The Approach to Multidisciplinary Oncologic Breast Care

Breast carcinoma is the second leading cause of cancer-associated death nationwide in women and is also one of the most common in the world. Originally, the diagnosis of breast malignancy left patients with poor prognoses; however, improvements in screening, treatments, and genetic testing in combination with multidisciplinary care have enhanced survival. Multidisciplinary breast cancer clinics (MDBCC) are comprised of surgeons, oncologists, pathologists, and various other specialties who work in tandem to deliver comprehensive treatment. Despite models of MDBCCs being variable throughout the world, tumor board conferences remain a cornerstone for multimodal treatment planning. This article will review common specialists and additional health care workers who are essential to MDBCCs, while describing the experience at a cancer center in Houston, Texas.