SKSH’ Head and Neck Surgical Oncology is dedicated to comprehensive and customized care for people with cancers as well as benign tumors of the head and neck. Finding head and neck cancer in the early stages and diagnosing it accurately can help treatment to be more successful. Our experts are highly specialized and accomplished in diagnosing and staging head and neck cancers, from the more common cancers to the extremely rare ones.

Head and neck cancers and their treatment often affect swallowing, speech, hearing and quality of life. We are one of the nation’s leaders in helping patients meet these challenges. Our specialized experts role is to help patients regain the ability to speak after treatment for cancer of the voice box and throat.

Tumors treated in the Head and Neck Surgical oncology department include but are not limited to:

When you are treated for a head and neck tumor at SKSH, you will receive the undivided attention from a team of physicians and scientists that may include oncologists, surgeons, radiation oncologists, and neuro-radiologists. They work together with nurses, audiologists, nutritionists and social workers with special training in head and neck cancers. Working together, they prepare a customized plan of care just for you.

SKSH’s Thoracic Oncology team is dedicated to providing personalized care for every type and stage of lung cancer and other cancers in the chest. Our goal is to give patients exceptional outcomes while focusing on quality of life and optimum lung function.

We customize your therapy to provide the best care while focusing on your quality of life.

Types of tumors treated include:

Early and precise diagnosis and staging of lung cancer, and other thoracic cancer’s, is important for successful treatment. SKSH’s Thoracic Oncology offers you the most advanced diagnostic methods and tools including PET (positron emission tomography) scans, High-resolution CT (computed tomography) scans, endobronchial and esophageal ultrasound, advanced bronchoscopic imaging and Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS).

Lung cancer and other thoracic cancers are often complex and challenging cancers that may require multiple types of treatment. Our teams in the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, the Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Medical Oncology, Radiation Oncology and Cancer Imaging specialize in thoracic cancers. They focus a remarkable amount of talent and expertise on you, providing personal, customized care.

Gynecologic Oncology in SKSH offers state-of-the-art care from a skilled team of specialists experienced in treating gynecologic conditions. Gynecology oncology specialists provide a comprehensive range of outpatient and inpatient gynecology services for women at all stages of life with expertise in detecting and treating cancers of the reproductive system.

The following cancers are treated by our team:

Patients cared for by Gynecologic oncologists have twice the survival rates of those not treated by a cancer specialist, which is why it is so important to be evaluated by an experienced gynecological oncologist at the onset of disease.

SKSH’s Gynecologic Oncologists work together closely with Medical and Radiation Oncologists to develop the most precise, and appropriate treatment plan for each woman.

The integrated approach ensures that each person receives the most appropriate and comprehensive care, focusing on:

• Precancerous conditions of the female reproductive tract
• Minimally invasive surgery i.e. laparoscopic operation
• Surgical and non-surgical management of all kinds of the female reproductive tract diseases
• Dubulking operation (surgery) for cancer
• Routine Gynecologic examination
• Cervical cancer screening using pap test and HPV (human papillomavirus) testing
• Evaluation of pelvic masses using transvaginal or transabdominal ultrasound, a radiologic procedure that provides a picture of the ovaries and uterus
• Ovarian and Endometrial cancer screening for high-risk women using transvaginal or transabdominal ultrasound as well as a CA-125 blood test, which may indicate the presence of ovarian cancer

Similar to many other countries, breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UAE . According to a 2010 report by the Centre for Arab Genomic Studies,  Arab women are more likely to develop breast cancer at an earlier age. SKSH’s Breast Oncology is providing personalized care for breast cancer. Our goal is to give patients exceptional outcomes while focusing on quality of life and breast cosmetics. To realize our goal, we provide personalized and planned surgery based on oncoplastic surgery and a multidisciplinary team approach. SKSH RAK’s Breast multidisciplinary team consists of various departments; surgery, medical oncology, radiation oncology, radiology, rehabilitation medicine, gynecology and pathology.

The following treatments for breast cancer are provided by multidisciplinary team:

• Breast cancer screening and detection; Mammography, Ultrasound and Breast MRI are used to improve accuracy of breast cancer detection among young women.
• Breast cancer diagnosis by needle biopsy and excisional biopsy
• Oncoplastic Surgery
• Sentinel lymph node biopsy; Arm swelling is one of the most common complication of breast surgery. We try to reduce arm swelling through sentinel lymph node biopsy.
• On-site pathologic diagnostic system during operation; This can reduce the rate of reoperation after breast partial excision and sentinel lymph node biopsy.
• Preoperative and Postoperative chemotherapy and target therapy
• Radiation therapy
• Lymphedema clinic is provided by specialists of rehabilitation.
• Breast cancer genetic counselling; Breast cancer is strongly associated with family history and genetic cause. BRCA1/2 mutation test and genetic counselling will be served.
• For early detection of recurrence we can use breast imaging tests (mammography, Ultrasound, MRI), chest/abdomen CT, bone scan and PET.
• Gynecologic clinic for breast cancer patients
• Breast cancer Survivorship program

Colorectal Surgery performs specialized diagnoses, treatments, and researches for various colorectal and anal disease requiring surgical treatments. Particularly, this department specializes in colorectal cancers that are increase with age.

Minimally invasive surgeries (laparoscopic surgery or single port surgery, minimum incision surgery) are carried out in most colorectal cancer cases (penetration rate of laparoscopic surgery for colorectal cancer : 87.9% (623/709)) in our department, which in the past necessitated laparotomy (long incision is required). This figure surpasses penetration rates of National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Centers (major cancer centers in U.S.) in U.S1. Minimally invasive surgeries are becoming more common as they are proven to reduce the complications and discomfort that may occur after surgery, as well as enabling fast recovery and early discharge>This allows patients to quickly resume their daily life activities2,3.

Postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy in the postoperative period is essential to maximize survival rate in advanced colorectal cancer4. Faster recovery after laparoscopic surgery enables the commencement of postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy sooner, which can improve survival rates.

Laparoscopic surgery for rectal cancer is performed easily in most rectal cancer cases, with the exception of far advanced cases in our department, through the accumulation of extensive experience for a variety of rectal cancer cases.

Our facilities and man-powers (surgical & medical oncologist, radiologic oncologist, diagnostic & interventional radiologist, gastroenterologist, and pathologist) in oncology center, SKSH can accomplish everything (endoscopoic treatment, laparoscopic surgery, chemotherapy including targeted agents and radiotherapy) needed for adequate and updated colorectal cancer management.

SKSH’s Hepatopancreatobiliary (HPB) & Upper gastrointestinal (UGI) surgery is a special field performing surgical management in patients who suffer from surgical disorders of liver, biliary tract, pancreas, and stomach.

Liver, biliary tract and pancreas are anatomically close and have so many variations that the operation needs highly experienced and skillful surgeon. And the choice of management is also as various as their anatomic complexities.

In SKSH, following diseases are treated in HBP & upper GI oncology. Minimal invasive surgery (laparoscopic surgery) is main treatment option pursuing high cosmesis and less postoperative pain.

• Liver tumor (Liver cell carcinoma, cholangiocarcinoma)
• Biliary cancer (bile duct cancer, gallbladder cancer)
• Pancreatic cancer
• Stomach cancer
• Miscellaneous: Benign biliary disease (gallbladder stone, gallbladder polyp), benign liver mass, Weight loss surgery