4th UAE Cancer Congress advocates excellence in Oncology

Hundreds of healthcare professionals from across the Gulf took part in the conference which covered a broad range of topics in the oncology field including breast cancer, lung cancer, gastro-intestinal cancer, head and neck cancer, gyne oncology, surgical oncology, cancer imaging and nutrition in cancer.

His Excellency Khalid Al Sheikh Mubarak, Deputy Director-General of the Dubai Health Authority, said, during his opening speech at the conference, " Excellence in oncology is the aim of the Dubai Health Authority to ensure we provide the best oncological care to our population and visitors alike. Conferences such as this one, are important because they bring together experts from the region and abroad to discuss the latest advances in the field."

This congress has been accredited by the European Society of Medical Oncology and Dubai Health Authority.

Dr Shaheenah Dawood, Congress president and head of medical oncology at Dubai Hospital, said, "The principal goal of the Congress which is being attended by leading regional and international faculty is to promote multidisciplinary care because residents diagnosed with cancer are treated by several health care professionals and not just one doctor. This is a fully comprehensive cancer congress for all those working with cancer patients in the Gulf. Taking a multidisciplinary approach to cancer care has been shown to be best practice in all types of cancer management and it is in this spirit that delegates attending the conference will come from a wide-range of healthcare disciplines."

She said, "Prostrate cancer and breast cancer are the top cancers that people in the UAE suffer from." "Over the last few years, we can say that there has been a steady rise in all types of cancers that doctors are witnessing, globally and in the UAE. Until a few years ago, people in the UAE were not aware of the importance of cancer screening and this was reflected in hospitals as patients would come to us in their later stages of cancer. However, I can say, that nowadays due to sustained awareness campaigns and the work of authorities such as the DHA, who are putting in efforts to educate the population about the disease and the importance of screening, we are seeing patients in their earlier stages of cancer," she added.

She said, "This is a very positive change and emphasized on the importance of awareness campaigns."

Speaking about the congress she said, "The congress has grown significantly since it was first conceived in 2009. Its commitment to education of health care professionals involved in all aspects of management of patients suffering from cancer has certainly attracted delegates from not only the Gulf but indeed the whole Asia Pacific region."

Furthermore the congress is committed to promoting research of cancer in the region. "This year we had nearly 250 abstracts submitted," said Dr Dawood.

She said, "This year two surgical oncology workshops, a dedicated oncology nutrition workshop, and a fully comprehensive three day course dedicated to nurses involved in managing patients with cancer have been introduced. A whole dedicated to cancer imaging has been developed targeting radiologists in the region. Furthermore the programme incorporates tumor boards and case debates where delegates can participate on anonymous cancer cases and vote for the best treatments.

"Tumor boards are an integral part of cancer care world wide and have been shown to improve the development of individualized treatment plans, which ultimately have a positive impact on long-term survival," added Dr. Dawood.

"By bringing these boards here we hope to stimulate interesting discussions, allowing active participation of all those involved in the management of cancer: From the family practitioner, who typically is the first person to see the patient, to the oncologist who decides on diagnosis and treatment and the nurses and allied healthcare professionals who assist patients to recover from, and live with, their illness," she explained.