Cancer care team

DEFINITION: The cancer care team consists of all the allied health professionals who are involved in a patient’s cancer diagnosis, treatment, and recovery or end-of-life planning. The team can include others who are not health professionals but are nonetheless an important part of the team. These can include spiritual leaders, social workers, and volunteers who provide assistance with transportation or housekeeping, as well as any other people who provide support or care for the individual with cancer.

Subspecialties: There is a nearly infinite number of subspecialists who make up the cancer care team. The most important member of the cancer care team is the patient, because this person has the ultimate say in what services and treatment are received. A family member or friend who provides day-to-day care throughout the duration of the cancer treatment and afterward may have no medical training but is nonetheless an integral part of the cancer care team. In addition, the team contains those medical professionals attempting to treat the cancer, such as medical or surgical oncologists, and those whose main function is to help the patient live more fully or more comfortably, such as physical and occupational therapists, psychological counselors, and nutritionists. Also in the team are those whose primary function is to provide emotional support or generalized help for the patient and family, such as social workers, clergy members, and volunteers who provide transportation, help with meals, or simply companionship.

Cancers treated: All types of cancer are treated by a cancer care team. The type of cancer the individual has and the planned treatment affect which professionals will be members of the team. The outcome of the cancer treatment can also determine which professionals are part of the cancer care team. An individual diagnosed with a cancer that is in an early stage and is likely to go into probably will be involved with team members to help with the recovery process, such as occupational and physical therapists. An individual diagnosed with a cancer with a high mortality rate that has already spread significantly is likely to have a cancer care team that includes individuals trained in palliative care and end-of-life planning, such as hospice workers and financial planners.

Training and certification: The training and certification required to be a member of the cancer care team depends on the role of the team member. A surgical oncologist requires an undergraduate degree, a medical degree, a long surgical residency, and additional surgical oncological training. Depending on the level of care nurses are allowed to provide, they may require various levels of training, including a master’s or doctoral degree. Psychological counselors or therapists are usually required to complete a master’s or doctoral level program. Assistants who are specialists in running certain types of machinery or equipment or assisting other health care professionals may have an associate degree or have completed a special certificate program. Some members of the cancer care team who assist with functions such as changing linens or retrieving necessary items may have received all of their training on the job.

Services and procedures performed: The cancer care team sees the patient through the entirety of the cancer care process, from diagnosis and treatment to recovery or end-of-life planning.

The first member of the cancer care team that an individual usually sees is a general practice physician, gynecologist, dermatologist, or other doctor who determines that cancer is possibly present. At that point, the member of the cancer care team who is seen next depends on the type of cancer suspected. A person might next see a radiological technologist, who will take X-rays or other images and submit them to the radiologist for reading. The person might instead see a technician who takes a sample of the lump if it is breast cancer that is suspected. If a biopsy or other sample is done, then the next member of the cancer care team may be the pathologist, who will do laboratory tests to determine whether cancer is present and, if so, which type of cells it contains.

Once a diagnosis of cancer has been made, then the cancer care team expands dramatically. Often, the team includes a case manager, who will coordinate all aspects of a patient’s care. The case manager may work with the patient’s primary physician, the primary oncologist, nurses, pharmacists, and other professionals who are providing care to the patient. This way, one person knows everything that is going on and can help ensure that nothing is being missed or done unnecessarily. The case manager may even help with scheduling appointments and may be able to recommend people such as social workers to assist the patient. The team may also contain a social worker who is specially trained in helping cancer patients. The social worker can provide information about services available to the cancer patient and help with government paperwork and other issues that are often present during cancer care.

The actual medical treatment for the cancer may be provided by a large number of oncologists with different specialties. Each of these oncologists works with a staff of medical professionals to help provide care. All these people are important members of the cancer care team, including any assistants or technicians who may help the patient get ready for procedures or teach them about proper self-care for afterward.

Although many members of the cancer care team are focused on trying to cure the cancer, other members of the team are primarily interested in helping the patient maintain as good a standard of living and degree of independence as possible throughout the treatment and afterward. Physical and occupational therapists can help patients regain lost skills or mobility and help patients plan for the challenges of treatment, such as by teaching them energy conservation techniques to use while receiving treatments. A nutritionist can ensure that the patient gets all the required vitamins and nutrients during treatment and can help the patient work through issues such as weight loss or gain.

If the cancer treatment is not successful, professionals can help patients and their families and friends with palliative care and end-of-life planning. These are important members of the cancer care team, even though trying to cure the cancer is not their goal. If the patient chooses hospice care, doctors and nurses who are specially trained in providing end-of-life care and comfort will become important members of the team. Financial planners, lawyers, and others can help the family ensure that all the cancer patient’s wishes will be carried out. Special bereavement counselors can also be part of the team to help the family make the most of the time that is left.

Related specialties and subspecialties: There are many related specialties and subspecialties that provide support for the cancer care team. These include technicians who operate or service necessary machinery and equipment, technicians, schedulers and office staff, record keepers, and insurance liaisons.

Bibliography

“Caregiver Training Videos.” American Cancer Society, www.cancer.org/cancer/caregivers/caregiver-support-videos.html. Accessed 19 June 2024.

Corner, Jessica, and Christopher Bailey, eds. Cancer Nursing: Care in Context. Malden, Mass.: Blackwell, 2008.

Hamilton, William, and Tim J. Peters. Cancer Diagnosis in Primary Care. New York: Churchill Livingstone/Elsevier, 2007.

Lyons, Lyman. Diagnosis and Treatment of Cancer. New York: Chelsea House, 2007.

Nakamura, Robert M., et al., eds. Cancer Diagnostics: Current and Future Trends. Totowa, N.J.: Humana Press, 2004.

Pelta, Sarah. “Navigating Cancer Care with the Stanford Care Coach Program.” Stanford Medicine, March 2024, med.stanford.edu/cancer/about/news/cancer-care.html. Accessed 19 June 2024.

“Your Cancer Care Team.” Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/diagnosis-treatment/your-care-team. Accessed 19 June 2024.