S Deneuve1, E Babin2, J Lacau-St-Guily3, B Baujat3, R-J Bensadoun4, A Bozec5, D Chevalier6, O Choussy7, F Cuny2, N Fakhry8, J Guigay9, M Makeieff10, J-C Merol10, F Mouawad6, J Pavillet11, C Rebiere12, C-A Righini13, M-C Sostras14, M Tournaille15, S Vergez16. 1. Département de chirurgie oncologique, centre de lutte contre le cancer Léon-Bérard, 28, rue Laennec, 69008 Lyon, France. Electronic address: sophie.deneuve@lyon.unicancer.fr. 2. Service d'ORL, CHU, avenue de la Côte-de-Nacre, 14000 Caen, France. 3. Service d'ORL, hôpital Tenon, 4, rue de la Chine, 75018 Paris, France. 4. Service d'oncologie et de radiothérapie, centre de Haute Énergie, 10, boulevard Pasteur, 06000 Nice, France. 5. Service d'ORL, institut universitaire de la face et du cou, 31, avenue Valombrose, 06100 Nice, France. 6. Service d'ORL, hôpital Claude-Huriez, rue Michel Polonovski, 59037 Lille cedex, France. 7. Service d'ORL, hôpital Charles-Nicolle, 1, rue de Germont, 76000 Rouen, France. 8. Service d'ORL et de chirurgie cervico-faciale, hôpital de la Conception, CHU, 147, boulevard Baille, 13005 Marseille, France. 9. Service d'oncologie médicale, institut universitaire de la face et du cou, 31, avenue Valombrose, 06100 Nice, France. 10. Service d'ORL, hopital Robert-Debré, avenue du Général-Koenig, 51100 Reims, France. 11. Service d'oncologue médicale, CHU, 38043 Grenoble, France. 12. Service social, CHU, 14000 Caen, France. 13. Service d'ORL, hôpital Nord Michalon, BP 217, 38043 Grenoble cedex, France. 14. Service social, hôpital Tenon, 4, rue de la Chine, 75018 Paris, France. 15. Service social, CLCC François-Baclesse, 3, avenue du Général-Harris, 14000 Caen, France. 16. Service d'ORL, hôpital Larrey, 24, chemin de Pouvourville, TSA 30030, 31059 Toulouse cedex 9, France.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: The authors present the guidelines of the French Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery Society (SFORL) for patient pathway organization in head and neck cancer, and in particular for multidisciplinary team meetings. The present article concerns the therapeutic decision-making process. METHODS: A multidisciplinary work group was entrusted with a review of the scientific literature on the above topic. Guidelines were drawn up, based on the articles retrieved and the group members' individual experience. They were then read over by an editorial group independent of the work group. The final version was established in a coordination meeting. The guidelines were graded as A, B, C or expert opinion, by decreasing level of evidence. RESULTS: It is recommended that: an organ specialist should contribute to all multidisciplinary meetings on head and neck cancer; all members of the multidisciplinary meeting should have specific knowledge in head and neck cancer; any referring physician who does not follow the multidisciplinary meeting's advice should justify that decision; there should be sufficient time to prepare, discuss and sum up the cases dealt with in the multidisciplinary team meeting.
OBJECTIVES: The authors present the guidelines of the French Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery Society (SFORL) for patient pathway organization in head and neck cancer, and in particular for multidisciplinary team meetings. The present article concerns the therapeutic decision-making process. METHODS: A multidisciplinary work group was entrusted with a review of the scientific literature on the above topic. Guidelines were drawn up, based on the articles retrieved and the group members' individual experience. They were then read over by an editorial group independent of the work group. The final version was established in a coordination meeting. The guidelines were graded as A, B, C or expert opinion, by decreasing level of evidence. RESULTS: It is recommended that: an organ specialist should contribute to all multidisciplinary meetings on head and neck cancer; all members of the multidisciplinary meeting should have specific knowledge in head and neck cancer; any referring physician who does not follow the multidisciplinary meeting's advice should justify that decision; there should be sufficient time to prepare, discuss and sum up the cases dealt with in the multidisciplinary team meeting.