JEDDAH, 25 February 2007 — An international oncology symposium, which opens at the Inter Continental Hotel here tomorrow, will discuss the latest advancement in stem cell technology for the treatment of cancer, according to Dr. Yasir A. Bahadur, deputy head of the oncology department at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center in Jeddah and chairman of the symposium’s organizing committee.
“The conference will review the successes achieved so far in stem cell treatment,” Bahadur told Arab News. He said stem cell technology would bring about a revolution in the treatment of not only cancer but also many other life-threatening diseases such as heart ailment, Parkinson's disease, spinal cord injuries and muscle damage.
Stem cells are regarded as the “building blocks” or master cells of the blood and immune system. They can be seen as a sort of repair system for the body, where a stem cell has the potential to become a new type of cell with a more specialized function, such as a heart muscle cell to repair damaged heart muscle.
Over the past 17 years and in over 6,000 transplant operations, stem cells have helped treat many chronic diseases by repairing the damaged parts of the body. “A number of adult stem cell therapies already exist, particularly bone marrow transplants that are used to treat leukemia,” said Bahadur. The conference will also discuss the various uses of the technology.
Princess Aliaa bint Abdullah, chairperson of the Disabled Children’s Association’s Social Service Program and honorary president of the AIDS Society, will inaugurate the symposium titled “Oncology Update 2007: Expanding Horizons.” Nearly 800 doctors and nurses from within and outside the Kingdom will take part in the three-day event.
Eminent speakers participating in the symposium include Professor Hans Messner from University of Toronto, Canada, a pioneer in the field of stem cell research; Dr. John A. Howington, chief of thoracic surgery at the University of Cincinnati, USA, an authority in laproscopic surgery of lung cancer; Dr. David Lawrence Grisell from Barrett Cancer Center, USA, a well-known figure in stereotactic radiotherapy; in addition to oncologists from Pakistan, Jordan, Germany, Britain, Italy and France.
Members of the public are allowed to attend three important lectures on the opening day free of charge. Sheikh Tawfiq Al-Sayegh, a well-known Islamic scholar, will speak on the legitimacy of cancer treatment, while Dr. Saddah Eshki, head of the nutrition department at the hospital, will speak on the role of food and lifestyle in developing cancer. Dr. Samiah Al-Amoudi from the King Abdulaziz University will enlighten the public on the need for treating cancer patients with utmost care and compassion.
Dr. Bahadur said the symposium would deal with topics such as alternative medicine for cancer treatment, integrated medicine, pain management, targeted therapy, supportive care, radiation oncology and pediatric and adult BMT and hematology. There will be a special program on oncology nursing.
“Nursing sessions are one of the unique features of this conference,” he said. “We believe medical treatment is team work. As doctors are updated on the latest development in diagnosis and treatment, nurses must be trained on how to handle patients properly. Cancer patients need special treatment, considering the situation they are going through,” he added.
Referring to the session on integrated medicine, Bahadur said it would discuss the pros and cons of various alternative medicines and treatments including ayurveda, yoga and homeopathy to advise patients how they can make use of them along with regular treatment. “Some cancer patients wrongly depend on alternative medicine and come to hospital when their disease reached advanced stages,” he said, adding that presentations would also be delivered on modern technological devices in pain management.
