Simple Summary
Lung cancer is one of the deadliest cancers worldwide, and its care is complex, often requiring many healthcare professionals to work together. This systematic review examined how a multidiscipline team-based approach, where doctors, nurses, therapists, and other specialists collaborate on patient care, affects the lives of people with lung cancer. The researchers reviewed 11 international studies. These studies included over 10,000 patients with lung cancer. They found that patients cared for by teams generally experienced: better patient reported outcomes, such as physical health, less pain and fatigue, improved emotional well-being, and stronger social support. Patients also reported higher satisfaction with their care, feeling more informed and supported throughout treatment. The study identified factors that help or hinder this team-based care, such as early referrals, clear communication, and availability of resources. The findings show that coordinated, patient-focused care can improve quality of life for these patients. This highlights the importance of teamwork in healthcare. These insights can guide hospitals and healthcare systems to adopt more effective approaches, ultimately making cancer care more supportive, personalized, responsive and tailored to the needs of patients and their families.
Abstract
Background: Multidisciplinary team (MDT) care is now recognized as the most effective approach to managing lung cancer treatment. While MDTs aim to improve coordination, decision-making, and patient outcomes, their impact on patient-reported outcomes, particularly quality of life (QoL), remains unclear. Objective: This systematic review aimed to examine how the involvement of a multidisciplinary team (MDT) in the care of patients with lung cancer affects patient-reported outcomes and to investigate the enablers and barriers for implementing and running MDT care in lung cancer management. Methods: We systematically searched Medline, Embase, Cochrane, and Scopus (up to March 2024) to identify studies comparing QoL outcomes in patients with lung cancer managed with and without MDT care. The review was conducted and reported in accordance with the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Risk of bias was assessed using the CASP tool, and findings were synthesized narratively. QoL outcomes were grouped into physical, functional, emotional, and social domains, and quantitative and qualitative data were synthesized narratively due to heterogeneity across studies. Results: Eleven studies met the inclusion criteria, comprising a total of 10,341 patients, with 3760 in MDT groups and 6581 in non-MDT groups. The methodological quality of the studies varied, with 10 papers rated as moderate to high quality. The findings suggest that MDT care may contribute positively to emotional support, and physical well-being. Better patient satisfaction and communication in MDT settings. Limitation: Heterogeneity and the lack of standardized PRO tools in outcome measures and study design limited comparability. Conclusions: MDT care may have a beneficial impact on certain aspects of quality of life in patients with lung cancer, particularly emotional and physical well-being. However, more robust and standardized research is needed to determine the full extent of its benefits on patient-reported outcomes.