A multidisciplinary group of 81 experts from different institutions and countries worldwide, have come together to produce the latest Clinical Practice Guidelines for the diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of primary bone cancer.
The Guidelines include key recommendations on:
- Diagnosis
- Staging and risk assessment
- Treatment
- Follow-up, long term implications and survivorship
The clinical practice guidelines have been developed following a consensus virtual meeting that took place on 5 December 2020.
Representative experts form the European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO), the European Reference Network (ERN) for all Rare Adult Solid Cancers (EURACAN), the European Reference Network for all patients with one of the rare Genetic Tumour Risk Syndromes (GENTURIS) and the European Reference Network on Paediatric Cancer (ERN PaedCan), came together to produce this consensus document.
The objective of this guide is to advise healthcare providers, ensuring that an informed, co-ordinated and consistent approach is taken for the care of all primary bone cancer patients.
Dr Zoe Davison, Head of Research, Support & Information, said:
Receiving a primary bone cancer diagnosis is an overwhelming experience. Albeit written for medical professionals, the new guidelines can also help primary bone cancer patients and their families understand how decisions about their treatment are made. They can facilitate their discussions with their clinical team and allow them to make informed patient-physician shared decisions.
The guidelines are published in Annals of Oncology (2021) and can be found at the link below.
Authors: S.J. Strauss, A.M. Frezza, N. Abecassis et al., on behalf of the ESMO Guidelines Committee, EURACAN, GENTURIS & ERNPaedCan.