GE Healthcare and Qatar Science & Technology Park (QSTP) have entered into a research and development program related to advanced technologies for early detection of breast cancer.

Capitalising on GE’s strong existing partnership with QSTP, Qatar Foundation’s research accelerator, the goal of the joint research program is to develop new and innovative technologies for screening and diagnosis of breast cancer using the latest developments in digital X-ray mammography.

Under the agreement, GE Healthcare, the healthcare business of General Electric Company, plans to establish a new breast cancer team at QSTP in Doha, which will accelerate innovation breakthroughs in a proven system, and is in addition to its activities worldwide.

Based at GE’s Advanced Technology & Research Centre in QSTP in Doha, the team will form an integral part of GE Healthcare’s global mammography development organization.

The research program will include the identification and validation of new and advanced mammography technologies, the development of new software interfaces and the performance of clinical trials. Products developed from this program will be sold by GE Healthcare globally.

Dr. Tidu Maini, QSTP executive chairman, said, the techno park aims to host leading medical research that would contribute to the national strategy for knowledge economy.

'Our partnership with GE Healthcare is a step towards making Qatar a global medical innovator while delivering real health benefits for the local community,' he noted.

According to the World Health Organization, breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the world.

Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer among women in the Arab countries and accounting for 13–35 per cent of all female cancers.

Significantly, there is an emerging regional trend of younger women being diagnosed with breast cancer; almost 50 per cent of women diagnosed are below age 50, with a median age of 49-53 years, compared with a median age of 63 in industrialized nations.

This has important implications for the diagnosis of breast cancer, as breast tissue tends to be denser in younger women, making early detection more difficult.

Across the region, locally advanced disease is very common and total mastectomy (breast removal) is the most commonly performed surgery.

The State of Qatar continues to increase efforts in fighting cancer through awareness and screening programs in conjunction with the Qatar National Cancer Society and Al Amal Hospital, the primary cancer specialty center of the leading healthcare provider, Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC).

The programs focus heavily on awareness and prevention of breast cancer, the most common cancer among women in Qatar.

According to HMC, between 1989 and 2004, breast cancer accounted for only 13 percent of the cancer cases in Qatar, but the incidence of breast cancer has been growing alarmingly over the last few years.

If detected early, breast cancer can potentially be treated easily and with minimal damage to the body. However, according to HMC, the local stigma attached to this prevalent disease has not been eliminated, despite frequent local awareness programs.

Many women still hesitate to consult a doctor even after finding abnormalities during self-examination. Statistics show that if breast cancer is discovered in the early stages, there is more than a 90 per cent survival rate of up to 10 years.

Investment in healthcare is a key priority for the State of Qatar, with a budget of $2.9 billion allocated for Health in 2008/09.

As well as significantly increasing the number of hospital beds and expanding associated facilities for diagnosis and treatment, Qatar intends to implement a pioneering e-health program across its hospitals and clinics nationwide.

This e-health pr