Latest news with #LancetOncology
Qatar Tribune
3 days ago
- Health
- Qatar Tribune
WCM-Q shines light on Qatar's path to ‘global excellence' in cancer care, research
Tribune News Network Doha Researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar (WCM-Q) have conducted a comprehensive study of Qatar's pioneering national cancer care and research strategy, highlighting the country's significant achievements in improving prevention, detection and treatment of the disease. The report, published in the leading UK medical journal Lancet Oncology, notes the remarkable success of Qatar's investments in advanced clinical and research infrastructure, cutting-edge technologies, and recruitment of highly skilled healthcare professionals over the past two decades, which have transformed the country into a regional leader in cancer care. Areas of particular strength in Qatar's system of cancer care - which has been shaped by the National Cancer Strategy (2010) and the Qatar Cancer Plan (2023-26) - include special expertise in precision and personalized medicine, early detection (based on well-developed screening facilities and schedules), and robustly evidence-based cancer management following diagnosis, leading to improved survival rates. The research, titled 'Qatar national cancer care and research: pioneering strategies for global health excellence,' also highlights areas where some challenges still exist, including late-stage diagnosis, low health literacy relating to cancer among some demographic groups in Qatar, and data collection and long-term analysis. WCM-Q's Dr. Lotfi Chouchane, professor of genetic medicine and professor of microbiology and immunology, is the senior author of the paper. The report, and a subsequent paper also published in Lancet Oncology, additionally highlights the potential for establishing beneficial regional and global collaborations on cancer care and research, particularly with Saudi Arabia and Jordan. This subsequent paper, titled 'Bridging borders for resilience in cancer control in the Middle East: a strategic alliance of Saudia Arabia, Qatar, and Jordan' also provides an epidemiological breakdown of patterns of cancer burden in the three countries. Dr. Murugan Subramanian, senior research associate, is a co-first author of the paper, with Dr. Chouchane serving as a co-senior author. Other researchers who contributed include Sheikh Dr. Mohammed Bin Hamad Al-Thani, director of the Public Health Department at the Ministry of Public Health and associate professor of Clinical Healthcare Policy and Research at WCM-Q and Qatar University; Dr Salha Bujassoum, senior consultant at the National Centre for Cancer Care and Research; Dr. Khalid Rashid Al-Rumaihi, head of the Department of Urology at Hamad Medical Corporation; and Dr. Hilal Lashuel, research development and innovation advisor to the chairperson of Qatar Foundation and executive director of RDI at the Chairperson's Office. Dr. Chouchane said: 'This research shows very clearly that the past two decades have been a huge success story for Qatar in its efforts to establish a truly world-class cancer care and innovation infrastructure. Looking ahead, we identified some challenges to overcome in the areas of community health literacy; cultural sensitivities surrounding important cancer-prevention measures; language barriers; data collection, digitization and long-term analysis; issues around healthcare equity; and the growing global challenge of unhealthy lifestyle choices, which can increase cancer risk. 'We can see, however, that Qatar is already taking steps to address many of these challenges, as is shown by the Qatar Cancer Plan 2023-26, developed by the Ministry of Public Health and the National Cancer Governance Board.' The research also draws attention to Qatar's efforts to prioritize the integration of cutting-edge precision and personalized medicine protocols into clinical practice - a measure which is already having a significant positive impact on survival rates. He added: 'Precision medicine is one of the most promising areas for cancer research and enhanced patient outcomes, but a limiting factor is that it is dependent on good-quality genomic data matched with good-quality clinical data. Therefore, sharing genomic and clinical data with healthcare systems in neighbouring countries who have populations with similar ethnic backgrounds could provide a dramatic boost for precision oncology in the region.'
