Today's Edition
ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)
Burjeel Medical City (BMC) has entered into a clinical and academic collaboration with New York-based Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center to establish a specialised thoracic surgery programme in the UAE, Burjeel Holdings said in a statement.
The programme will provide surgical treatment for cancers affecting the lungs, oesophagus, mediastinum and chest wall, with the aim of expanding access to specialised thoracic cancer care in Abu Dhabi and reducing the need for patients from the UAE and wider Middle East and North Africa region to travel overseas.
The agreement was signed in New York by Dr Candace S. Johnson, President and CEO of Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Dr Mujtaba Ali Khan, CEO of Burjeel Medical City.
The signing took place in the presence of Dr Shamsheer Vayalil, Chairman and CEO of Burjeel Holdings, and Dr Sai Yendamuri, Senior Vice President, Chief Strategy Officer and Chair of Thoracic Surgery at Roswell Park.
According to the statement, the collaboration will combine Roswell Park’s clinical protocols, multidisciplinary expertise and academic capabilities with BMC’s infrastructure, oncology services and regional network.
The dedicated thoracic surgery service will offer robot-assisted procedures, video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery and conventional open surgery, depending on the clinical needs of each patient.
The programme will be integrated into the multidisciplinary care pathway of Burjeel Cancer Institute, bringing together specialists in thoracic surgery, medical oncology, radiation oncology, pulmonology, pathology and radiology. Patients will receive coordinated care covering diagnosis, surgery, recovery and follow-up, the statement said.
Thoracic tumour board meetings will enable BMC physicians to review complex cases with Roswell Park specialists. The collaboration will also provide access to Roswell Park faculty for selected case reviews and second opinions, while clinical pathways will be aligned with international standards, including National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines.
“This collaboration creates a sustainable pathway for patients in the UAE and across the region to access highly specialised thoracic cancer care closer to home.
"By combining Roswell Park’s expertise with BMC’s capabilities and regional reach, we aim to strengthen outcomes, build local expertise, and reduce the burden of traveling overseas for complex treatment,” Dr Vayalil said.
The lead thoracic surgeon will hold an academic designation with Roswell Park. The two institutions will also work together on clinical protocol development, scientific programmes, educational activities, faculty engagement, clinician exchanges and professional development.
“Roswell Park has a long-standing commitment to advancing cancer care through collaboration, research, and education,” Dr Johnson said.
Dr Yendamuri said: “By working with Burjeel Medical City, we can extend specialised thoracic cancer care expertise, support multidisciplinary decision-making, and help build a world-class programme serving patients across the UAE and region.”
Founded in 1898, Roswell Park was the first institution in the world established exclusively for cancer research and was among the first three centres to receive the US National Cancer Institute’s Comprehensive Cancer Center designation in 1972. It holds the NCI’s highest “Exceptional” rating and is also where the prostate-specific antigen test, commonly known as the PSA test, was developed.
