Endocrine Abstracts

Aim: Multidisciplinary approach is mandatory in the management of endocrine tumors. Herein, we summarize the healthcare activity performed during the last 6 years at the multidisciplinary committee for endocrine tumors of a tertiary and University Hospital.

Methods: A search of clinical-care activity of the endocrine tumors committee of our hospital from 2011 to 2016 was performed. Clinical and demographic data of all patients were recorded. The committee’s decisions were analyzed by tumor type and the type of decision (diagnostic or therapeutic). Clinical protocols approved by the committee were quantified.

Results: Two hundred and sixty seven decisions, affecting 205 patients (72.2% women, mean age 53.3±16.9 years) with endocrine tumors, were made. Thyroid tumors accounted for the main workload of the committee, with 61.8% of all decisions, a percentage that has not substantially changed over the years. The rest of decisions dealt with neuroendocrine (14.6%), pituitary (13.5%), adrenal (6.0%) and parathyroid tumors (4.1%). Most cases came from the Departments of Endocrinology (52.8%) and General Surgery (18.0%). 75.7% of the committee’s decisions were therapeutic and 15.7% diagnostic. The committee developed 29 clinical protocols for local use. 65.5% of them were therapeutic and 34.5% diagnostic. When studying the relationship between the department of origin and tumor type, we found a statistically significant difference between the cases presented by the department of Endocrinology and the surgical departments (General Surgery and Otolaryngology) and the remaining departments (χ² 46.55; P<0.001). No significant association between the type of decision and tumor type was found (χ² 9.79; N.S.).

Conclusion: Multidisciplinary teams are feasible and needed to make reliable, shared, patient-centered and evidence-based decisions. Endocrinology department remains the cornerstone that allows the flow of patients across the team.