Developing or existing breast cancer centres strive to provide the highest quality care possible within their current financial and personnel resources. Although the basics in diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer are well known, providing, monitoring, and assessing the care offered can be challenging for most sites.
Based on the work of the International Congress of Breast Disease Centres, this book provides a comprehensive overview of how to start or improve a breast unit wherever you live. Written by a multidisciplinary team of over 100 experts from 25 countries, it provides a practical guide for how to optimally organise high quality integrated breast cancer care, whilst taking into account the local economics and resources available to different countries.
Each component of the care pathway, including imaging, surgery, systemic treatment, nursing, and genetic assessment, is discussed from a theoretical and practical aspect. The authors define targets to strive for, methods to assess care, and key recommendations for how to improve within existing limitations. Finally, the book looks beyond the breast care unit to consider accreditation and certification, emerging technologies, media, and the role of governments.
This guide will be valuable for anyone working in the field of integrated breast cancer care, including established breast care experts, those new to the field, and policy makers interested in the social, financial, and political aspects of improving breast care quality.
Didier Verhoeven, Head of the Department of Medical Oncology, AZ Klina, Brasschaat, Belgium, Cary S. Kaufman, Medical Director, Bellingham Regional Breast Center, Bellingham, Associate Professor of Surgery, University of Washington, Seattle, USA, Robert Mansel, President, European Commission Initiative in Breast Cancer (ECIBC), Emeritus Professor of Surgery, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK, Sabine Siesling, Professor, University of Twente, Enschede, and Senior Researcher, Netherlands Comprehensive Cancer Organisation (IKNL), Utrecht, The Netherlands
Didier Verhoeven is Head of the Department of Medical Oncology at AZ Klina, and Chair of the Breast Clinic Voorkempen, in Brasschaat, Belgium, and Guest Professor at the University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
Cary S. Kaufman is Medical Director at Bellingham Regional Breast Center, Bellingham, and Associate Professor of Surgery at the University of Washington, Seattle, USA. Previously he was President of the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC), and President of the National Consortium of Breast Centers (NCBC).
Robert Mansel is Chair of the Quality Assurance Committee of the ECIBC, and Professor Emeritus of Surgery at the University of Cardiff School of Medicine, Cardiff, UK. He was formerly President of the European Society of Breast Cancer Specialists (EUSOMA).
Sabine Siesling is Professor of Outcomes Research and Personalized Cancer Care at the University of Twente, Enschede, and Senior Researcher at the Netherlands Comprehensive Cancer Organisation (IKNL), Utrecht, the Netherlands. She was formerly President of the Netherlands Epidemiology Society, and General Secretary of the International Association of Cancer Registries (IACR).