Al Bawaba
3 days ago
- Health
- Al Bawaba
WCM-Q research highlights Qatar's path to ‘global health excellence' in cancer care and research
Researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar (WCM-Q) have conducted a comprehensive study of Qatar's pioneering national cancer care and research strategy, highlighting the country's significant achievements in improving prevention, detection and treatment of the disease. The report, published in the leading UK medical journal Lancet Oncology, notes the remarkable success of Qatar's investments in advanced clinical and research infrastructure, cutting-edge technologies, and recruitment of highly skilled healthcare professionals over the past two decades, which have transformed the country into a regional leader in cancer care. Areas of particular strength in Qatar's system of cancer care - which has been shaped by the National Cancer Strategy (2010) and the Qatar Cancer Plan (2023-26) - include special expertise in precision and personalized medicine, early detection (based on well-developed screening facilities and schedules), and robustly evidence-based cancer management following diagnosis, leading to improved survival rates. The research, titled 'Qatar national cancer care and research: pioneering strategies for global health excellence,' also highlights areas where some challenges still exist, including late-stage diagnosis, low health literacy relating to cancer among some demographic groups in Qatar, and data collection and long-term analysis. WCM-Q's Dr. Lotfi Chouchane, professor of genetic medicine and professor of microbiology and immunology, is the senior author of the paper. The report, and a subsequent paper also published in Lancet Oncology, additionally highlights the potential for establishing beneficial regional and global collaborations on cancer care and research, particularly with Saudi Arabia and Jordan. This subsequent paper, titled 'Bridging borders for resilience in cancer control in the Middle East: a strategic alliance of Saudia Arabia, Qatar, and Jordan' also provides an epidemiological breakdown of patterns of cancer burden in the three countries. Dr. Murugan Subramanian, senior research associate, is a co-first author of the paper, with Dr. Chouchane serving as a co-senior author. Other researchers who contributed include Sheikh Dr. Mohammed Bin Hamad Al-Thani, director of the Public Health Department at the Ministry of Public Health and Associate Professor of Clinical Healthcare Policy and Research at WCM-Q and Qatar University; Dr. Salha Bujassoum, Senior Consultant at the National Centre for Cancer Care and Research; Dr. Khalid Rashid Al-Rumaihi, Head of the Department of Urology at Hamad Medical Corporation; and Dr. Hilal Lashuel, Research Development and Innovation Advisor to the Chairperson of Qatar Foundation and Executive Director of RDI at the Chairperson's Office. Dr. Chouchane said: 'This research shows very clearly that the past two decades have been a huge success story for Qatar in its efforts to establish a truly world-class cancer care and innovation infrastructure. Looking ahead, we identified some challenges to overcome in the areas of community health literacy; cultural sensitivities surrounding important cancer-prevention measures; language barriers; data collection, digitization and long-term analysis; issues around healthcare equity; and the growing global challenge of unhealthy lifestyle choices, which can increase cancer risk. 'We can see, however, that Qatar is already taking steps to address many of these challenges, as is shown by the Qatar Cancer Plan 2023-26, developed by the Ministry of Public Health and the National Cancer Governance Board. One measure we in the healthcare sector advocate is to work closely with like-minded countries in the region - such as Saudi Arabia and Jordan - to share experiences, expertise and datasets, which has the potential to be of huge benefit to the cancer care and research strategies of all participating countries.' The research also draws attention to Qatar's efforts to prioritize the integration of cutting-edge precision and personalized medicine protocols into clinical practice - a measure which is already having a significant positive impact on survival rates. Indeed, research by Dr. Chouchane's lab at WCM-Q has been at the forefront of precision medicine approaches to cancer care. He added: 'Precision medicine is one of the most promising areas for cancer research and enhanced patient outcomes, but a limiting factor is that it is dependent on good-quality genomic data matched with good-quality clinical data. Therefore, sharing genomic and clinical data with healthcare systems in neighboring countries who have populations with similar ethnic backgrounds could provide a dramatic boost for precision oncology in the region.'
The Guardian
28-05-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
Australia's bowel cancer rates are world's highest for under 50s. Scientists wonder if the gut microbiome is to blame
Australia's rates of bowel cancer in people under 50 are the highest in the world, though the reason why remains unclear, experts say. As incidences of what's known as early-onset bowel cancer are increasing worldwide, a study of 50 countries – published recently in Lancet Oncology – revealed Australia was ranked worst. An early release of findings from an Australian study published in medRxiv this week showed the incidence of bowel cancer is up to three times higher among Australians born in the 1990s compared with the 1950s cohort. The study, led by the University of Melbourne, analysed government data on all diagnoses of bowel cancer (also known as colorectal cancer) in Australia from 1990-2020. The study, yet to be peer-reviewed, found 28,265 cases of early-onset bowel cancer over the 30 years studied. An estimated 4,347 additional cases were attributable to the rising rates of the disease. While over 50s make up the majority of diagnoses since the most significant risk factor for cancer is age, these rates have begun to decline. National screening was lowered from 50 to 45 in 2023. Early-onset cases, however, are increasing by up to 8% per year, the study found. Dan Buchanan, an associate professor and co-author on the medRxiv paper, said Australia's world-leading rates of early-onset bowel cancer were 'not a good gold medal to have'. He said there was no solid evidence, only 'guesses' as to what had changed over time. The cancer registries where the data came from did not capture individual-level risk factors, which was a limitation of the study, authors said. While rising rates of obesity, diabetes and increasingly sedentary lifestyles have been hypothesised to be contributing to the increase, Buchanan said he and other researchers were particularly interested in the role of the gut-microbiome. 'We think that the lifestyle dietary changes are … allowing nasty bacteria to colonise in our gut, and that then is contributing to the development of a substantial proportion of early onset bowel cancer.' Buchanan said Australians' diets could be playing a role. Compared to other nations, Australians have high consumption rates of processed foods which increasing evidence indicates negatively affects the microbiome. Increased antibiotic use in childhood and other changes to how humans get their foods, including pesticides and microplastics, have also been proposed as reasons, but more research is needed, Buchanan said. Buchanan and his colleagues are attempting to 'work backwards' from analysing the tumours to understand the source of the DNA damage, and to discover a mechanism rather than just an association driving the disease. In the absence of that knowledge, it is important to raise awareness of the signs and symptoms, Buchanan said, particularly among young people. Bowel cancer is now the leading cause of death in people aged 30 to 45 in Australia. Julien Wiggins, the CEO of Bowel Cancer Australia, said she was concerned about the rising early onset cases. 'The data is now starting to really unfortunately confirm what we've been seeing and catching up.' Dr Lisa Mielke, the head of the mucosal immunity and cancer laboratory at the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, said: 'This is one of the most comprehensive studies to break down the characteristics of this increase in bowel cancer using data from Australians. 'The study highlights that it is not just one type of bowel cancer that is on the rise in younger people. Overall, the incidences of bowel cancers in all regions of the large bowel, rectum and anus are increasing,' Mielke said.
