New oncology centre at Royal Bahrain Hospital to transform urologic cancer treatment

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

An oncology centre launched within a leading private hospital is all set to revolutionise cancer treatment in Bahrain. Gulf Uro-Oncology Foundation, a unit of Royal Bahrain Hospital, was launched two months ago, with an aim to provide state-of-the-art diagnosis and treatment to patients suffering from cancer in Bahrain.

The Centre is headquartered in Bahrain and has a branch in the UAE. Speaking exclusively to The Daily Tribune, the Centre Director Prof Dr Bob Djavan said Gulf Uro-Oncology Foundation will bring the latest and innovative practices in cancer treatment to Bahrain. “Most of the Bahraini patients suffering from cancer go to other countries, mainly in Europe, to undergo treatment.

With the establishment of this centre, the situation is going to change as the patients here will have the facility to receive the most advanced form of treatment.”

The centre will have the services of Europe’s leading four cancer specialists including Prof Dr Djavan, who is a professor of Urology at the University of Vienna and New York University. He is also the Chairman of the Department of Urology, Rudolfinerhaus Foundation Hospital in Vienna, Austria.

The leading urologist praised Bahrain’s healthcare sector, especially with regard to the cancer treatment protocols including the diagnosis and treatment. He said the increasing rate of prostate cancer in Bahrain should be linked to the early detection and screening programmes, which is a reflection of the best healthcare system.

“Thirty years ago, two-thirds of cancer cases in Europe were detected in its advanced stage. Today it is just 10 per cent with patients living longer and having high survival rates.” He said early detection and early treatment are vital to tackle the rising number of cases, be it prostate cancer or breast cancer. “As long as we don’t have the so-called perfect treatment for cancer, these are the two important things that we could do. 

“One thing we have learnt in the past few years in Urology and Uro-Oncology is you cannot put a specific cancer age for human beings. But we know one thing, you are at high risk if you have a positive family history of cancer. “Since prostate cancer numbers are increasing, we recommend the first Prostate-Specific Antigen Test to be done at the age of 35. At Gulf Uro Oncology Foundation, we have genetic tests that will tell whether completely healthy people will be at risk of developing prostate cancer in the future. “We need to identify at-risk patients in order to not to be surprised by cancer diagnosis. We have new imaging techniques being implemented here, MRI and digital analysis systems, which will give us the proper images of the prostate. The only thing doctors did earlier was a digital rectal exam.”

He said there is a misconception among patients that robotic surgery is always a better option, “which is not true”. “There are patients who benefit from robotic surgery while there are many who will benefit from open surgery.”

Dr Djavan said the robotic surgery facility will be one of the core highlights at the Gulf Uro-Oncology Foundation. Speaking on the Gulf Uro-Oncology Foundation, Ahmed Jawahery, President, Royal Bahrain Hospital, said: “The Kingdom of Bahrain has made its mark in the region and the world with its thriving economy and open policies, particularly in the healthcare sector. It is my firm belief that prospering societies must have easy access to quality and affordable healthcare. Along with KIMSHEALTH, we have established a group of successful hospitals and medical centers in Bahrain, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE.

“Taking our services to the next level, last month we established, the first of its kind – Gulf Uro-Oncology Foundation at our Royal Bahrain Hospital, providing Urology and Uro-Oncology services and surgical care to our patients. “It is our pleasure that Prof Dr Bob Djavan from Austria who is one of the global experts in Uro-Oncology and Uro-Oncological surgery will lead this effort together with colleagues from Bahrain and a select group of experts from Europe and the USA. We are sure that this will lead to a new era of Urology and Cancer care and help make Bahrain a hub for medical care in the Gulf region.”

Dr Sheriff M Sahadulla, Group Chief Executive Officer at KIMSHEALTH said that healthcare is becoming more specialised each day. “Our objective is to provide highly specialized and advanced care to our patients. With the establishment of Gulf Uro-Oncology Foundation, in partnership with Prof Dr Djavan, we shall be bringing the highest level of medical expertise in Urology and Uro-Oncology to the Kingdom of Bahrain,” he stated.