Mission of Oncology Department
To give people with cancer and blood disorders personalized, family-focused, patient-centered, multidisciplinary care that is driven by results and value and is improved by innovative and practice-based research in an academic setting.
Vision of Oncology Department
To develop a premiere, comprehensive oncology center to become a global leader in clinical care, research, and education.
Research and Publications
The department has achieved 21 Publications
(17 full text and 4 abstracts publications)
- Alshammari K, Aung KL, Zhang T, Razak ARA, Serra S, Stockley T, et al. Phase II Trial of Trametinib and Panitumumab in RAS/RAF Wild Type Metastatic Colorectal Cancer. Clin Colorectal Cancer [Internet]. 2021;1–8. Available from:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clcc.2021.07.004
- Alyabsi M, Ramadan M, Algarni M, Alshammari K, Jazieh AR. The effect of marital status on stage at diagnosis and survival in Saudis diagnosed with colorectal cancer: cancer registry analysis. Sci Rep [Internet]. 2021;11(1):1–10. Available from:
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-88042-9
- Alyabsi M, Sabatin F, Ramadan M, Jazieh AR. Colorectal cancer survival among Ministry of National Guard-Health Affairs ( MNG-HA ) population 2009 – 2017 : retrospective study. 2021;1–11.
- Jazieh AR, Abuelgasim KA, Ardah HI, Alkaiyat M, Da'ar OB. The trends of complementary alternative medicine use among cancer patients. BMC Complement Med Ther. 2021;21(1):1–8.
- El Fakih R, Haroon A, Alfraih F, Al-Khabori MK, Alzahrani M, Alhuraiji A, et al. Clinical course and outcomes of COVID‐19 in hematopoietic cell transplant patients, a regional report from the Middle East. Bone Marrow Transplant [Internet]. 2021;56(9):2144–51. Available from:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41409-021-01312-y
- Zekri J, Saadeddin A, Alharbi H. Frequency and clinical characteristics of HER2 over-expressed breast cancer in Saudi Arabia: a retrospective study. BMC Womens Health [Internet]. 2021;21(1):1–10. Available from:
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-020-01159-3
- Salama H, Al Mutairi N, Damlaj M, Alolayan A, Binahmed A, Salama H, et al. Reducing Futile Acute Care Services for Terminally Ill Patients With Cancer: The Dignity Project. JCO Oncol Pract. 2021;OP.20.00922. *** Both Researc and QI Project
- Jazieh AR, Coutinho AK, Bensalem AA, Alsharm AA, Errihani H, Mula-Hussain L, et al. Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Oncologists: Results of an International Study. JCO Glob Oncol. 2021;(7):242–52.
- Alahmari B, Alzahrani M, Al Shehry N, Tawfiq O, Alwasaidi T, Alhejazi A, et al. Management Approach to Acute Myeloid Leukemia Leveraging the Available Resources in View of the Latest Evidence: Consensus of the Saudi Society of Blood and Marrow Transplantation. JCO Glob Oncol. 2021;(7):1220–32.
- Abuelgasim KA, Shammari R Al, Alshieban S, Alahmari B, Alzahrani M, Alhejazi A, et al. Impact of cluster of differentiation 20 expression and rituximab therapy in classical Hodgkin lymphoma: Real world experience. Leuk Res Reports [Internet]. 2021;15(April):100240. Available from:
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lrr.2021.100240
- Jazieh AR, Alghamdi M, Alkaiyat M, Al Johani SM, Damlaj M. A retrospective evaluation of the value of COVID-19 screening and testing in patients with cancer: Aiming at a moving target. J Infect Public Health [Internet]. 2021;14(7):949–53. Available from:
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jiph.2021.05.005
- Alzahrani M, Damlaj M, Jeffries N, Alahmari B, Singh A, Rondelli D, et al. Non-myeloablative human leukocyte antigen-matched related donor transplantation in sickle cell disease: outcomes from three independent centres. Br J Haematol. 2021;192(4):761–8.
