Imagine a world where cervical cancer doesn’t have to steal the lives of countless women in Africa—yet, despite our knowledge, it still does. This heartbreaking reality is the core issue we’re tackling head-on, and if you’re passionate about oncology, you won’t want to miss how we’re fighting back.
Dr. Emad Shash, a prominent cancer researcher and Director at the National Cancer Institute in Cairo University, recently posted on LinkedIn about an exciting initiative. He’s thrilled to moderate the CancerWISE – CJC AFRICA Cervical Cancer Virtual Tumor Board, focused on the multidisciplinary management of locally advanced cervical cancer. But here’s where it gets controversial: while we all agree that organized, timely, and team-based care can transform outcomes, the debate rages on about whether resource-poor regions can truly adopt this approach without significant global investment—could it be that we’re prioritizing complex models over simpler, scalable solutions?
For beginners in oncology, a tumor board is essentially a group discussion where doctors from different specialties review a patient’s case to decide the best treatment plan. In this virtual session, they’ll dissect a real-life scenario from three key perspectives to show how collaboration leads to better results—think of it as piecing together a puzzle where each expert adds a crucial piece.
First, Dr. Shash will kick things off by exploring systemic therapy, which involves medications like chemotherapy to target cancer cells throughout the body. He’ll address practical challenges in locally advanced cases, such as balancing effectiveness with side effects in daily practice. Next, radiation therapy expert Munir Awol from Black Lion Hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, will share insights on using targeted radiation to shrink tumors while minimizing harm to healthy tissues.
Finally, surgical oncology will be covered by Basel Refky from Mansoura University in Egypt, who’ll discuss how operations can remove cancerous tissues, often combined with other treatments for optimal results. To keep things engaging, the event starts with a quick pre-event poll to gather participant input, followed by interactive Q&A after each segment. And this is the part most people miss: there’s even a post-event quiz with rewards to reinforce what you’ve learned!
Dr. Shash is proud to collaborate with a stellar pan-African faculty, bringing diverse expertise:
- Chinenye Iwuji, Consultant Medical Oncology at Lakeshore Cancer Center in Lagos, Nigeria
- Khadija Warfa, Consultant Gynecologic Oncology at Aga Khan University Hospital in Nairobi, Kenya
- Nwamaka Lasebikan Lasebikan, Consultant Clinical Oncology at University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital in Enugu, Nigeria
- Thomas Konney, Consultant Gynecologic Oncology at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi, Ghana
- Munir Awol, Consultant Clinical Oncology at Black Lion Hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- Basel Refky, Professor of Surgical Oncology at Mansoura University, Egypt
Mark your calendars: it’s happening on Wednesday, November 19, 2025, at 19:30 Cairo time, via Zoom. Register through this link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf2zWa7OUZiqvaDXnC4YuBH9LbVI_9mtLHtZ1S9h178fEEYBA/viewform.
If you’re involved in cervical cancer care—whether you’re a medical, surgical, or radiation oncologist, a gynecologist, nurse, pharmacist, or even a trainee—this session is for you. Let’s come together to exchange knowledge and bolster cancer care across Africa.
What do you think? Is multidisciplinary care the gold standard, or do we need to rethink priorities in under-resourced areas? Share your views in the comments—do you agree, disagree, or have a counterpoint? Your insights could spark important discussions! For more from Dr. Shash, check out related posts on OncoDaily.