What is multidisciplinary care? Most oncology clinics and hospitals hold a regular meeting of the health professionals involved in breast cancer treatment and care to discuss individual cases and make individual treatment recommendations. This is called a Multidisciplinary Meeting (MDM). When you are diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer, your case may be discussed at an MDM. The group of clinicians involved are referred to as the Multidisciplinary Team (MDT). Some centres have meetings specifically for metastatic breast cancer and others have meetings where both early and metastatic cases are discussed. This approach to care is designed to ensure that your treatment is well coordinated and represents the best available care. The care available in Australia for metastatic breast cancer is state-of-the-art globally, meaning that Australian people have access to best quality treatment and care. Care in another country would be unlikely to provide you with any additional advantages. What do I tell people? One of the most difficult things that you may be faced with is thinking about how to tell people in your life about your diagnosis. You may find you are not only trying to manage your own uncertainty but also the fears of people around you. Whether, what and how you tell people about your diagnosis is individual and personal. There may be people who believe that your prognosis is poor and that you will not live long. It may help to tell them that your illness can be treated like any other chronic disease, one that requires lifelong treatment, and it is expected that you will live for some years. It may help to suggest that they read the information presented here. For much of the time you will be well, but there may be periods where you are less well and require more intensive treatment and support from those around you. People may ask what they can do to help, and it can be useful to have a list of practical suggestions prepared. It is okay to ask for help.
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Metastatic breast cancer: an introduction
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