- Bukhari N, Alshangiti A, Tashkandi E, Algarni M, Al-Shamsi HO, Al-Khallaf H. Fluoropyrimidine-Induced Severe Toxicities Associated with Rare DPYD Polymorphisms: Case Series from Saudi Arabia and a Review of the Literature. Clin Pract. 2021;11(3):467–71.
- Journal AM, Journal AM, Ahmed AK. Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Cancer Care in Iraq: Exploratory Research. Al-Anbar Med J. 2021;17(1):9–15.
- Alkushi A, Omair A, Masuadi E, Alamri G, Abusanad A, Abdelhafiez N, et al. The Level of Agreement Among Medical Oncologists on Adjuvant Chemotherapy Decision for Breast Cancer in Pre and Post-Oncotype DX Settings. Cureus. 2021;13(2).
- Benbrahim Z, Mula-Hussain L, Al-Shamsi HO, Saghir N El, Asiri M Al, Bahrani B Al, et al. National approaches to managing cancer care: Responses of countries in the MENA region to the COVID-19 pandemic. Ecancermedicalscience. 2021;15:1–10.
- Jazieh AR, Bensalem AA, Bounedjar A, Benbrahim Z, Mohamed O. Predictors of poor precautionary practices towards COVID-19 among cancer patients. 2021;
- Alyabsi M, Algarni M, Alshammari K. Trends in Colorectal Cancer Incidence Rates in Saudi Arabia (2001–2016) Using Saudi National Registry: Early- Versus Late-Onset Disease. Front Oncol. 2021;11(September):1–9.
- Abuelgasim KA, Damlaj M, Bosaeed M, Altamimi S, Abdullah H, Ramli RM, et al. Infectious complications in adult sickle cell anemia patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Bone Marrow Transplant 2021 [Internet]. 2021 Sep 10 [cited 2021 Sep 15];1–3. Available from:
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41409-021-01457-w
Leadership of Oncology Department
Dr. Abdulrahman Al Hadab
A/Chairman
Dr. Nashmia Al Mutairi
Deputy Chairman, Clinical
Dr. Ashwaq Al Olayan
Deputy Chairman, Oncology Quality & Patient Safety
List of Quality Improvement Projects
Early Identification And Monitoring Of Oncology Patients Attending KAMC- ER During COVID-19 Pandemic
Project Leader:
Dr.Jamal Gmati
Status
Completed
Reason of Initiating QI Project
COVID-19 pandemic disrupted heath care system all around the world and overwhelmed the capacity of hospital to manage regular patients including cancer patients. We implemented a new program to help managing oncology patients whom visited our Emergency Department (ED) then discharged home and patients who visited our clinics and were tested for COVID-19.
Impact of The Project on Patients Care
Reduced exposure to Nosocomial Infection by decreasing admission Reduced admission /Reduced LOS at the hospital.
Virtual clinic for oncology patients during Covid-19 pandemic
Project Leader:
Dr. Nashmia AL Mutairi
Team Members
- Mona Alshami
- Hussam Shehata
- Yvette Zanabu
- Mohamad Alharbi
Status
Completed
Reason of Initiating QI Project
Due to COVID-19 situation oncology department in KASCH launch the virtual clinic to minimize patient hospital visits, decrease exposures to infection and ensure continuity of care to all cancer patients.
Impact of The Project on Patients Care
Reduced exposure to Nosocomial Infection /improve Patient safety and enhance patient care
Chair Scheduling for Oncology Infusion Unit 62
Project Leader
Dr.Mohsen Alzahrani
Team Members
- Mohamad Alharbi
- Yvette Zanabu
- Myer Lawrence
- Elham Al Enizi
- Mona Alshami
- Amar Khaleel
- Hamam Al Momani
- Hussam Shehata
- Thamer Al Otaibi
- Areej Alkhesafi
Status
Ongoing
Reason of Initiating QI Project
Long waiting time in Infusion Unit 62 has led to a decrease patient and staff satisfaction and an increase in patient complaints.
