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In order to provide comprehensive cancer care in line with international standards, the Center's ongoing goal is to achieve excellence in the following areas:
Clinical Care
Patient Support Programs
Professional Cancer Education and Training
Public Awareness Promotion
Clinical Research
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| CLINICAL CARE
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At the King Hussein Cancer Center, our primary goal is to ensure excellence in clinical care by treating the patient as a "whole", focusing on the physical, emotional, social and environmental needs of each individual patient. KHCC's approach is based on team methodology.
When a patient is admitted into KHCC, his/her case is reviewed by different specialists in one setting through the Multi-Modality Clinics. KHCC was the first cancer hospital in the Middle East to pioneer the concept of Multi-Modality Clinics (MMCs). MMCs are highly specialized clinics in specific types of cancer. Each Multi-Modality Clinic is comprised of a team of health care specialists that include a minimum of a medical oncologist, a surgical oncologist, and a radiation oncologist who, together, set the patients’ treatment plan and supervise their care.
Multi-Modality Clinics
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Multi-Modality Clinics at the King Hussein Cancer Center
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1. Bone Marrow Transplantation Clinic
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2. Breast Cancer Clinic
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3. Lung Cancer Clinic
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4. Thyroid Cancer Clinic
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5. Sarcoma Clinic
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6. Head and Neck Cancer Clinic
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7. Neuro-Oncology Clinic
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8. Gastro-Intestinal Cancers
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9. Genito-Urinary Cancers
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10. Ocular Oncology Clinic
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11. Limb Salvage and Bone Tumor Clinic
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12. Multidisciplinary Pain Management Clinic
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13. Nutrition Clinic
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Valuable Second Opinion
KHCC offers a life-saving second opinion to patients whose cancer is rare. First, the case is reviewed by a Tumor Board, a consultative body comprised of 30-40 physicians and health care professionals who meet twice a week to discuss difficult cases and decide on the best course of treatment for these patients. If the case is resolved, the necessary protocol of treatment is devised and implemented. However, if the case is uncommon, then a second opinion is sought through the Tele-Synergy service offered at KHCC. Doctors at KHCC discuss a patient's case via a sophisticated video-conferencing facility, Tele-Synergy, in real time with experts from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Patient's pathology slides, radiation pictures and any other diagnostic material are transmitted during the teleconference to allow for a valuable second opinion. If necessary, the patient can also be examined in real time via the Tele-Synergy portal.
Bone Marrow and Stem Cell Transplantation (BMT) Program
The Bone Marrow Transplantation Program at the King Hussein Cancer Center was established in 1997 under the guidance of the South West Cancer Center (SWCC) of the Netherlands. In November 2002, the BMT was transformed into a fully comprehensive Program. The BMT Program consists of ten isolation rooms designed specifically for immuno-compromised cancer patients. Members of the transplant team oversee both matched allogeneic and autologous transplants. Currently, the BMT Program performs an average of 100 transplants a year. About two thirds of KHCC BMT patients are adults. Other non-cancer cases are also treated through kHCC's BMT Program including thalassemia, aplastic anemia and other metabolic diseases.
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| PATIENT SUPPORT PROGRAMS
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As part of its mission to treat the patient as a "whole", KHCC established the following patient support programs:
Hospice and Palliative Care
KHCC introduced quality compassionate care for patients who are in untreatable terminal stages of their disease. Once cancer has metastasized to organs and takes hold of major vital systems in the body, palliative care is the only remaining option. Palliative care controls pain management, symptom relief and emotional support while preserving the highest possible quality of life for as long as life remains.
The focus of hospice and palliative care relies on the belief that each individual has the right to die pain-free and with dignity, and that our loved ones will receive the necessary support to allow us to do so. Hospice care neither aims to hasten death nor to postpone death. It allows a natural death upon the wish of the patient and their family when the patient is not responsive to any kind of treatment.
Pediatric Pain Clinic
This clinic caters to children suffering from cancer. Specially trained staff work together to make all medical procedures as painless as possible and help alleviate suffering of the young patients.
Physical Rehabilitation
Physical Rehabilitation is a vital component in cancer care. At KHCC, the treatments include physiotherapy, hydrotherapy, occupational therapy and wax therapy.
Nutrition
Cancer patients have specific dietary needs. Special diets are devised by qualified nutritionists to sustain patients in their course of rigorous treatment.
Psycho-Oncology Clinic
Clinical specialists provide counseling services to patients and their families to help them cope with the lengthy and difficult challenge of cancer care.
Survivor Groups
KHCC cancer survivor support groups offer counseling services to KHCC patients and their families. Volunteers undergo a training course offered by the Center to learn how best to approach patients during this vulnerable time and provide the necessary support required. They share personal experiences and work to promote a healthy attitude towards cancer treatment, cancer care, and life beyond cancer.
