Panel discussion -: Bringing practice guidelines to patients

The public now has access to some of the most reliable information about cancer and its treatment options. The National Camprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) and the American Cancer Society (A CS) have collaborated to produce "Breast Cancer Treatment Guidelines for Patients," a detailed translation of NCCN's breast cancer practice guidelines used by physicians. The guidelines were released at NCCN's fourth annual practice guidelines conference in Felt Lauderdale, Florida. The breast cancer guidelines are only the first in a series that,will cover the 10 most common cancer sites. The publication of the guidelines on the websites of both the NCCN and ACS (in addition to printed format) will allow for instant notification of changing treatment strategies. The guidelines will be updated as often as the NCCN alters its practice guidelines for physicians. In the panel discussion presented here, officials of these organizations and other patient advocacy groups expressed confidence that the joint effort will increase patient knowledge, clarify decision-making issues, ease problems in physician-patient communication, improve compliance, and alert patients to clinical trials.