Intra- operative radiotherapy for breast cancer treatment in developing countries

World Congress on Breast Cancer

August 03-05, 2015 Birmingham, UK

Maha Abdel Hadi

University of Dammam, KSA

Keynote: J Cancer Sci Ther

Abstract :

The fast pace of urbanization in many developing countries coupled with the imposed changes in life style has resulted in many alterations in disease patterns. Breast cancer is one of the diseases that has shown increasing incidence over the last decades with young age and advanced disease at initial presentations. The scarcity of specialized treatment Centers in the Region further impacts negatively on the outcomes limiting the surgical options to liberal adoption of mastectomies.According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Consensus, the number of Radiation Oncology centers worldwide is scarce and mainly clustered in developed countries. Developing countries are deprived from adequate centers to cover the population needs to radiation treatments. Based on the emerging many studies and strictly adhering selection criteria intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) has proven efficient, convenient, cost effective and can be used in conventional operating rooms. It spares or shortens the patients the long sessions of external beam radiation while providing equally effective outcomes.In developing countries, the lack of structured Breast cancer awareness programs coupled by the liberal adoption of mastectomies for young females results in patients shying away until the disease advances. IORT is an appealing treatment method which will propagate breast conserving therapy (BCT), early detection and restricting unnecessary mastectomies. Promoting such modality helps to overcome the shortcomings encountered due to the limited radiation oncology centers in the area. However, due to the young age at presentation IORT may be of more benefit when used as boost therapy.

Biography :

Maha Abdel Hadi is the founder of the first Breast Specialty clinic in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia 2000 and the Breast Oncology Clinic 2009. Pioneer & Founder of the University of Dammam Scientific Chair for Intraoperative Radiotherapy treatment for breast cancer 2010 rendering the University of Dammam the first institution in the region to acquire such an advanced treatment modality.A founder and an active board member, and head of the patient support program. She structured and set strategies for cancer awareness programs in particular breast cancer tailored to own communities.Prof. Abdel Hadi has contributed to the field of breast diseases by many publications in both national and international journals. Currently she actively participates as an investigator and co- investigator in clinical trials at the universityof Dammam – Saudi Arabia, University of Hanover- Germany and University College London- UK.Board member of the international Society For Breast Health 2010-2012, Member & representative of ASBD international affairs middle eastern region, member of Breast Surgery international 2008, International Society of Surgery , Baso- The association for Cancer Surgery, Association of women surgeons and adviser for Zahra Breast Society of Saudi Arabia 2009-date.An invited manuscript peer reviewer for The Breast, The Saudi Medical Journal, Arab Board and Saudi Family and Community medicine Journals.