Inside UAE's most advanced cancer centre: Wearables, robotic surgery, carbon-ion therapy
Marking its second anniversary, the centre's leadership presented a series of updates that reflect the growing scale and sophistication of the country's cancer care infrastructure. "We've treated over 27,000 cancer patients since inception," said Dr Stephen Grobmyer, Chief of the Cancer Institute. "But what's more exciting is where we're going."
Wearables and cooling devices
Among the most immediate changes affecting patients today is the roll-out of the BioButton, a medical-grade wearable that remotely tracks a patient's vital signs after chemotherapy or surgery. "We're putting it on almost all patients who start on chemotherapy," Dr Grobmyer confirmed, adding that it allows clinicians to identify signs of deterioration early and proactively intervene.
"We can detect early warning signs like increased temperature or heart rate before the patient even notices. One of our patients, for example, was starting to experience complications like nausea and vomiting. We contacted them before it escalated, brought them in for fluids, and they were able to return home without hospital admission."
The centre is also investing in supportive technologies to preserve the quality of life during treatment. Cooling caps, used to reduce chemotherapy-related hair loss, have already shown tangible results. "I had a patient last week who finished chemotherapy and still had almost all of her hair. She was very happy about that," said Dr Grobmyer. For patients facing neuropathy, a side effect of some cancer medications, cooling gloves are being used to reduce nerve damage in hands and feet.
Robotic surgery = smaller cuts, faster recovery
Dr Usman Ahmad, division chair of Thoracic Surgery, Heart, Vascular and Thoracic Institute, explained how Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi has made robotic and minimally invasive surgery the new norm for cancer patients across specialities.
"There is no surgical treatment for which the patients have to leave the UAE now," he said. He emphasised the dramatic improvement in recovery times through robotic surgery. "Instead of big incisions, we operate through keyholes. Patients start walking the same day or the next, go home in a few days, and can start further treatment like chemotherapy or immunotherapy within a week or two."
He described the shift from older surgical methods in vivid terms: "The robotic technology is so advanced that the instruments act like my hands inside the patient's body, without me having to put my hands inside. Traditional thoracic surgery might require an incision this big," he said, gesturing from his heart to the abdomen area. "Now, we do the entire operation through incisions the size of a fingertip."
Dr Ahmad noted that nearly all types of cancer surgeries, including for lung, stomach, oesophagus, kidney, prostate, and ovarian cancers, are now performed robotically. "We don't compromise on safety or quality. These are the same standards you'd find in the US or Europe."
AI, adaptive radiation and heavy ion therapy
Radiation oncology has also seen a leap forward, with Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi now offering AI-powered adaptive radiation and brachytherapy, internal radiation delivered directly to the tumour. "Adaptive radiation is among the most advanced in the world," said Dr Fady Geara, Division Chair of Radiation Oncology. "We adjust the radiation in real-time during treatment to follow the tumour's exact position and spare healthy tissue."
He added that this is especially useful for abdominal and pelvic cancers, where organs shift frequently. The centre's brachytherapy programme is now operating daily and, according to Dr Geara, is often "not even available in many US centres."
As previously announced, the facility is preparing to launch the region's first carbon-ion therapy centre - a treatment for tumours resistant to traditional methods. "We're building a new facility to house the synchrotron accelerator," said Dr Geara. "We aim to treat our first patient in two to three years, or possibly sooner."
Genomics, prevention, and regional leadership
A polygenic risk score (PRS) study to predict breast cancer in patients without known genetic mutations is also underway. "Most global data is from Western populations," said Dr Fawad Khan, Staff Physician for Longevity Medicine. "We're now validating this in Emiratis, which will also benefit the wider Arab population." The hospital's longevity and high-risk prevention programmes already serve hundreds of patients, both survivors and those with elevated risk, including international patients from Saudi Arabia and Qatar. "This is not a branch of Cleveland Clinic," Dr. Grobmyer emphasised. "We are Cleveland Clinic. Our tumour boards include our colleagues in Ohio, and our goal is not just to take from the system but to contribute new knowledge back."
Training the next generation
As part of that long-term vision, the centre has received approval to launch a four-year oncology residency programme starting in 2026. "Our preference is to train locals - Emirati doctors, but we also bring in candidates from the wider region when needed," said Dr Grobmyer.
He noted that the programme, accredited through the UAE's board system, is designed to match the standards of top US fellowships.
"It's a long journey," he added, describing the structure as a progression from internal medicine training to subspecialty practice in solid tumour oncology and malignant haematology. Once trainees complete the full programme and pass board exams, "they will be independently able to manage the full spectrum of diseases," he explained,
Dr Ahmad stressed how early detection saves lives, and no one in the UAE needs to leave the country for treatment as they could receive timely, high-quality, sufficient treatment in the capital. "While our technology is world-class, it's only useful if people get to us in time," he concluded.
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