Author
Samuel Lüthold
Medical Science Liaison Oncology
Every year, almost 2‘800 men and 2‘100 women in Switzerland are diagnosed with lung cancer.1 An individually tailored treatment plan is crucial for patients. To ensure this, doctors and specialists from various disciplines work together in so-called multidisciplinary tumor boards (MDTs). Studies have shown that this close collaboration significantly improves treatment outcomes and thus increases the chances of survival for those affected.2,3,4 In order to facilitate professional exchange between the local hospital MDTs, specialists and AstraZeneca have initiated a cross-hospital, national project.
«MDTs» - what is that actually?
MDTs bring together the knowledge and experience of numerous specialists from different disciplines - for example from oncology, surgery, radiology, nursing and pathology - in internal hospital committees for case discussions. This exchange is crucial for ensuring the quality of treatment, as those involved can jointly guarantee that all available treatment options are taken into account and that patients receive the best possible care.
Challenge: teamwork and limited resources
Although collaboration in multidisciplinary teams offers many advantages, there are also challenges: While the number of cancer cases diagnosed each year in Switzerland is over 45‘000 and rising,5 the number of physicians remains constant. In addition, the amount and complexity of medical information continues to increase, which can lead to differences in treatment approaches and outcomes.6,7
Overcoming challenges through cross-hospital collaboration
Until now, MDTs have been limited to internal committees at individual hospitals. In order to strengthen the exchange nationwide, AstraZeneca has facilitated a Swiss MDT network in the area of lung cancer as part of the international MDT-Aid Program (MAP). This promotes cooperation between hospitals and improves the efficiency of treatment decisions.
This cross-hospital network is managed by a multidisciplinary board consisting of thoracic surgeons Dr. Raphael Werner and Prof. Isabelle Schmitt-Opitz (University Hospital Zurich), medical oncologist Dr. David König (University Hospital Basel) and radiation oncologist PD Dr. Tobias Finazzi (Cantonal Hospital Baden). Further members from French-speaking Switzerland will follow.
PD Dr. Finazzi, Head Radiation Oncologist at Baden Cantonal Hospital, underlines the advantages of a lung cancer MDT network:
The complexity of lung cancer care is increasing rapidly and this is accompanied by an increasing number of cases that need to be discussed in MDT meetings. I am personally convinced that we can learn from shared experience how to make our processes more efficient and standardize procedures at the same time. This saves resources and helps to improve the quality of treatment for patients.
Digital innovations and a look into the future
Our long-term goal at AstraZeneca is to improve the quality of cancer care worldwide, optimize the care of lung cancer patients and eliminate cancer as a cause of death. By promoting accelerated education and the implementation of best practices, we aim to establish systems that strengthen patient care through the MDT Support Program.
MDT Assistance Program (MAP) – Europe-wide initiative to improve patient care
The MDT-Aid Program (MAP) was established to strengthen the exchange of experience between international hospitals and thus improve access to the latest findings and treatment approaches for lung cancer patients.8,9 A core element is the promotion of innovative digital solutions to optimize patient data management and communication within the teams. The MAP project supports over 150 leading hospitals in 37 countries.
Subject:
References
1 Krebsliga Schweiz. Zahlen & Fakten über Krebs. [Accessed July 2025]. Available from: https://www.krebsliga.ch/ueber-krebs/zahlen-fakten
2Heinke MY, Vinod SK. A review on the impact of lung cancer multidisciplinary care on patient outcomes. Transl Lung Cancer Res. 2020;9(4):1872-1881. doi:10.21037/tlcr-20-728
3Prades J, O’Callaghan M, Castejón R, et al. Is it worth reorganising cancer services on the basis of multidisciplinary teams (MDTs)? A systematic review of the objectives and organisation of MDTs and their impact on patient outcomes. Health Policy. 2015;119(4):464-474. doi:10.1016/j.healthpol.2014.09.006
4 Stone E, Rankin NM, Phillips JL, et al. Does presentation at multidisciplinary team meetings improve lung cancer outcomes? Lung Cancer. 2018;124:199-204. doi:10.1016/j.lungcan.2018.08.015
5Krebsforschung Schweiz. Jahresbericht 2023. [Accessed July 2025]. Available from: https://www.krebsforschung.ch/ueber-uns/publikationen/jahresberichte-und-rechnungen/-dl-/fileadmin/downloads/jahresbericht/jahresbericht-krebsforschung-schweiz-2023.pdf
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8Good practices in lung cancer MDTs. AstraZeneca 2024 [Accessed July 2025]. Available from: https://www.astrazeneca.com/content/dam/az/PDF/2024/Good-practices-in-lung-cancer-MDTs.pdf
9Nadal E, Gallego Llorente M, Cui YP, et al. 1721P Self-assessment tool and best-practice sharing to support hospitals in improving the quality of multidisciplinary teams in lung cancer care. Annals of Oncology. 2023;34(Suppl 2):S937. doi:10.1016/j.annonc.2023.09.2675