International Scientific Conference dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the establishment of oncology service in Azerbaijan

On May 21, the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Heydar Aliyev Foundation, Heydar Aliyev Center, National Center of Oncology, Azerbaijan Society of Oncologists, American Society of Clinical Oncology and the Regional Development Public Union jointly organized the "Modern Approach to Diagnosis and Treatment of Malignant Tumours" International Scientific Conference, dedicated to the 80^th anniversary of oncology service in Azerbaijan.

AZERTAC reports that Director General of the National Center of Oncology, Academik Jamil Aliyev opened the conference and informed the conference participants about the establishment of the oncology service in Azerbaijan and its 80-year history. The conference was organized at Heydar Aliyev Center taking into account the requirements of the quarantine regime. Jamil Aliyev said that the high level of oncology service in our country, the dynamic increase in efficiency and meeting the latest standards were possible due to the hard work of people working in this field and the constant care and attention of the state. Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev’s and First Vice President Mehriban Aliyeva’s efforts in building and putting into operation the examination and treatment structures, Polyclinic, Surgical buildings, and the Pediatric Oncology Clinic of the National Center of Oncology, the flagship of the oncology service, are great.

Head of Humanitarian Policy, Diaspora, Multiculturalism and Religious Affairs Department of the Administration of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Farah Aliyeva read a congratulatory letter of President Ilham Aliyev to the conference participants and wished success to the conference. In the congratulatory letter, it was stressed that holding this prestigious international scientific conference on oncology, which was attended by many world-renowned scientists and specialists, in our country is a clear indication of Azerbaijan's growing prestige in the fight against cancer.

The event focused on the history of oncology development in Azerbaijan, achievements of modern oncology. First Deputy Minister of Health, Acting Minister of Health Teymur Musayev, Chairman of the Milli Majlis Health Committee Academik Ahliman Amiraslanov, Head of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation's International Relations Department Soltan Mammadov, Chief specialist of the Ministry of Health oncologist Azad Karimli, Professor of Oxford University David Kerr, Professor of the University of Washington, Chief Medical Officer & Executive Vice President of the American Society of Clinical Oncology Julie Gralow, Professor of Hacettepe University Suayib Yalcin delivered congratulatory speeches on the anniversary. It was noted that the oncology service in Azerbaijan has undergone great and successful development. In the 30s and 40s of the twentieth century, it became clear that one of the most important reasons hindering the development of oncology in Azerbaijan was the lack of scientific and medical institutions specialized in malignant tumours. In this regard, in January 1941, the Azerbaijan State Research Institute of Roentgenology and Radiology (now the National Center of Oncology) was established in Baku. The establishment of the Institute was of great importance for the development of roentgenology and radiology services in Azerbaijan. The main directions of scientific research conducted at this institute were the creation of effective methods for the epidemiology of malignant tumors and the combined complex treatment of cancer in the country. Well-known scientists such as Isaac Ginzburg, Mustafa Alikishibeyov, Rahim Rahimov, who headed the institute for different years, each made a great contribution to the development of oncology services in Azerbaijan.

In March 1990, after the appointment of Academik Jamil Aliyev, a prominent organizer of health care in Azerbaijan, who raised a whole generation of young professionals and made significant efforts to solve the issue of construction of new buildings of the center, as a Director of the National Center of Oncology, significant progress was made in the development of oncology services. In the past, oncologists worked in very difficult conditions. For example, there were no facilities for complex surgeries. Today, if we look at the area where the National Center of Oncology is located, we can see a large medical camp here. Previously, all oncology operations were performed in one building, but after the construction of the surgical building of the National Center of Oncology in 2009, progress has been made in this area. President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva attended the opening ceremony of the building.

In 2014, a new treatment building and a laboratory for molecular diagnosis of malignant tumors were opened at the Center. In April 2016, the first and only Nuclear Medicine Center, not only in Azerbaijan but in the whole region, was opened at the National Center of Oncology. The Biograph mCT-S40 Positron Emission Tomography/Computer Tomography (PET/CT) device, developed by Siemens on the basis of the latest technologies and allowing rapid examination with a minimal dose, has been put into operation here.

At present, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, surgery, immunotherapy and other complex treatments are being applied at a very high level at the Pediatric Oncology Clinic of the National Center of Oncology, which is the flagship institution in the whole region. The clinic has departments of pediatric surgery, pediatric chemotherapy, pediatric radiation therapy, pediatric anesthesiology and resuscitation. President Ilham Aliyev and First Vice President Mehriban Aliyeva made a great contribution to the establishment of the first Pediatric Clinic of the National Center of Oncology in the region.

The Pediatric Oncology Clinic was opened in March 2012. At present, the Children's Oncology Clinic, which is the flagship institution of the National Oncology Center in the whole region, uses chemotherapy, radiation therapy, surgery, immunotherapy and other complex treatments at a very high level. The clinic has departments of pediatric surgery, pediatric chemotherapy, pediatric radiation therapy, pediatric anesthesiology and resuscitation. President Ilham Aliyev and First Vice President Mehriban Aliyeva made a great contribution to the establishment of the first Pediatric Clinic of the National Center of Oncology in the region.

The specialists of the National Center of Oncology, as well as leading professors and specialists from Washington and West Virginia Universities, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Will Cornell Medical University, Oxford University of Great Britain, University of Genoa of Italy, Hacettepe University of Turkey, participated in the program of the Conference with topics on the development of oncology in Azerbaijan and on various topics on modern diagnosis and treatment of malignant tumors. The conference aroused great interest in the discussion of modern diagnostic and treatment methods, along with various concepts of traditional approaches to the treatment of oncological diseases. The "Treatment of malignant tumors" session of the conference, which continued with sessions on the main areas of oncology, was marked by the exchange of experience and scientific discussions with Leylakhanim Malikova, Elkhan Kazimov, Samir Gurbanov, specialists from the United States and Italy Matteo Lambertini and Ashish Saxena.

Professor David Kerr's "The Role of Biomarkers in Colorectal Cancer," Professor Suayib Yalcin's "Drug Treatment for Early Colorectal Cancer," Professor of the Fox Chase Cancer Center Elin Sigurdson's "Surgical Treatment of Colorectal Cancer ", Professor of the University of West Virginia Cancer Institute Richard Goldberg’s "Treatment of Metastatic Colorectal Cancer" topics caused the big interest of the participants.