The Gippsland region is an area with significant number of smokers, high incidences of asbestos, pollution exposures and high unemployment rate.
This is a region that has had limited local access to comprehensive cancer care. The local lung MDT had started to address these issues, to improve care and coordination of cancer services. This project evaluated the patients discussed in the lung MDT and their outcome and this will have an impact on service development.
Methods:
The multidisciplinary team meetings record from January 2013 -December 2016 were assessed and evaluated during this audit and a total number of lung patients were compared with Victorian Cancer Registry.
Results:
There are 125 cases of respiratory cancers reported to the Victorian Cancer Registry from Gippsland (annually 110 to140 patients). The total number of individual discussions were 592 and this was regarding 404 individual patients . Breakdown of various cancer types shows 210 (52 %) NSCLC 33, SCLCÂ (9 %),23 Mesotheliomas (5%) and 137 (34 %) other.
In detailed analysis of the 100 patients available thus far:
The mean age 69 years, primary lung cancer 71, and secondary cancers 14 and 56 were NSCLC, 11 SCLC, 2 mesothelioma,14 patients had other malignancies and 15 benign or unknown. Out of these patient groups 14 underwent surgery, 25 received palliative chemotherapy,15 underwent radical chemo-radiotherapy, 12 had best supportive care and 25 other treatments. Data from all the patients including their lines of treatment, 1 year and 2 year survival will be presented at the meeting.
Conclusion:
This is a retrospective audit of MDT and Cancer Services which will be an important resource for future service improvement, cancer care and treatment outcome especially in a regional setting.