Download Multi-Disciplinary Team

Multi-Disciplinary Team
It is important that cancer care is planned and monitored by as many experts as possible. MultiDisciplinary teams (MDTs) bring together doctors nurses and other health professionals who have
specialist training and experience in a specific cancer type. They meet once a week to review new
cancer patients and check the progress of existing patients.
The MDT
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works out your treatment plan
decides if any further tests need to be carried out
makes appropriate referrals to specialist services
collects patient information and keeps records
Each MDT member has a different role, providing surgical, medical, practical or emotional help
and support. Team members depend on the cancer type and your individual needs. Typical
members of an MDT include:
Cancer lead: who takes responsibility for the service. It is usually a physician or surgeon.
Clinical Nurse Specialist/Key Worker: Provides information and support.
• A contact point for people with cancer at any stage.
• Advice and support to patients with cancer, their relatives, carers and friends.
• Help with physical symptoms such as pain, fatigue or nausea.
• Advice about treatments such as radiotherapy, chemotherapy and surgery.
• Information about your illness.
• Advice on your continued care at home.
• Someone to talk to about worries or problems.
• Advice on relationships, fertility or sexual problems.
• Advice and help on how to manage financial problems.
• Refer to other healthcare and Macmillan professionals as necessary eg Dietitian, District Nurses,
Citizens Advice Bureau Financial Advisor.
You may see them when you are on the ward, whilst having surgery, chemotherapy treatment or
at your outpatient appointments.
MDT coordinator: who manages the MDT and makes sure that patient information is correct and
discussions are recorded.
Medical oncologist: a specialist doctor who treats cancer with drugs, including chemotherapy.
Clinical oncologist or radiotherapist: a doctor who treats cancer with radiotherapy and may
also prescribe chemotherapy.
Surgeon: your specialist cancer surgeon.
Haematologist: a specialist doctor who diagnoses and treats blood disorders.
Pathologist: a specialist doctor who examines body tissues and organs under the microscope.
Radiologist: a specialist in the use of x-rays and other imaging to diagnose and treat disease,
with a specialist interest in your type of cancer.
Palliative Care doctor: specialising in the management of patients with non-curable disease.
You may not meet all of your cancer team together at one time. But you will meet all of the
members who are relevant to your current treatment and care.
Your MDT may also include healthcare professionals from other hospitals who specialise in certain
types of treatment. For example, we have very close links with the Clatterbridge Cancer Centre
for radiotherapy and chemotherapy treatments.