May 2010: By: Prakash Neupane, MD; University of Kansas Medical Center, Course Director, MCMC Nepal

Over 120 oncology professionals attended the first ever Multidisciplinary Cancer Management Course (MCMC) held in Kathmandu, Nepal, which took place March 5-7, 2010. The course was jointly organized by ASCO and the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperative (SAARC) Federation of Oncologists – Nepal Chapter (SFO-N) and held in conjunction with the 2^nd Annual SFO-N Conference.

Fellows, medical and radiation oncologists, surgical specialists, oncology nurses, and other practitioners who treat patients with cancer welcomed the course with great enthusiasm. Attendees discussed multidisciplinary treatment strategies, treatment options in the management of breast, lung, gastric, colon, and cervical cancers, as well as screening and prevention options available to patients.

The course included panel discussions on cervical cancer screening and prevention programs in the context of the health care system in Nepal, and representatives from five nongovernmental organizations presented information on their programs and service-offerings. ASCO faculty members included Prakash Neupane, MD, of the University of Kansas Medical Center; Jacek Jassem, MD, PhD, of the Medical University of Gdansk in Poland; Dinesh Pendharkar, MD, PhD, of the Asian Institute of Oncology in Mumbai, India; and Hyder Arastu, MD, of the East Carolina University Brody School of Medicine.

A second MCMC event was offered at the B.P. Koirala Memorial Cancer Hospital (BPKMCH) in Bharatpur, Nepal, where oncologists, practicing physicians, and over 100 oncology nurses attended sessions on the management of lung, breast, and head and neck cancers. Peggy Murphy, RN, and Debbie Bass, RN, oncology nurses from the University of Kansas Cancer Center, gave an overview of oncology nursing to the group. Attendees were also provided with a unique glimpse into the cancer demographics of Nepal through cases presented by local oncologists. The majority of breast, colon, and head and neck cancers in the hospital series were in patients younger than 50 years of age.

SFON Chair and MCMC Nepal Organizing Committee Chair, Madan Piya, MBBS, was instrumental in making these courses successful. We are grateful to him, the MCMC Organizing Committee, and BPKMCH for all of their efforts.

About Multidisciplinary Cancer Management Courses
MCMCs improve cancer care globally through the promotion of interdisciplinary cancer management. The courses provide fundamental training for physicians in countries where patients with cancer are frequently treated by nonspecialists, and are organized in conjunction with a local or regional society. Attendees are encouraged to work across disciplines to develop patient treatment plans.

MCMCs focus on two or three of the most prevalent cancer types in the host country. Core course presentations include cancer biology and radiobiology; multidisciplinary cancer care; and surgical, medical, and radiation oncology. Additional course topics available for presentation include end-of-life care, clinical trials, prevention and screening, and more.

For more information on the MCMC program, visit asco.org/mcmc or send an e-mail to mcmc@asco.org.