mom's talking about the good 'new' days in medicine.
Photo: National Cancer Institute, unknown photographer
Ellis, P. The importance of multidisciplinary team management of patients with non-small-cell lung cancer. Current Oncology. 2012. 19(Supplement 1):S7-S15.
Thank you for your article on the importance -and the benefits – of a multi-disciplinary team to treat lung cancer after diagnosis. But early diagnosis is the most beneficial and the only proven method is CT screening. Those at high risk should get a scan before symptoms appear.
What about treatment for small cell lung cancer?
Very important question — thank you for asking this P. While this study focused on people with non-small cell lung cancer (I am not certain why only people with non-small cell were selected for the study) these points are important for people with any form of lung cancer, and ideally, any form of cancer.