Essential Knowledge and Skills for the Practice of Pediatric Surgical Oncology- A Modified Delphi Consensus Study by the APSA Cancer Committee
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Key Takeaways
- Multidisciplinary care access (tumor boards, subspecialty surgeons) is more critical than individual surgical skill for pediatric oncology.
- 177 consensus statements were developed via modified Delphi process and unanimously retained by expert panel.
- Emphasis shifted from memorization to deep understanding of pediatric surgical oncology principles.
- APSA Cancer Committee defined core competencies needed for hospitals treating pediatric cancer patients.
- Collaborative team-based approach prioritized over solo practitioner expertise in pediatric surgical oncology.
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As a surgeon, what do you think hospitals need to successfully care for pediatric cancer patients? I'm Jill Knerath with Stay Current MD, and this is an article you should know about. In 2025, the ABSA Cancer Committee published consensus statements in the Annals of Surgical Oncology. They described the essential knowledge and skills to practice pediatric surgical oncology. How did they go about reaching this consensus? The committee sent out a survey to get statements from experts in the field. Then they conducted a modified Delphi process that resulted in 177 statements. These statements were reviewed by an expert panel who decided to keep all 177 statements. So what were some of the main themes? One of the main Findings was an emphasis on multidisciplinary care instead of individual surgical skills and knowledge. This included access to multidisciplinary tumor boards and subspecialty surgeons. Additionally, many of the statements prioritized understanding over memorization. What do you think about the committee's consensus statements?