Every year, more than 145,000 people die in the Middle East as a result of cancer, according to global statistics collected by the American Cancer Society. If detected early, more than one-third of those deaths are easily preventable or treatable.
In order to discuss the latest trends and discoveries to treat lung, colorectal and breast cancers, as well as pain management, physicians from around the region gathered on Oct. 30-31, 2015, in the third annual Cancer Care Forum hosted by Clemenceau Medical Center, in affiliation with Johns Hopkins Medicine International, in Beirut, Lebanon.
The theme for this year’s symposium— Integrating New Radiotherapy Procedures in the Multimodality Management of Cancer—explores the benefits of combining more than one method of treatment when managing different types of cancer.
“The rising prevalence of cancer in the Middle East makes this gathering relevant to physicians and students alike,” said Dr. Mounes Kalaawi, CEO of Clemenceau Medical Center. “Having the opportunity to come together and confer on this important topic will help us advance care in the region.” Professor Marwan Ghosn, Director of CMC Cancer Department, added, “We are confident that connecting the different healthcare providers involved in the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of oncology patients will bridge the gap between them and contribute to the improvement of cancer patients’ management.”
International speakers from USA, Turkey, and France, included two Johns Hopkins Medicine faculty. Dr. Phuoc T. Tran, clinical director of radiation oncology and molecular radiation sciences discussed new approaches to treatment of oligometastatic disease and lung cancer. Dr. Jean Wright, associate professor of radiation oncology and molecular radiation sciences at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, shared insights on post mastectomy radiation treatments and management of breast cancer. Moreover, Dr. Serdar Turhal, President of European Union of Medical Specialists, Oncology Section and Oncologist at Anadolu Medical Center affiliated with Johns Hopkins Medicine International in Istanbul, Turkey, highlighted the importance of regional collaborations in Oncology. Lastly, Dr. Olivier Dubreuil, medical Oncologist specialized in Gastro-Intestinal Oncology at at Pitié - Salpetrière Hospital in Paris, discussed in depth the indications and outcomes of Radioemobilization.
The Cancer Care Forum was the ideal platform to address current topics in Radiation Therapy as CMC prepares to open its new comprehensive Cancer Center with a specialized state-of-the-art Radiation Therapy unit in 2016. The unit, headed by Dr. Nicolas G. Zouain, will be the first in Lebanon and the region to install a new, state-of-the-art, image-guided technology that provides more accurate, concentrated doses of radiation. CMC has teamed up with Varian® and Brainlab®, the leading companies in the field of Radiation Oncology, to build the most advanced radiation oncology facility in the Middle East. The department will feature advanced procedures such as: Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT), Sterotactic Radiosurgery (SRS), Stereotactic Radiation Therapy (SRT), and Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT).
Clemenceau Medical Center, one of the top private hospitals in Lebanon, and Johns Hopkins Medicine International, the global arm of Johns Hopkins Medicine, have been affiliated since 2006. Through their collaboration, the two organizations have developed different clinical programs, supported all three Joint Commission International reaccreditation processes and strengthened capacity by providing lectures, workshops, seminars and conferences on site covering the topics of gastroenterology, cardiology, oncology, orthopedics, women’s health, internal medicine and nursing leadership, among others.