Committees on Cancer in Uruguay. What is the state of situation after 10 years?

Abstract

Introduction: over the last years we have seen how diagnosis and treatment of patients with cancer has become more complex. It has been proved that multidisciplinary assessment of oncological patients may have a significant impact on the therapeutic conduct. Multidisciplinary approach may even reduce mortality rates, improve the quality of life and diminish health costs, avoiding unnecessary interventions or tests. In Uruguay, Committees on Cancer became mandatory in 2002.
Objective: to analyze the reality of the Committees on Cancer in Uruguay 10 years after the decree that made them mandatory was approved, and to provide an example on a specific type of tumors - rectal cancer - about the conduct of a cohort of specialists from different sectors in the country.
Method: an anonymous survey was conducted from 2 May 2011, through 30 June, 2011, among oncology and surgery specialists.
Results: 40 oncologists and 23 surgeons were surveyed. All of them agreed on the importance of Committees on Cancer in the making of decisions, 66.7% reported they existed at their work sites, 69% when it came to the public employments sector and 45.2% in the private sector; 2 out of 63 (3.1%) were aware of the members that formed said committees. When questioned about treatment for patients with stage II or III rectal cancer, 100% of the oncologists chose to start neoadjuvant therapy, while 65.2% surgeons chose neoadjuvant therapy.
Conclusions: in our health system, 10 years after the Committees on Cancer became mandatory by law, this multidisciplinary approach to cancer patients has not developed as recommended.