Therapeutic Entertainment Activities
The Center provides various entertainment activities for adult and pediatric patients to help them overcome their feeling of isolation and regain a sense of normalcy. By allowing patients to focus on other things besides cancer treatment, these activities help patients in their overall rehabilitation. Children can enjoy playing in the Princess Haya playroom at the Zaha Mango Pediatric Ward under the supervision of a play therapist. Children can also participate in the KHCC Summer Camp, which runs annually from June until August.
Back to School Program
This program gives patients, aged 5-12 years, a chance to resume their education during their long and lengthy hospital stays. With the aid of teachers from the Ministry of Education, young patients follow as much as possible from their school curriculum during treatment at KHCC. This program makes use of the Internet, educational CD's and Ministry of Education approved CD-ROMS (Menhaj).
Socio-Economic Support Programs
The Goodwill Fund provides financial support to underprivileged patients who have no medical insurance and are unable to meet cancer treatment costs. This Fund also gives support to these patients for nutritious meals at KHCC, transportation and accommodation for those living far from the Center.
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| PROFESSIONAL CANCER EDUCATION AND TRAINING
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The King Hussein Cancer Center established and advances educational and training programs and initiatives, including:
Oncology Fellowships and Residency Programs
At KHCC, fellowship training programs are available in all disciplines of cancer specialties to train future leaders of cancer care in Jordan and the region. Residency programs include training in medical, surgical, pediatric and radiation oncology disciplines.
In 2009, KHCC resident doctors ranked first among over 400 North American residency programs on the competency exam of the American College of Physicians. This major accomplishment emphasizes KHCC's exceptional high standards of care to patients of all ages, gender and nationality.
Medical Library
The KHCC USAID Medical Library gives access to the largest medical online resources in the world. Linked to the videoconferencing library of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), KHCC doctors can virtually attend all conferences held in the USA (both in real time and recorded) in the comfort of this state-of-the-art library. In terms of important medical references, the online medical library boasts over 5000 electronic medical journals, 15 databases, and 3500 books which one can download online. The medical library also includes a patient and family resource area.
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| CLINICAL RESEARCH
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Cancer research is a necessity to improve patient care. In the war against cancer, research is one of the most powerful weapons that helps give the best and latest diagnostic methods and treatment regimens to our patients.
In 2006, King Hussein Cancer Center established the Office of Clinical Research and Cancer Registry to build the research infrastructure that aids KHCC faculty and staff in launching research projects towards better understanding of the patient population we serve and towards the assessment of quality oncology care provided to them at the Center. The office has two sections:
Clinical Research Supportive Services
- Consultation on study design
- Defining data collection plan
- Enrollment of patients in prospective studies
- Data validation and analysis
- Consultation on publications and presentations of research data
Currently, KHCC physicians are principal investigators on six multi-institutional prospective research protocols sponsored by pharmaceutical companies. In addition, patients are enrolled in experimental therapeutic protocols that were developed by international cooperative oncology groups to ensure access to the most recent and most effective remedies for their specific disease.
Clinical studies at KHCC are carried out according to the International Conference on Harmonization (ICH) / WHO Good Clinical Practice standards, and are closely monitored internally and by research sponsors. Moreover, all research protocols at KHCC must be approved by the Institutional Review Board to ensure the protection of the rights and welfare of human research subjects. The IRB at KHCC is approved as a research-governing body by the Jordanian Food and Drug Administration (JFDA) and was granted a Federal Wide Assurance (FWA) for the protection of human subjects from the US Department of Health and Human Services.
Additionally, KHCC staff is active in publishing articles in peer-reviewed journals as well as in presenting abstracts in national and international meetings and symposia.
Hospital-Based Cancer Registry
The registry systematically collects information about cancer patients treated at the Center. Data includes retrospective as well as prospective data about patient demographics, cancer incidence, staging, mortality, morbidity, quality of life and periodic follow-up information about every patient treated at KHCC. This warehouse of data is extremely valuable in identifying trends in KHCC patients, allowing for medical audit of treatment outcomes, and reflects cancer mortality and morbidity as well as the quality of life in cancer patients.
In 2009, Cancer Registrars at KHCC were certified by the National Cancer Registrars Association (NCRA) in the United States. Khaled Jamal and Wael Shelbaya are the first two Cancer Registrars in Jordan. The Center’s Clinical Research and Registration Office (CCRO), the only office of its kind in the country, captures a complete history of all KHCC patients.
The Registrars’ collective data is researched and used in the management of cancer, and ultimately, cures.
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