Description
The webinar presents an update on metastatic bone disease, focusing on collaborative efforts from the BOOS NCRI National Cancer Research Institute. Jonathan Stevenson discusses key developments and outcomes from a recent meeting in Birmingham, which aimed to define metastatic referral centers, identify clinical practices, and emphasize the importance of collaboration among medical professionals.
Several key areas are discussed:
1. **Referral Centers**: Definition and establishment of centers specializing in metastatic bone disease, which involve multidisciplinary teams (MDTs) within orthopedic services.
2. **Challenges in Management**: Lack of standardized procedures and funding issues that hinder effective patient management. Only about half of the participants reported having operational protocols for managing metastatic conditions.
3. **Research Initiatives**: Highlighting the investigation into clinical follow-up practices for metastatic bone disease, leading to the proposed establishment of a new registry to collect and analyze data.
4. **Minimally Invasive Therapies**: Introduction of cryotherapy combined with cementoplasty for the treatment of metastatic lesions, demonstrating successful outcomes without the need for major surgical interventions.
5. **Future Plans**: A call for further collaboration among primary tumor centers to support metastatic referral units and an invitation for continued participation in upcoming meetings. The talk ends with a proposal for a two-day meeting to address ongoing issues and research in metastatic bone disease.