Preoperative multidisciplinary team meetings improve survival in rectal cancer.

A population-based study in Catalonia analyzed 5,249 rectal cancer patients, revealing that those whose cases were discussed in preoperative multidisciplinary team meetings (MTMs) exhibited better 2-year survival rates. Specifically, the MTM group had a 22% increase in survival compared to those not discussed in such meetings (hazard ratio 1.22), after adjusting for confounding factors. The findings suggest that ensuring universal access to MTMs could significantly enhance outcomes for rectal cancer patients.