Multidisciplinary Team Care for Early-Stage Lung Cancer in Low- and Middle-Income Countries and Emerging Economies: Current Position and Call for Action.

Abstract

Lung cancer (LC) is a complex cancer marked by poor prognosis. Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and emerging economies have witnessed a growing burden of LC in recent years due to low symptom awareness, rising tobacco use, air pollution, and pulmonary infections. Managing LC optimally requires a multidisciplinary team (MDT) approach to support accurate diagnosis, staging, and treatment. MDT presentation has been linked to timely diagnosis and staging, receipt of surgery, and survival benefits in early-stage LC (ESLC). However, delivering high-quality ESLC care through an MDT approach remains challenging in LMICs and emerging economies. Weak organizational structure, fragmentation of the financing and health system, oncology workforce deficits, and unawareness of the potential impact of MDTs hinder optimal care. Systematic identification, analysis, and reporting of barriers to ESLC care are critical for improving care quality and informing effective corrective interventions. This article aimed to explore barriers to MDT implementation that are unique to the care of patients with ESLC in LMICs and emerging economies and developed evidence-informed recommendations for strengthening MDT care pathways. Key focus areas addressed by these recommendations include the composition of the MDT panel for ESLC management, standardizing MDT processes and guidelines, defining standardized datasets for data collection and internal MDT review, data sharing practices, and streamlining decision-making processes. This guidance document also provides a rational framework for improved standardized MDT care in ESLC (RISE-LC) to guide the implementation and optimization of MDT care in resource-constrained settings, aiming to improve timely diagnosis, treatment coordination, and patient outcomes.