Impact of The Project on Patients Care
- Increase patient and staff satisfaction.
- Reduce Nurses workload and improve nurse patient ratio
- Long waiting time in chemotherapy Infusion Unit 62 has led to frustration for both patients and healthcare providers, decrease patient and staff satisfaction and increase patient complaints. This QI project aimed to reduce the patient waiting time to less than 30 minutes from check in time to chair time, to optimize chair utilization at Oncology Infusion Unit and improve patient satisfaction and experience, as an outcome of healthcare delivered to our patients.
Oncology inpatient Satisfaction Survey Questioner
Project Leader
Mohamed Al Harbi
Team Members
- Mohamad Alharbi
- Wafa Almalek
- Areej Alkhesafi
- Mona Alshami
Status
Ongoing
Reason of Initiating QI Project
Patient complaints.
Impact of The Project on Patients Care
improve Patient satisfaction and experience, as an outcome of healthcare delivered to our patients.
Increase compliance of Venous Thromboembolism (VTE) assessments for all oncology inpatients
Project Leader
Dr.Abdurahman Raiza
Team Members
- Luhanga Musumadi
- Nursing team in-patient
Status
Ongoing
Reason of Initiating QI Project
cancer experience particularly higher morbidity and mortality if they developed (HA-VTE) to prevent it from occurring during admission or within 3 months after Patients discharge. (HA-VTE) risk assessment tool embedded in the Best Care for all oncology inpatient
Impact of The Project on Patients Care
improve Patient safety and enhance patient care
Increase compliance of cardiac monitoring guidelines for HER-2 Positive breast cancer patient receiving Trastuzumab-containing regimens
Project Leader
Dr.Amen
Team Member
Manal Al-Humaid
Status
Ongoing
Reason of Initiating QI Project
One of its serious side effect of Targeted therapy in breast cancer is decrease Left ventricular ejection fraction and congestive heart failure to avoid this physician must request Echocardiogram (ECHO) before treatment as per ESMO guidelines
Impact of The Project on Patients Care
- improve Patient safety and enhance patient care.
- Increase compliance of cardiac monitoring guidelines is one of Quality Improvement Projects
Medication Early Release Project Infusion Unit 62
Project Leader
Dr.Mohsen Alzahrani
Team Members
- Mohamad Alharbi
- Yvette Zanabu
- Myer Lawrence
- Areej Alkhesafi
- Thamer Al Otaibi
- Hussam Shehata
- Mona Alshami
- Elham Al Enizi
Status
Ongoing
Reason of Initiating QI Project
Lack of system in the outpatient clinic led to long waiting time for patients to receive treatment nearly 2.5hrs. That translates into frustration for both patients and healthcare providers and may adversely affect patient adherence to scheduled appointments and the recommended treatment plan.
Impact of The Project on Patients Care
improve Patient satisfaction and experience.
Improve Dental Referral Process For Oncology Patients
Project Leader
- Dr. Nashmia AL Mutairi
- Dr.Nafisa
Team Members
- Mona Alshami
- Hussam Shehata
- Manal Al-Humaid
Status
Completed
Reason of Initiating QI Project
Oncology patients might require dental intervention before starting their therapy. In oncology department we observed process of dental referral is not standardized for clearance and this generate significant delay since first dental referral and completion of clearance .We also noticed lack of communication and coordination between the two services(dental and oncology department) This hindering is very critical since it delays major therapy and affect patients outcome and quality of life.
Impact of The Project on Patients Care
improve Patient experience.
