ABSTRACT
The treatment of cancer requires that health care providers and caregivers from many disciplines work together on the intertwined physical, psychological, social and spiritual needs of oncology patients. Providing a conceptual framework explaining how the members of multidisciplinary oncology treatment teams may best interact with each other and the patient helps drive patient-centered care and clarifies the roles of specific team members at various times over the course of treatment. The ABC model of multidisciplinary care in cancer treatment describes the roles of the active caregivers (for example, physicians or nurses), basic supportive caregivers (for example, psychologists or chaplains) and community support (for example, advocacy groups or hospital staff) providing the full continuum of the cancer treatment experience. Teams trained in the ABC model should better understand the function and importance of each member's role, increase patient involvement and satisfaction with treatment, and ultimately improve patient outcomes.
