Multidisciplinary care for metastatic breast cancer

Metastatic breast cancer is complex to manage. You will need a team of specialists involved in your care.

If your treatment is in a major centre, a multidisciplinary team will probably manage your care. When you have multidisciplinary care, medical and allied health professionals work together assess your situation and look at all relevant treatment options.

Together, they discuss and develop the best individual treatment plan for you. This is the best practice approach in Australia.

Unfortunately, not everyone has access to a multidisciplinary team, particularly if your treatment is in a smaller centre or a remote or rural area.

Who is in a multidisciplinary team

The people you need in your multidisciplinary care team depends on:

• your type of breast cancer
• the treatment and care you are having
• where you live (city, rural or remote).

Find out who is in your team and how to find them at Your metastatic treatment and care team.

You may also see other (‘allied’) health professionals, such as physiotherapists, dietitians and exercise physiologists. Learn about these roles at Allied health care for metastatic breast cancer.

If you are involved in a clinical trial, research staff may also be part of your team.

How the team works together

The multidisciplinary model encourages open, honest and regular communication. This is the foundation of good treatment and care.

You may have different professionals treating you at different times. In some treatment centres, your team will meet regularly to discuss your progress and decide on treatment recommendations.

If your team members are not based in the same place, which often happens in rural areas, they may join team meetings via video or phone.

If you are unsure about whether your specialists are working in a multidisciplinary team, you can ask a member of your treating team.

What to expect from your team

Meeting a lot of different health professionals can be overwhelming but you will usually have one main contact person to answer your questions.

This person may change at different points during your treatment. If you are unsure of who your main contact is, ask any member of your team.

You can also ask them whether your care has been discussed in one of their regular meetings.

You may want to know when they are having planned meetings. This way, you know when they may contact you about treatment recommendations.

While you may be referred to a particular specialist, in the private system you may be able to choose who you see. You can also ask for a second opinion. If you had early breast cancer previously, you may want to choose a different team for your latest treatment. 

Resources

Podcast: Forged in Fire: Relationships with your Medical Team and Self-advocacy

Podcast: Communicating with your health professionals

Podcast: Money and the Australian healthcare system

Influencing best practice in metastatic breast cancer – Cancer Australia Statement on appropriate and inappropriate practices to ensure consistent breast cancer care.