REGIONAL INITIATIVES
THE ROLE OF THE SOUTH
AND EAST MEDITERRANEAN
COLLEGE OF ONCOLOGY
AHMED ELZAWAWY (LEFT), EGYPT, HUSSEIN KHALED, EGYPT, SHERIF OMAR, EGYPT,
MUNIR KINAY, TURKEY, ATEF BADRAN, EGYPT AND ALY ABDEL RAZEK, UAE, MEMBERS,
SEMCO BOARD
The South and East Mediterranean College of Oncology (SEMCO) is a nonprofit,
nongovernmental initiative that aims to enhance professional and public education
in all fields of cancer control, to expand scientific efforts and education to increase
appropriate cancer management and to contribute in increasing human capacity
building in order to raise the present modest contribution of the region in
international cancer clinical trials to at least 10% of the world’s cancer trials by the
year 2022.
SEMCO was founded in collaboration with the International Campaign for the
Establishment and Development of Oncology Centres (ICEDOC) (www.icedoc.org)
and affiliated to the Egyptian Foundation for Cancer Research (EFCR). SEMCO
adopts the three “Cs” of ICEDOC, that welcome Cooperation, Collaboration and
Coordination with all local, regional and international organizations and cancer
societies.
S
EMCO is a nongovernmental and nonprofit initiative variation in cancer management facilities and opportunities
that aims to enhance professional and public education for training, research or even the types and profile of
in all fields of cancer and build capacities for relevant presentations of early or advanced cancer cases are not
research in the South and East Mediterranean region. necessarily parallel to the level of income. Cancer of the cervix
is not among the most common cancer in Egypt (low-middle
Affiliation country), while stage III and IV cases of cervical cancer
SEMCO is affiliated to the Egyptian Foundation for Cancer constitute a common problem in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf
Research (EFCR) and was founded in 2006 in collaboration region (high-income countries). Breast cancer constitutes the
with the International Campaign for the Establishment and commonest cancer among women across the whole region2,3.
Development of Oncology Centres (ICEDOC) itself founded Hepatocellular carcinoma attributed as a sequel to hepatitis C
in 1996 in the USA (www.icedoc.org). is one of the national cancer problems in Egypt3. This requires
more intensified efforts in professional and public education,
Why SEMCO? prevention and early detection that allows, until now, the only
The South and East Mediterranean region extends from chance of successful management of this serious disease in
Turkey to Morocco and Mauritania. It lies at the centre of Egypt.
many regions and contains mixed characteristics that are Most professional cancer care providers and consultants
reflected in cancer control and training as well. The region has either have been trained according to Euro-American
ties to Europe as it is practically its southern and eastern curricula in their countries or in neighbouring countries.
neighbour. It is also a part of Africa and Asia through a border Medical education is mostly in English or French, but some
with Turkey. National incomes vary from high-income, small have Arabic or a mixed English and Turkish medical education.
populations like the Emirates and Qatar to bigger, low-income, Some have been trained or qualified in Western Europe,
countries, with variations from low-middle income countries particularly the UK or France or in the USA. However, in
1
like Egypt to high-middle income countries like Lebanon . The general, English is understood by most physicians, but still
138 CANCER CONTROL 2013