World leaders and innovators in the field of advanced cancer treatment gathered recently at a Proton Therapy Symposium held at the Jaber Al-Ahmed Armed Forces Hospital in Kuwait, sponsored by SAH. The symposium was held to foster discussion of the clinical effectiveness of Proton Therapy in cancer treatments.
Attendees at the Symposium included oncologist/hematologists, medical directors, nuclear medicine specialists, nurses, pediatric care providers, case managers and social workers from around the world and the UAE. Together they participated in discussions that featured the clinical effectiveness of proton therapy versus alternative external beam radiotherapeutic approaches, proton applications for a variety of solid and lymphoid tumors and various diagnoses, including those relevant to the pediatric population.
Thought leadership discussions were led by world renowned physicians Allan Thornton, MD, Chief Medical Officer, and Andrew L. Chang, MD, Consulting Director of pediatric radiation oncology. Dr. Thornton is considered to be one the world’s best cancer physicians and is known around the world for his leadership in the research and development of proton therapy. He is sought after for his expertise in highly complex clinical cancer cases. Dr. Chang is one of only 5 paediatric proton therapy radiation oncologists in the United States. He is regarded as one of the world’s early adopters in proton therapy, having trained at the first clinical proton radiation therapy center in the world at Loma Linda University Medical Center.
The symposium included sessions on two important treatment methodologies:
- Incorporating the appropriate sequence of chemotherapy/surgical/radiological intervention for solid tumors into patients’ proton therapy plans in order to improve outcomes.
- The assessment and treatment of solid tumors and other malignant diagnoses using novel targeted therapies and proton beam therapy for better patient outcomes and reduction of normal tissue damage.
The goal of the symposium is to share knowledge about Proton Therapy within the global clinical community and to increase patient referrals to Proton Therapy treatments in order to improve patient outcomes.