Reducing futile acute care services for terminally ill cancer patients: The Dignity Project
Project Leader
Dr.Hend Salama
Team Members
- Dr.Ayman ALhejazi
- Dr. Ashwaq Alolayan
- Dr. Nashmia AL Mutairi
- Dr. Haytham Tlayjeh
- Hana AlMalki
- Mona Alshami
- Hussam Shehata
- Myer Lawrence
Status
Monitoring
Reason of Initiating QI Project
Patients with terminal cancer frequently undergo procedures and treatment that are futile and maybe detrimental to their quality of life.We noticed utilization of acute care services in a few terminal cancer patients at our center.
to reduce the utilization of futile critical acute care services (ACS) for cancer patients treated with a palliative intent approach.
Impact of The Project on Patients Care
Reduce ICU admission /reduce cost /enhance patient care and improve quality of life .
Patients with terminal cancer frequently undergo procedures and treatment that are futile and maybe detrimental to their quality of life. Team noticed utilization of acute care services in a few terminal cancer patients. Project aim to reduce the utilization of futile critical acute care services (ACS) for cancer patients treated with a palliative intent approach by September 2019 to 50% by implementation of mandatory documentation of goals of care in the electronic healthcare record system, the timely documentation of goal of care for patients with palliative intent lead to decrease the utilization of acute care services (ACS) including reduction of intensive care unit (ICU) admissions and cost.
Reduce Overutilization of PET Scan By Oncology PhysiciansQuality & Patient Safety Choosing Wisely Project
Project Leader
Dr. Ashwaq Al Olayan
Team Member
- Dr.Ashwag Alolyan
- Dr.Syed Ghulam
- Dr Salem Al Shehri
- Dr Nour Ibrahim
- Dr.Saadia UrRazaq
- Mona Alshami
Status
Monitoring
Reason of Initiating QI Project
physician order PET scan without considering medical needs or the risk of radiation to patients many of the radiological exams (“imaging”) performed are unnecessary, increasing health care costs and exposing patients to dangerous radiation.
Impact of The Project on Patients Care
- Cost reduction /Saving time on the machine /save time of consultant reading scan.
- Reducing patient harm without compromising the patient care as the recommendations was evidence based.
- Reduce overutilization of PET scan requested for oncology patients by implementing NCCN Practice guidelines to 50% by April 2018 to Reduce patient harm without compromising the patient care as the recommendations was evidence based , saving time on the machine, save time of Nuclear Medicine consultant reading scan and reduce cost.
Estimated cost reduction 84.000 SR per month
Estimated cost reduction 1.737.000 SR per year
QOPI Certification
Project Leader
Dr.Nafisa
Team Member
- Ziad AlZahrani
- Mona Alshami
- Mohammad Al Kaiyat
- Dr. Ahmed Hashim
- Areej Al Khesaifi
- Mohamad Alharbi
- Yvette Zanabu
- Mohammed Al Otaibi
- Fawaz Alrabeeah
Status
Ongoing
Reason of Initiating QI Project
Quality assessment and reporting program for outpatient hematology-oncology practices – to create a culture of self-examination and improvement.
Impact of The Project on Patients Care
Standardize processes at the Cancer Center to ensure smooth patient flow. Also, it is important certificate where our Cancer Center would be bench marked with USA Cancer Centers.
The Quality Oncology Practice Initiative Certification – QOPI
Cancer care is associated with high risk of mortality and morbidity due to the disease and its treatment. American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) developed a quality oncology practice initiative program (QOPI) that ensures patient safety via assessing physician practice and compliance with certification standards at the level of oncology outpatient clinic. QOPI team participated in QOPI Certification pathway aiming to assess our practice, benchmarked against other oncology centers and team achieved QOPI Certification required score ( 93% ). This made our practice eligible for on-site certification visit by ASCO QOPI surveyors on May 2018 to assess practice compliance with QOPI standards. After addressing the unmet standards from the visit, our center became the first QOPI Certified Center in the Middle East and Asia in October 2018.
