Conference participants from around the Gulf gathered this week to push for major changes in how the region addresses cancer, with calls for a single “Gulf approach to combating cancer” instead of the numerous national approaches currently being employed. The Gulf Conference on Cancer, held between February 2nd and 3rd in Kuwait, culminated in the drafting committee issuing a broad set of recommendations to modify the Gulf Plan to Combat Cancer (2016–2025) into a cohesive regional framework that combines national programs into one integrated program with an emphasis on rapid adaptation to the changing science of cancer care.
Keynote speakers emphasized that the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) must move beyond isolated programs for each nation and create a coordinated program for all GCC nations to use that covers all aspects of cancer—prevention, screening, treatment, palliative care, and survivorship—while allowing for country-specific modifications. Simply put, the intent of the proposed approach is to create a uniform set of best practices so all GCC nations are able to provide their citizens access to the same quality of care, no matter where they are located.
The workshop identified early detection as a critical priority area. The consensus of attendees was to move from opportunistic screening to nationally standardized screening programs, to expand genetic testing and risk assessment, and to revise the recommended age for breast and colorectal screening in light of an increasing incidence of these cancers among younger people. Participants considered artificial intelligence both as a tool for improving cancer diagnosis and treatment and as a challenge for regulating its use in healthcare. They proposed developing a regulatory framework for Gulf states to govern the use of artificial intelligence in imaging, pathology, colonoscopy, and decision support; creating an accredited training program for users of artificial intelligence to reduce the potential for harm due to the irresponsible deployment of artificial intelligence; and developing a regulatory framework for artificial intelligence in healthcare delivery and decision support.
Other priorities included precision medicine and hereditary cancer management. Participants recommended integrating genetic counseling into primary care, establishing harmonized protocols for the management of hereditary syndromes, and scaling next-generation sequencing to inform treatment decisions—thereby transforming previously generic treatments into customized treatment plans. Participants also emphasized the importance of creating a clinical research network in the Gulf and improving data-sharing practices and recommended continued support for the Gulf Journal of Oncology as the main vehicle for sharing research in the region.
The conference emphasized the need for integrating palliative care much earlier; providing culturally appropriate hospice care; expanding home care service availability; providing specialist survivor clinics to address long-term physical/psychological needs, which recognizes that winning the battle against cancer does not only have to do with survival but with a good quality of life; and implementing improved governance to have measurable performance indicators along with having a single digital platform used to track performance at a regional level.
The need for these proposals is critical because cancer continues to be one of the leading causes of death globally (almost 10 million deaths in 2020 alone). Experts at this conference felt that all of the countries within the Government of the Gulf Cooperation Council must act as one entity to affect the cancer death rate in their respective populations. If this conference’s recommendations are implemented, the way that cancer is treated and controlled in the Gulf region will be transformed from many independent jurisdictions to an integrated, data driven initiative.
