Inaugural MDT Session by AFROC & ICI
Held Virtually – September 2024
In September 2024, the African Forum for Research and Oncology Collaboration (AFROC), in partnership with the International Cancer Institute (ICI), hosted its first-ever MDT meeting. Held virtually, this inaugural session brought together healthcare professionals and oncologists from across Africa and beyond to discuss complex cancer cases and improve collaborative care practices.
Dr. Muahammed Bapeekee delivered the first presentation, discussing the diagnosis and management of a complex oncology case involving a metastatic gastrointestinal tumor.
“We initially suspected a GIST [Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor], but further biopsy and imaging confirmed it was a poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma. This significantly changed the treatment pathway.”
His presentation emphasized the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration when diagnostic clarity is elusive, and multiple organ systems are involved.
Following this, Prof. Radka Obermannova shared a comparative perspective from the Czech Republic, discussing best practices in staging and treatment sequencing for esophageal cancers.
“The sequencing of chemo-radiation followed by surgery remains standard, but we see growing interest in definitive non-surgical approaches, especially in high-risk surgical patients.”
She also highlighted the value of MDTs in optimizing patient-centered care.
“What works in one country may need to be adapted elsewhere — MDTs help us interpret international guidelines in context.”
Clinical Case Discussions
Two detailed cases were presented and discussed:
- Case 1: Metastatic GI Tumor with Atypical Presentation
- A 47-year-old male with diffuse abdominal pain, misdiagnosed initially as gastritis.
- Imaging revealed liver lesions and thickened stomach wall.
- Multidisciplinary review led to updated staging and treatment with targeted therapy, based on HER2 status.
- Case 2: Recurrent Esophageal Cancer in a Low-Resource Setting
- A female patient previously treated with chemo-radiation developed recurrence after 14 months.
- The team debated salvage surgery versus second-line chemoradiotherapy.
- Key discussion points included nutritional support, accessibility of palliative care, and patient preference.
As one attendee commented in the chat:
“This is exactly why these MDTs are needed. In real life, these cases are rarely textbook.”
🎥 Watch the full recording here:
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