The proposed cancer hospital will help provide comprehensive care for cancer patients, said the director of the National Centre for Cancer Care and Research (NCCCR), part of the Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC).

"The government is now building a new hospital, which will be comprehensive and everything will be under one umbrella,” NCCCR director Dr Mohamed Salem al-Hassan said Monday. “This is very good, because now the cancer treatment is taking place at different places, some here at the NCCCR and some at Hamad General Hospital."

He was interacting with the media during a tour of the facilities at the NCCCR as part of the “Your Health, Our Priority Campaign – Cancer Care”.

Dr al-Hassan said that the new hospital is going to be built in the same campus along with other HMC hospitals in the Medical City.

“Surgery, treatments without surgery ... all will be under one umbrella, and it will be convenient for patients,” he said. “We have already started the work now, and hopefully, we will be able to complete in 2-3 years. It will be a great project.”

According to the NCCCR official, cancer patients at the hospital will benefit from advanced facilities equipped with the latest technologies.

“Our treatment options, including chemotherapy, radiation, immunotherapy, and targeted therapies, are personalised to ensure expert care throughout the journey,” Dr al-Hassan said. “The HMC is a national and regional leader in cancer care, offering unique technologies that set us apart.”

“Our facilities feature advanced treatment modalities, such as robotic-assisted surgery and innovative imaging techniques, enabling precise interventions that enhance patient outcomes," he added.

Dr al-Hassan also revealed that the NCCCR has started a survivorship programme clinic.

“This refers to patients who have completed five years after cancer treatment,” he explained. “(These are patients whose) last treatment was five years ago ... we call them ‘survivorship patients’.”

“For such patients, we have arranged special clinics with the Primary Health Care Corporation, and they are being followed up in the primary healthcare,” Dr al-Hassan said.

Cancer, he stated, is very much a treatable disease if diagnosed early.

“We cannot diagnose early if the patient does not offer himself to come and do the early test,” he stressed.

“We call it screening,” Dr al-Hassan continued. “We have a good screening programme now for breast cancer and colorectal cancer, and we are in the progress of doing more such programmes for thyroid and cervical cancers.”

“We want all the patients living in Qatar, national or non-national to follow this programme,” he said.

“I would say maybe 90-95% of the cancers can be treated if diagnosed early,” the official added. “So my message is – they should adhere to this type of recommendation and also to do the test as early as possible.”

During the media tour, officials of various NCCCR departments gave briefings on the latest treatment facilities and the newest technologies available at the hospital to provide world-class cancer care.

Over 90% of suspected cancer patients at the HMC are seen within 48 hours of referral – one of the fastest referral rates globally.

They said that the NCCCR’s expert team collaborates to create individualised cancer treatment plans, ensuring optimal outcomes and enhancing the quality of life.

This approach involves experienced oncologists, surgeons, radiologists, nurses, and allied health professionals providing comprehensive support throughout the patient's journey.