Minister of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs, H E Yousef bin Mohammed Al Othman Fakhro (second left); Chairman of Qatar Cancer Society, Dr Sheikh Khalid bin Jabor Al Thani and Austrian Ambassador to Qatar, Dr Willy Kempel, and other
With the onset of thyroid cancer on the rise in the country especially among young people, local and international experts gathered here to discuss methods to check the spread of disease.
The Thyroid Cancer Conference under the patronage of Prime Minister and Interior Minister H E Sheikh Abdulla bin Nasser Al Thani began yesterday in the presence of Minister of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs H E Yousef Mohammed Al Othman Fakhro at the Ritz-Carlton Doha.
“The conference is very important as we have found that the newly diagnosed thyroid cancer cases have increased by 20% from 2017 to 2018. Over the past five years it has increased by more than 100%,” said Chairman of the Cancer Society, Dr Sheikh Khalid bin Jabor Al Thani during the opening of the conference. “Another alarming fact is that 50% of the patients diagnosed with thyroid cancer are under the age of 35 years. Yet we have to find the reasons behind this,” he added.
The opening session which discussed the epidemiology of thyroid cancer in Qatar was attended by the Austrian Ambassador, Dr Willy Kempel, and several other dignitaries. The two-day conference has gathered local, regional and international speakers and more than 1,200 healthcare professionals.
Thyroid cancer occurs when abnormal cells within the thyroid gland grow in an uncontrolled way. If it is caught early, thyroid cancer is one of the most treatable forms of cancer.
A study conducted by the Qatar Cancer Society (QCS) shows that the number of thyroid cancer cases diagnosed in 2015 was 51, it was 66 cases in 2016, then it increased to 92 in 2017 and 110 in 2018. Dr Al Thani said that the conference will aim to find the reasons behind the rise in the number of patients diagnosed with thyroid cancer.
“We will find more effective methods to prevent, early detection, and create awareness among the public,” said Al Thani.
The Thyroid Cancer Conference is organised by QCS in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Health, Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), Qatar Doctor’s Society and Qatar Austrian Medical Team.
The conference is developed by the Vice-Chairman of QCS and the Director of Surgery Department and Chief Medical Staff at Al Ahli Hospital in Qatar, Dr Abdul Azeem Hussain; Head of the Thyroid Unit at HMC, Chairman of Medical Association at Qatar and Chairman of Surgical Oncology at HMC, Dr Mohamed Salem Jaber Al Hassan; and Surgical Oncology Chair at Sigmund Freud University Vienna and Austrian lead of the Qatar Austrian Medical Team, Prof. Harald Rosen.
Participants of the conference will learn about several issues related to thyroid cancer including identifying the appropriate evidence-base anticipatory guidance of thyroid cancer prevention for their patients; identifying the appropriate evidence-base early detection practices of thyroid cancer; interpreting the findings of the thyroid nuclear medicine and histological diagnostic studies and identifying the ongoing care and survivorship plan for the differentiated thyroid cancer.
