The 3rd Muscat International Oncology conference was successfully held on 16-17 February 2011. This conference was organized by the Radiation Oncology Section, in association with the Department of Oncology of the National Oncology Centre. 310 delegates attended this meeting which included 150 medical doctors from various specialties from within and outside Oman. The Conference focused on breast and brain malignancy as these are common cancers in Oman. The international faculty included various eminent oncologists, including Prof. Michael Brada (Royal Marsden Hospital, London), Dr. Fridjtof Nuesslin (Munich, Germany), Dr. Rajendra Badwe and Dr. Rakesh Jalali (Tata Memorial Hospital, Bombay), Dr. Christina Davies (Clinical Trials Services Unit, Oxford), Dr. Roshni Chinoy (Prince Ali Khan Hospital, Bombay), and Prof. J Y Bobin (Lyons, France).
The conference was inaugurated by H.E. Dr. Ahmed Al Saidi, the Minister of Health. Dr. R Badwe gave the keynote address on "Evidence Based Medicine" in breast cancer, highlighting the need for screening programmes in a country like Oman. Prof. Michael Brada presented very informative lectures on "Stereotactic Radiotherapy in the treatment of benign breast tumours". Dr. C Davies outlined the EBCTCG current updates on "Adjuvant trials in early breast cancer". Dr. Chinoy spoke on various pathological aspects of breast cancer, while Prof. Bobin explained some of the surgical issues with the respect to breast cancer.
Overall the academic input was of a very high standard and gave the audience the most recent updates on breast cancer and neuro-oncology.
The organizers wish to thank the staff of the National Oncology Centre, Administration of the Royal Hospital and the Ministry of Health for the excellent support received for this conference.