The Tumor Center at King Fahd Specialized Hospital in Dammam has managed to reduce the number of cancer patients seeking treatment at Riyadh hospitals by 70%. The radiotherapy head department at the hospital Dr. Maha Al-Idrisi said the Eastern Province comes on top of other provinces with regard to the prevalence of male colon, rectal, and lung cancers as well as female breast cancers, the total percentage of which is 21.2% of cancer cases in the Kingdom according the National Record of Tumors. It lies second to Riyadh Province with regard to the prevalence of the other twenty malignant tumors by a percentage of 19%.
Dr. Al-Idrisi said the center is well equipped to meet the needs of cancer treatment, thus providing the opportunity to patients to follow treatment among their families and minimizing traveling and housing costs incurred in seeking treatment in Riyadh. It works in its first stage with a capacity of 70 beds out of its total capacity of 150 beds.
She said the medical services provided at the center stem from the mission of King Fahd Specialized Hospital which concentrates on providing specialized medical care in the different therapeutic, rehabilitation, preventive and protective fields; conducting studies and training in a way as to meet the local needs; boosting health; and establishing strategic partnership between the hospital and the community.
According to Al-Idrisi the center managed in its short age since it has been established in 2005 to raise its capacity of receiving patients to 20 patients per day. She said plans aim at covering all cases transferred to Riyadh when the center works with its full capacity.
Commenting on the prevalence of cancer diseases in the Kingdom Dr. Al-Idrisi said cancer spreading has shown steady increase since 1975 according to the National Record of Diseases. There are also variations in the distribution of cases in the different parts of the Kingdom.
"Statistics have shown more prevalence in the Eastern Province", she said "This is attributed generally to environmental changes, the genetic nature of the population, aging increase among the population, and health awareness".
She said such studies have shown the need to a radiological center that provides comprehensive help to needy patients in the region, taking into consideration the safety of patients, cost reduction, and adhering to quality.