New and Updated Resources Published to Help Guide Oncology Care in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA)

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National Comprehensive Cancer Network

Aug 16, 2023, 03:37 ET

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network expands materials tailored for the MENA region to help improve patient outcomes by standardizing local cancer care; includes new adaptation focused on genetic/familial cancer risk, as well as care for ovarian/fallopian tube/primary peritoneal cancers.

PLYMOUTH MEETING, Pa., Aug. 16, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Comprehensive Cancer Network^® (NCCN^®)—an alliance of leading cancer centers—today announced that a library of resources for improving cancer care in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) has been updated and expanded in collaboration with regional experts. The United States-based non-profit has worked with the King Abdulaziz Medical City in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, since 2015 to standardize cancer treatment based on the latest evidence and expert-consensus, as part of the MENA-NCCN Regional Coordinating Center. Their efforts have led to the publication of 12 new and updated clinical guidelines covering several cancer presentations.

View the new and updated International Adaptations of NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines^®) MENA Editions at NCCN.org/global.

The NCCN Guidelines^® MENA Editions now include up-to-date adaptations for:

Adult Cancer Pain
Breast Cancer
Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia/Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma
Colon Cancer
Genetic/Familial High-Risk Assessment: Breast, Ovarian, and Pancreatic (new)
Hairy Cell Leukemia
Hepatobiliary Cancers
Hodgkin Lymphoma
Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Ovarian Cancer/Fallopian Tube Cancer/Primary Peritoneal Cancer (new)
Prostate Cancer
T-Cell Lymphomas

The guidelines provide color-coded information for health care providers on how to care for people with cancer. Text in black represents current global recommendations, while italicized blue text indicates appropriate and feasible regional modifications—as determined by in-country experts. Approaches that are not currently feasible are marked with grey strikethrough text.

"Cancer care for people in the Middle East and North Africa should follow internationally recognized gold standards for clinical direction and policy," explained Kanan Mamdouh Alshammari, MD, Department of Oncology, King Abdulaziz Medical City - Central Region, Ministry of National Guard, Saudi Arabia, Director of the MENA-NCCN Regional Coordinating Center. "Numerous studies have shown how standardizing care results in better outcomes and a more efficient use of resources. These adapted guidelines will enable our local care providers to have access to expert-vetted information on the latest research, but with their specific circumstances in mind."

"We are always grateful for the opportunity for knowledge sharing with cancer care experts around the world—allowing us to provide accessible, tailored information to improve cancer outcomes across different regions," said Robert W. Carlson, MD, Chief Executive Officer, NCCN. "Our colleagues with the MENA-NCCN Regional Coordinating Center collaborated with us to address the growing need for genetic testing guidance in the Middle East and North Africa as part of our ongoing efforts to make sure everyone, everywhere, has access to the best evidence-based cancer care available."

The NCCN Global Program offers numerous free International Adaptations, including European Editions of NCCN Guidelines for Spain and Poland. The NCCN Framework for Resource Stratification (NCCN Framework™) and NCCN Harmonized Guidelines™ provide pragmatic approaches for defining appropriate treatment across different resource levels, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. NCCN resources have been translated into nearly 70 different languages. Learn more at NCCN.org/global.

About the National Comprehensive Cancer Network
The National Comprehensive Cancer Network^® (NCCN^®) is a not-for-profit alliance of leading cancer centers devoted to patient care, research, and education. NCCN is dedicated to improving and facilitating quality, effective, equitable, and accessible cancer care so all patients can live better lives. The NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines^®) provide transparent, evidence-based, expert consensus recommendations for cancer treatment, prevention, and supportive services; they are the recognized standard for clinical direction and policy in cancer management and the most thorough and frequently-updated clinical practice guidelines available in any area of medicine. The NCCN Guidelines for Patients^® provide expert cancer treatment information to inform and empower patients and caregivers, through support from the NCCN Foundation^®. NCCN also advances continuing education, global initiatives, policy, and research collaboration and publication in oncology. Visit NCCN.org for more information.