CBS News
19-05-2025
- Health
- CBS News
Biden's prostate cancer diagnosis raises questions about screening and how the disease spreads
Former President Joe Biden's diagnosis with an advanced stage of prostate cancer that has metastasized, or spread, to his bones prompted an outpouring of concern and questions about his condition. Those questions include how long the cancer may have taken to develop and whether he was screened for it during earlier checkups. While it's unclear exactly how long Biden has had cancer, its rapid spread is attributed to it being an aggressive form of the disease. His cancer was categorized as having a Gleason score of 9, which places him in Grade Group 5, the most severe category. The Gleason score is a system for grading the severity of prostate cancer based on analysis of cell samples under a microscope. When prostate cancer is more advanced and spreads, the bones are among the areas most likely to be affected. It can also commonly spread to the lymph nodes, liver or lungs, according to the Mayo Clinic. Unfortunately, late-stage cancer diagnoses are not uncommon. A 2014 analysis from Cancer Research UK, for example, found that 46% of all cancers in that country were diagnosed at an advanced stage. A 2023 study published in the journal Lancet Oncology found disruptions in care amid the pandemic also led to an increase in late-stage diagnoses across nearly all cancer types, including prostate. Slower-growing cancers can take years to develop and be detected, while more aggressive ones can become apparent more rapidly and also spread to other parts of the body quicker. Biden, who is now 82, did not undergo prostate cancer screening during his last medical checkup while in office, in February 2024, according to records released at the time. Experts say this is likely due to that fact that these screenings are not routinely recommended for men 70 years or older. "Doctors will stop screening for prostate cancer at 75 or so, because after that, the prostate cancers you typically pick up are very slow growing, and so the harms of all of the testing and treatment for something that may not kill you — you're talking about risk versus benefit. It may not be worth the risk," Dr. Céline Gounder, CBS News medical contributor and editor-at-large for public health at KFF Health News, explained on "CBS Mornings" Monday. Instead, Biden's diagnosis came after he recently saw a doctor due to urinary symptoms. A small nodule was found in the prostate, which necessitated further evaluation, his office said last week. "Urinary symptoms are quite common in older men and are usually due to benign conditions like having an enlarged prostate," Gounder said. In this case, however, the testing discovered cancer. Gounder said the situation underscores the importance of tailoring medical decisions to the individual. "He had new symptoms and is functionally active, which justified a closer look," she said. There have been advancements in treating advanced prostate cancer, and Gounder said the treatment goal in a case like this would be to control the cancer, slowing its progression and preserving quality of life. Biden's type of cancer is hormone-sensitive, which means it should respond to a testosterone-blocking treatment, Gounder said, adding that this might be combined with other medications or chemotherapy, depending on the specific case. Back in 2019, Biden was diagnosed with benign enlargement of the prostate, or BPH. That December, his campaign released his medical evaluation, which noted: "This patient has been treated for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH). This was initially treated with medication and was then definitively treated with surgery. He has never had prostate cancer." BPH is very common in older men, with around 80% of men over 70 having it, according to Yale Medicine. How do doctors screen for prostate cancer? Prostate cancer testing typically involves two methods: a prostate-specific antigen, or PSA, test and a digital rectal exam, or DRE. A PSA test is a type of blood test that can indicate a higher chance of prostate cancer but is not a definitive diagnosis. A DRE involves a doctor using a gloved finger to feel for any bumps on the prostate via the rectum. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, an independent panel of national experts, say the decision on screening for prostate cancer among men aged 55 to 69 years should be an individual one — and it recommends against PSA screening for men 70 and older. "Many men will experience potential harms of screening, including false-positive results that require additional testing and possible prostate biopsy; overdiagnosis and overtreatment; and treatment complications, such as incontinence and erectile dysfunction," the task force's recommendation summary notes. "Clinicians should not screen men who do not express a preference for screening." Prostate cancer is common, second only to skin cancer as the most common cancer affecting males, according to the Cleveland Clinic. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for every 100 males, 13 will develop prostate cancer at some point in their lives.
