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UKAOS Malignancy of Unknown Origin (MUO) subgroup

    Our lead is Alison Taylor  our UKAOS board member with a special interest in MUO. If you wish to be involved then please contact us via this link.

Aim of Subgroup - 

The Malignancy of unknown origin (MUO) sub group will focus on the diagnosis and pathways for the diagnosis of MUO.

The broad aims of the UKAOS Subgroups are:

•  Knowledge creation and sharing to develop practice and improve the  quality of learning and teaching – action- finding, collating, organising, and distributing knowledge to Subgroup members and the wider health care community.

• Developing, validating, and disseminating best practice.

• Problem solving, bringing together expertise to focus on solving a common problem, thus providing benefits to members and the wider health care community.

• Innovation-review and highlight and disseminate new and emerging  areas of knowledge. Identify opportunities for innovation and  research.

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Community

  • The target membership are all members working with malignancy of unknown origin patients or pathways
  • Core members include a representative from the following groups: AO CNS/ANP, medical oncologist, acute medic, non-specific symptoms service lead, geriatric /frailty, primary care and the trainee medic.
  • The core group will have a representative from each of the 4 Nations
  • Any member of UKAOS can join the group by contacting via the designated email via the UKAOS website
  • The group will meet as a minimum 3 monthly
  • Meeting dates for 2026 Feb 11th, April 8th, 3rd of June, 23rd of September and 18th of November.
  • Group communication will be by email and Microsoft teams. Communications with the wider membeship will be via the website messages and/or email and via  UKAOS newsletter

Membership and structure Membership

This group is managed by a committee drawn from members of UKAOS

Chair -  Alison Taylor

Vice Chair – Dr Alia Alchawaf oncologist

Officers (chair and vice chair)  will serve a term of 2 years with the opportunity to be eligible to apply for one further 2-year term. New  officers will be elected from the wider group membership.

 

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Membership:

The group will have representation from AO nurses and oncologists/NSS/   ED / MAU /  from the 4 nations. 

 Membership is open to clinical and lay members with an interest in MUO

Meetings:

The community of all subgroup member will meet 3 monthly via TEAMS (with the aim to meet one month before the UKAOS board meetings) as a minimum.

Smaller groups of core members/officers will meet more frequently to work on project work and short task and finish group work as per the work plan.

Minutes of the MUO subgroup meetings and action log are shared on this webpage below.

Current working group - MUO guidelines group looking a key principles of diagnosis, management and support for people with MUO. This group are also developing KPIs and patient information. If you would like to join the group who are meeting fortnightly please email  ukaos@media1productions.co.uk the group is being lead by Federico Cocciolo, Prof Jamie Coleman and Dr Laura Jones

Decision making:

The Subgroup will make decisions by consensus of a quorate of at least four members. In the event of a vote being necessary the decision will be reached by a simple majority of members present, in person or by telephone. In the event of a tie, the Chairs will have a casting vote.

Group terms of reference and governance can be found at this link 

Reporting and communication:

• The Subgroup will be accountable for all its actions.

• The Subgroup will provide a verbal update (exception report) report to the UKAOS operational steering group every 3 months. The Subgroup chair or deputy will be  co-opted to attend the board meeting.

•  The subgroup will provide a written annual report using a standardised template and aligned with the UKAOS AGM process.

 

 

USEFUL DOCUMENTS

BOAST orthopedic management guidance bone only metstastic disease

BOOM guidance 2021

BOAST guidance audit

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Current projects:

Emergency presentation of cancer survey

The UK Acute Oncology Society (UKAOS) Malignancy of unknown origin (MUO) subgroup are scoping how patients with MUO start their clinical journey from acute presentation to definitive management.  We know that:

  • Diagnosis in the emergency setting is often associated with poor prognosis
  • Patients are often diagnosed with advanced disease and may require urgent and appropriate symptom management
  • Patient experience for this group tends to be poor
  • There are often issues with lack of clear defined pathways and ownership of patients
  • Acute Oncology Teams often support the MUO pathway and can provide advice and guidance for patients and clinicians can improve patient outcomes and experience
  • This questionnaire is for all those hospitals that receive acute admissions. The aim is to scope MUO services and pathways across the England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

High level report May 2025

Powerpoint data items

Final report - pending Board approval in April 2026.

Working Group  - MUO diagnosis standards

Following the MUO survery a working group has been establised to work on a UKAOS standard for care document for MUO.

Standard of Care (SoC) for Malignancy of Undefined Origin (MUO)

1. Purpose and context

The Standard of Care document outlines the minimum requirements for identifying, investigating, managing, and following up patients with Malignancy of Undefined Origin (MUO). It aims to ensure timely diagnosis, appropriate escalation, clear clinical ownership, and equitable access to specialist services.

Recognising that there is existing guidance, this SoC has been constructed by a range of experts to provide best practice clinical guidance. It builds on existing national guidelines but incorporates the lived experience of those involved in managing these patients. The intent is to supplement rather than replace existing local or national documents.

Once this document has been finalised and approved it will be added here.

This group also hope to work on suite of resouces for teams working with MUO pathways this will include patient information.

 

 

Meeting Minutes

May 2025 

March 2025

September 2025

December 2025 

Action Log

May 2025  

March 2025 

September 2025 

December 2025

February 2026

 

if you have any questions, please email  ukaos@media1productions.co.uk

Alison Taylor     Acute Oncology Nurse Consultant    UKAOS MUO subgroup lead

Follow this link to see Alison Taylor 's presentation on MUO and CUP practice for the SAM webinar series 2024

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