Reduce unnecessary of blood test requested by physician in ward 44 Adult SCT SEP 2020
Project Leader
Dr.Husam Al Sadi
Team Member
- Dr Mohsen alzahrani
- Eman Alanizi
- Denina Angelina
- Allyn Alfech
- Mona Alshami
Status
Ongoing
Reason of Initiating QI Project
Many diagnostic test (CBC, INR,PT,PTT) are ordered at regular intervals to help in patient treatment plan but overutilization of theses test will increases costs, does not benefit patients can cause potential harms include anemia due to unnecessary phlebotomy, reduce overuse of blood test was one of the choose wisely projects by American Society of Hematology (ASH) .
Impact of The Project on Patients Care
Cost reduction/improve Patient experience.
Middle East - North Africa National Comprehensive Cancer Network (MENA-NCCN) MENA Regional Center for NCCN Collaboration
Welcome to the website of for the Middle East - North Africa National Comprehensive Cancer Network (MENA-NCCN) MENA Regional Center for NCCN Collaboration.
This Center was developed to enhance communication and facilitate dissemination of cancer-related information including modification of NCCN Guidelines to colleagues in the MENA region.
We appreciate your constructive feedback as we grow and develop this service.
Again, thank you for visiting our website. We hope you will find the visit informative and rewarding.
Sincerely,
Dr. Kanan Alshammari
Director, MENA-NCCN Coordinating Center
King Abdulaziz Medical City
Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs
The MENA-NCCN Initiative
The NCCN Guidelines have an effect worldwide, and more and more groups in different parts of the world are looking to adapt them.
Since then, the NCCN has started outreach programs to share its vast knowledge and resources with interested groups. Regional rules have come out of these efforts in China, Japan, Korea, Latin America, and most recently, the MENA regionwww.nccn.org)
The Middle East and North African countries stretching from Morocco in the west to India in the east and from Turkey to Yemen in the south (North-South).
Oncology experts and people with a lot of influence formed seven committees: Breast Cancer, Lung Cancer, Colon Cancer, Prostate Cancer, Hepatobiliary Cancer, Lymphomas, and Palliative Care. The committees looked at the NCCN Guidelines to see if they needed to be changed to make them more useful in the MENA region. Based on scientific evidence and regional experience, each committee came up with a list of changes that needed to be made to the NCCN Guidelines. These changes to the guidelines were talked about with NCCN experts in the US and then summed up in a full manuscript for each area. Making the MENA-NCCN Guidelines sparked a lot of interest in the region to create more evidence-based practices and network and work together more.
Goals of MENA-NCCN Initiative:
- To help regional Oncology health care professionals develop an evidence-based practice through the adaptation of NCCN Guidelines.
- To help build regional capacity in the evidence based medicine.
- To encourage collaborative activities among oncology health care professionals to disseminate knowledge and exchange expertise.
MENA-NCCN Open Participation
MMENA NCCN open registration allows you to participate in the process of “ adapt evidence-based treatment in the region “ and to be submitted on the upcoming guideline publication.
The Medial East and North Africa (MENA NCCN) open registration allows you to participate in the process of adaption the NCCN guidelines to our region and allows the Committee to identify and discuss the contribution that you submit, if your inputs are accepted by the committee you will be acknowledged as a contributor to the published adaptation.
User Instructions:
Register in MENA NCCN[Registration Form]
Choose the guideline to modify [ registration required on
www.nccn.org]
Browse the latest updates of the Middle East & North Africa guidelines 2025:
- Please fill in this Excel sheet MENA-NCCN Guidelines Modifications Template with the suggesting modification and supporting evidence.
Please email us the suggested modification on
mena_nccn@mngha.med.sa and we will be happy to get back to you.
Leadership
Dr. Kanan M. Alshammari, MD
Director, (MENA) (NCCN) Coordinating Center
King Abdulaziz Medical City
Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs
Riyadh, KSA
Dr. Crystal S. Denlinger, MD
Chief Executive Officer National
Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN)
USA