Quality standard

Quality statement 5: Multidisciplinary team management of metastatic breast cancer

Quality statement 5: Multidisciplinary team management of metastatic breast cancer

Quality statement

People with breast cancer who develop metastatic disease have their treatment and care managed by a multidisciplinary team. [2011, updated 2016]

Rationale

When a multidisciplinary team manages the treatment and care of people with advanced breast cancer who develop metastatic disease, health outcomes are improved. In particular, the role of the multidisciplinary team involves assessing the patient, discussing potential treatments for the cancer and symptom relief, and reviewing the impact of treatment across the whole care pathway.

Quality measures

Structure

Evidence of local arrangements to ensure that a multidisciplinary team manages the treatment and care of people with breast cancer who develop metastatic disease.

Data source: Local data collection.

Process

Proportion of people with breast cancer who develop metastatic disease who have their treatment and care managed by a multidisciplinary team.

Numerator – the number in the denominator who have their treatment and care managed by a multidisciplinary team.

Denominator – the number of people with breast cancer who develop metastatic disease.

Data source: Local data collection.

Outcome

a) Breast cancer recurrence (distant and local).

Data source: Local data collection.

b) Incidence of adverse events from chemotherapy.

Data source: Local data collection.

c) Mortality from breast cancer.

Data source: Local data collection.

What the quality statement means for different audiences

Service providers (such as secondary care services and tertiary care specialist services) ensure that systems are in place for people with breast cancer who develop metastatic disease to have their treatment and care managed by a multidisciplinary team.

Healthcare professionals (such as doctors, nurses and specialists) are aware of care pathways in place to ensure that people with breast cancer who develop metastatic disease have their treatment and care managed by a multidisciplinary team.

Commissioners (such as clinical commissioning groups) ensure that they commission services that have a multidisciplinary team who manage the treatment and care of people with breast cancer who develop metastatic disease.

People with breast cancer that has spread to other parts of the body (known as metastatic disease) have their treatment and care managed by a team of healthcare professionals who specialise in different areas of care. The team carry out an assessment and discuss all possible treatment options to help make sure the person has the treatment and care that will work best for them.

Source guidance

Advanced breast cancer: diagnosis and treatment. NICE guideline CG81 (2009), recommendation 1.5.11