The impact of multidisciplinary team meetings on the management of metastatic prostate cancer in a reference center.

[INTRODUCTION] The management of metastatic prostate cancer (MPC) is complex and requires timely, coordinated decision-making across multiple specialties. Multidisciplinary team meetings (MDMs) have been increasingly adopted to optimize treatment planning, yet evidence regarding their impact on objective clinical outcomes in genitourinary cancers remains limited.

[METHODS] This retrospective, single-center cohort study compared two periods of MPC care: before MDM implementation (2018-2019) and after implementation (2021-2022). Patients were identified through institutional records. Demographic data, treatment timelines, therapeutic choices, and follow-up patterns were collected. Primary outcomes included time to clinical oncology consultation, time to treatment initiation, systemic therapy use, and follow-up adherence.

[RESULTS] One hundred thirty-nine patients were included, 72 in the 2018-2019 period and 67 in the 2021-2022 period. There was a significant reduction in the time taken to consult clinical oncology (P < .05) and to start treatment (P < .05). Systemic therapy started predominantly in the castration-sensitive setting (70.2% vs 14.3%; P < .001). The MDM promoted a higher quality of treatment, with a greater prescription of docetaxel and novel antiandrogens (95.7% vs 64.3%; P = .001) and zoledronic acid in the castration-resistant phase (92.5% vs 79.2%; P = .047). The MDM discussion optimized follow-up, with loss to follow-up observed in only 7.5% of cases (P < .001).

[CONCLUSION] The implementation of multidisciplinary team meetings significantly improved the timeliness, quality, and adherence to oncological care for patients with metastatic prostate cancer. MDMs should be incorporated as a standard component of care in institutions managing this population.