“Hope is the only thing stronger than fear.”
Tumor board consultation brings forward a multidisciplinary treatment approach by working together and sharing clinical decisions in cancer care. Tumor boards may discuss any type of cancer case but they are generally for the patients seeking out new treatment options after getting exhausted from the standard process of treatment.
A tumor board has become a powerful tool to access the best treatment option for a particular person. It deals with individual cases to find out the treatment options considering the present condition of the patient.
The necessity of a tumor board
The necessity of a tumor board arises when a patient is not satisfied with the usual treatment options and looking for a different perspective to find out an effective treatment option.
Kind of specialists on tumor board
The tumor board consists of a group of experts who discuss the treatment options for an individual cancer patient following standard guidelines. It consists of doctors and other health care providers. People involved in the tumor board belong to different fields such as pathologists, surgical oncologists, radiologists, genetic experts, palliative oncologists, nurses, and medical oncologists, etc.
Role of an online tumor board
The tumor board may discuss the case either in a hospital, cancer center, or can even be conducted virtually. An online tumor board can include an expert from anywhere in the world and take their knowledge and expertise to handle the case in the best possible way.
The objective behind a tumor board
- The objective of this board is to share a different perspective of knowledge in dealing with an individual cancer patients’ health condition.
- Tumor boards may take up any case but in general, they handle those cases where the patient is exhausted with the standard treatment and looking for new treatment options.
- The tumor board may suggest a different angle for the patient’s treatment or may even come up with some innovative treatment options.
Importance of a tumor board
The role played by the tumor board to deal with a particular patient’s health condition and exploring new ways of treatment is very vital. It provides huge benefits to a patient to handle their condition effectively.
When a particular treatment does not work out and shows no improvement in the patient’s health condition then a team of knowledgeable people conducts a meeting to come up to a conclusion to find out the best possible treatment available for the patient.
Benefits of a tumor board
- Better cancer management
- Improved communication with accuracy in diagnosis
- Improved patient care
- Provides patient satisfaction
- Suggests effective treatment plans such as surgery, chemotherapy, and also clinical trials.
- Brings out robust treatment option for the patient.
- Determines best possible cancer care plan and cancer treatment.
- Experts from different fields evaluate and gather information to influence the diagnosis and treatment.
- Shares expertise and effective clinical decisions are taken for the betterment of the patient.
Note:
A cancer patient goes through a lot of trauma only after hearing that they have cancer. They may even get perplexed with their way of treatment. The treatment plan may not work out for them. An individual physician’s knowledge may be restricted to some extent but when many physicians or experts meet and discuss a specific condition they explore better ways for cancer management. A tumor board is a boon for cancer patients to uplift their confidence and help them to lead a better quality of life by suggesting an appropriate treatment plan.
