05 Apr 2009 05:00 AM
World Experts Convene In Singapore To Discuss Cancer Treatment And Prevalance In Asia
In the wake of escalating cancer rates and deaths in Asia, a deeper understanding
of the specific types of cancers that affect the Asian population is emerging, and at the inaugural Asian
Oncology Summit (AOS) the medical community convenes to discuss the need for Asian clinical trials and
research in a concerted effort to improve cancer treatment and management.
The Lancet Oncology published by Elsevier, and the Singapore Society of Oncology have worked to bring leading cancer experts and societies together at the AOS. The AOS is being held from 3 to 5 April 2009 in Singapore, with 82 speakers and more than 500 medical professionals from 25 countries in attendance to share their experience and expertise in improving multidisciplinary cancer care in Asia.
Over the three-day Summit, the participants will work together with international scientific advisors to develop Asia Pacific consensus guidelines for the treatment and management of six prevalent types of cancers in Asia. Subject to editorial scrutiny and peer-review, the resulting synthesis of expertise and practice-changing ideas will be published in The Lancet Oncology, which is one of the top three original research cancer journals worldwide.
Dr David Collingridge, Editor of The Lancet Oncology, said: "With socio-economic and healthcare advancements in Asia, the population is living longer and therefore the burden of cancer is rapidly increasing. The key to improving multidisciplinary cancer care is through the establishment of treatment guidelines, driving research and sharing best practices and, as there are so few occasions in Asia where a large number of practicing clinical oncologists come together, the AOS provides the perfect opportunity to start the dialogue."
According to the World Health Organization, cancer is the second largest cause of death after cardiovascular disease and cancer deaths are predicted to increase from 7.9 million in 2007 to 11.5 million by 20301. Dr Lim Soon Thye, President, Singapore Society of Oncology, said: "One of our main goals is to advance the Asian frontiers in oncology by spearheading continued medical education among Asian oncologists and by highlighting the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration in advancing cancer treatment and management.
Clinical research carried out in Asia is becoming increasingly important on the world stage, and this needs to be continued to reduce the burden of cancer in this region."
As the incidence of cancer surges in Asia, the AOS is taking a further step to address the issues. The Summit's peer-reviewed scientific content features six sub-specialties - breast cancer, head and neck cancer, gastrointestinal cancer, gynaecological oncology, haemato-oncology and lung cancer.
Within these six sub-specialties, cancer types that are of particular interest to Asian populations include:
- Liver cancer - Worldwide, approximately 75 percent of all cases are found in Asia (China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea, and Japan) due to the high incidence of hepatitis B infection2
- Lung cancer - Increasing incidence among female non-smokers in China and other parts of Asia3
- Blood cancer - NK lymphoma cells are found mainly in Asian populations and T cell lymphoma is twice as common here than in the West
- Nasopharyngeal carcinoma - Prevalent particularly in Southern China and South East Asia4, but is rare in the West
A multi-pronged approach to comprehensive cancer care
Dr Lim said: "To ensure the continuation of the flow of information, oncologists in the region need multipronged channels in which to communicate…
The Lancet Oncology published by Elsevier, and the Singapore Society of Oncology have worked to bring leading cancer experts and societies together at the AOS. The AOS is being held from 3 to 5 April 2009 in Singapore, with 82 speakers and more than 500 medical professionals from 25 countries in attendance to share their experience and expertise in improving multidisciplinary cancer care in Asia.
Over the three-day Summit, the participants will work together with international scientific advisors to develop Asia Pacific consensus guidelines for the treatment and management of six prevalent types of cancers in Asia. Subject to editorial scrutiny and peer-review, the resulting synthesis of expertise and practice-changing ideas will be published in The Lancet Oncology, which is one of the top three original research cancer journals worldwide.
Dr David Collingridge, Editor of The Lancet Oncology, said: "With socio-economic and healthcare advancements in Asia, the population is living longer and therefore the burden of cancer is rapidly increasing. The key to improving multidisciplinary cancer care is through the establishment of treatment guidelines, driving research and sharing best practices and, as there are so few occasions in Asia where a large number of practicing clinical oncologists come together, the AOS provides the perfect opportunity to start the dialogue."
According to the World Health Organization, cancer is the second largest cause of death after cardiovascular disease and cancer deaths are predicted to increase from 7.9 million in 2007 to 11.5 million by 20301. Dr Lim Soon Thye, President, Singapore Society of Oncology, said: "One of our main goals is to advance the Asian frontiers in oncology by spearheading continued medical education among Asian oncologists and by highlighting the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration in advancing cancer treatment and management.
Clinical research carried out in Asia is becoming increasingly important on the world stage, and this needs to be continued to reduce the burden of cancer in this region."
As the incidence of cancer surges in Asia, the AOS is taking a further step to address the issues. The Summit's peer-reviewed scientific content features six sub-specialties - breast cancer, head and neck cancer, gastrointestinal cancer, gynaecological oncology, haemato-oncology and lung cancer.
Within these six sub-specialties, cancer types that are of particular interest to Asian populations include:
- Liver cancer - Worldwide, approximately 75 percent of all cases are found in Asia (China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea, and Japan) due to the high incidence of hepatitis B infection2
- Lung cancer - Increasing incidence among female non-smokers in China and other parts of Asia3
- Blood cancer - NK lymphoma cells are found mainly in Asian populations and T cell lymphoma is twice as common here than in the West
- Nasopharyngeal carcinoma - Prevalent particularly in Southern China and South East Asia4, but is rare in the West
A multi-pronged approach to comprehensive cancer care
Dr Lim said: "To ensure the continuation of the flow of information, oncologists in the region need multipronged channels in which to communicate…
