Cancer Case Multidisciplinary Conferences Give Patients the Attention of Many Experts

Avera cancer experts gather almost every day of the week to bring the combined expertise of the Avera Cancer Institute – spanning six regional centers and 72,000 square miles ­– to bear on a patient’s case.

Surgeons, oncologists and other experts focus their decades of education, experience and board certification on one case at a time. These medical and radiation oncologists, and peer experts in pathology, radiology, tumor genetics, clinical trials, pharmacological treatments and other disciplines – combine their strengths to find the best plan for every patient. It matters not if their patient is in Sioux Falls or another part of Avera’s footprint.

The care team develops a comprehensive review of each person’s challenges. The cancer-fighting professionals consider vast information about the patient, including:

• Images and scans, from CTs and MRIs and other reports
• Pathology and biopsy test results
• Demographics of the patient
• Patient medical history
• Genetic information as well as tumor genomic data
• Reports from all parts of the oncology specialized team

Each case conference is different, yet in the end, the team uses their expertise and factual data to make collaborative efforts that offer all Avera patients the advantage of personalized care.

“Case conferences help us individualize the care for each person,” said Katie Van Beek, Vice President of Oncology with Avera Cancer Institute. Van Beek said cancer care evolves daily, and that’s why these conferences are vital. “Each part of the team brings specialized information to the case, which allows us to evaluate what each person most needs.”

Experts Share Information to Help Patients – No Matter What They Face

Weekly meetings allow the Avera team to share and discuss research, from new clinical trials to insights one group might not know of. The meetings allow ideas to build and grow between the team.

“Having the voices of so many passionate experts, gathered together to focus on the best approach – it makes big differences.” said Luis Rojas, MD, Clinical Vice President of the Oncology Service Line. “When more opinions are shared, research has proven that patients get better results.”

Case conferences include providers treating a wide range of cancers, including:

• Blood
• Brain
• Breast
• Colon and rectal
• Gynecologic
• Head and neck
• Lung
• Prostate

The meetings often include genomic sequencing data, which can help specialists find unique approaches to fight a tumor or lesion.

A Meeting Connecting Every Part of Avera’s Cancer Care

The meetings are not focused on one city, one cancer or one approach. In fact, nearly every day of the week has its own meeting where combined expertise can increase the likelihood for the best possible outcome for a patient.

For patients receiving radiation therapy, an additional, separate review of treatment plans occurs, further personalizing their care.

“We have radiation oncologists who are not directly involved in the patient’s care who review the plans of their colleagues,” said Sarah Peterson, MBA, BS R.T. (R)(T), Assistant Vice President of Radiation Oncology, Avera Cancer Institute. “These radiation oncology-specific case conferences include experts from every Avera Cancer Institute location, as well as medical physicists, medical dosimetrists, radiation therapists and nursing staff.”

Peterson also said the conferences give everyone opportunities to share opinions and expertise. “That ensures every patient receives the best – and safest – care possible,” she said.

The meetings started more than a decade ago with a focus on breast cancer, said Jamie Arens, MSW, Assistant Vice President, Avera Outpatient Cancer Services. Over several years, the types of meetings and those who join them have expanded to allow for a deeper caregiver dialogue.

Providers who may have just read reports of a new treatment in Mitchell, SD, can make sure their peers in Yankton, SD, or in Pierre, SD, know of these same facts. Interdisciplinary teams, across many locations, make sure no patient case is overlooked or not reviewed completely. The flow of information works both ways with everyone gaining insight whether located in Sioux Falls or a smaller town.

“We can have a complex cancer, for example, in the colon,” said Rojas. “Our providers in Sioux Falls may have seen the same cancer many times, so they can share their experiences with regional partners who have not.”

Cancer Cases Are Review Multiple Times to Ensure Best Outcomes for Patients

Rojas said that when multiple physicians share a room, or a virtual gathering, the primary physician has final say. “Yet discussion of recommendations is worthwhile,” he said. “We can look at the results of certain approaches and consider the qualifications of other patients.”

The team approach allows patients receiving cancer care at Avera to receive the most customized, precise and specialized treatment available, Van Beek said.

“Studies are published almost every day, and that information can help our physicians and their patients,” Rojas said. “We can personalize their journey and give them every possible piece of information that can make a difference.”

Learn more about how Avera cancer care focuses on you.