Kyriakides stresses importance of dealing with cancer on holistic level

Ways in which Cyprus and the EU can work together to improve the quality of care for cancer patients on the island were discussed during EU Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides’ visit on Friday to the German Oncology Centre in Limassol.

According to a statement, during her visit, Kyriakides was briefed on the innovative treatments and equipment offered by its medical director, Professor Dr Nikos Zamboglou and a team of doctors.

Kyriakides stressed that cancer treatment was a priority for the European Commission.

“The Strategic Plan for Cancer addresses the issue of cancer holistically. From prevention, diagnosis, treatment, quality of life issues and palliative care, so it must be approached in a multidisciplinary way,” she said.

This, she added, was also the philosophy of the German Oncology Centre.

Zamboglou noted that Kyriakides suggested ways in which the centre could work with the EU to solve everyday problems.

According to Zamboglou, the centre started its operation with the departments of diagnostic and interventional radiology, nuclear medicine, pathological oncology, radiation oncology, radiotherapy oncology, special pathology and clinical laboratory.

Today, a number of other specialties have been added, including interventional cardiology, gastroenterology, pulmonology, neurology, general surgery, haematology, rheumatology, dermatology, histopathology, nephrology, urology, orthopaedics, endocrinology, infectious diseases and clinical psychology among others.

Meanwhile, pioneering medical tests are carried out, several of them on an exclusive basis.

According to Zamboglou, all the centre’s services have been integrated into Gesy and are available to all those under the system.

The Commissioner was also informed about the various research projects in which the centre participates, having signed protocols of cooperation with dynamic and renowned educational institutions, research centres and biotechnological companies in Cyprus and abroad, including Harvard Medical School and Charite Berlin, Germany.