CBS News
19-05-2025
- Health
- CBS News
How long has Biden had cancer? What to know about prostate cancer testing and how it spreads
Former President Joe Biden's diagnosis with an advanced stage of prostate cancer that has metastasized, or spread, to his bones prompted an outpouring of concern and questions about his condition. Those questions include how long the cancer may have taken to develop and whether he was screened for it during earlier checkups. While it's unclear exactly how long Biden has had cancer, its rapid spread is attributed to it being an aggressive form of the disease. His cancer was categorized as having a Gleason score of 9, which places him in Grade Group 5, the most severe category. The Gleason score is a system for grading the severity of prostate cancer based on analysis of cell samples under a microscope. When prostate cancer is more advanced and spreads, the bones are among the areas most likely to be affected. It can also commonly spread to the lymph nodes, liver or lungs, according to the Mayo Clinic. Unfortunately, late-stage cancer diagnoses are not uncommon. A 2014 analysis from Cancer Research UK, for example, found that 46% of all cancers in that country were diagnosed at an advanced stage. A 2023 study published in the journal Lancet Oncology found disruptions in care amid the pandemic also led to an increase in late-stage diagnoses across nearly all cancer types, including prostate. Slower-growing cancers can take years to develop and be detected, while more aggressive ones can become apparent more rapidly and also spread to other parts of the body quicker. Biden, who is now 82, did not undergo prostate cancer screening during his last medical checkup while in office, in February 2024, according to records released at the time. Experts say this is likely due to that fact that these screenings are not routinely recommended for men 70 years or older. "Doctors will stop screening for prostate cancer at 75 or so, because after that, the prostate cancers you typically pick up are very slow growing, and so the harms of all of the testing and treatment for something that may not kill you — you're talking about risk versus benefit. It may not be worth the risk," Dr. Céline Gounder, CBS News medical contributor and editor-at-large for public health at KFF Health News, explained on "CBS Mornings" Monday. Instead, Biden's diagnosis came after he recently saw a doctor due to urinary symptoms. A small nodule was found in the prostate, which necessitated further evaluation, his office said last week. "Urinary symptoms are quite common in older men and are usually due to benign conditions like having an enlarged prostate," Gounder said. In this case, however, the testing discovered cancer. Gounder said the situation underscores the importance of tailoring medical decisions to the individual. "He had new symptoms and is functionally active, which justified a closer look," she said. There have been advancements in treating advanced prostate cancer, and Gounder said the treatment goal in a case like this would be to control the cancer, slowing its progression and preserving quality of life. Biden's type of cancer is hormone-sensitive, which means it should respond to a testosterone-blocking treatment, Gounder said, adding that this might be combined with other medications or chemotherapy, depending on the specific case. Back in 2019, Biden was diagnosed with benign enlargement of the prostate, or BPH. That December, his campaign released his medical evaluation, which noted: "This patient has been treated for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH). This was initially treated with medication and was then definitively treated with surgery. He has never had prostate cancer." BPH is very common in older men, with around 80% of men over 70 having it, according to Yale Medicine. How do doctors screen for prostate cancer? Prostate cancer testing typically involves two methods: a prostate-specific antigen, or PSA, test and a digital rectal exam, or DRE. A PSA test is a type of blood test that can indicate a higher chance of prostate cancer but is not a definitive diagnosis. A DRE involves a doctor using a gloved finger to feel for any bumps on the prostate via the rectum. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, an independent panel of national experts, say the decision on screening for prostate cancer among men aged 55 to 69 years should be an individual one — and it recommends against PSA screening for men 70 and older. "Many men will experience potential harms of screening, including false-positive results that require additional testing and possible prostate biopsy; overdiagnosis and overtreatment; and treatment complications, such as incontinence and erectile dysfunction," the task force's recommendation summary notes. "Clinicians should not screen men who do not express a preference for screening." Prostate cancer is common, second only to skin cancer as the most common cancer affecting males, according to the Cleveland Clinic. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for every 100 males, 13 will develop prostate cancer at some point in their lives.
