REGINA, September 7, 2010 - Dr. Maryam Al-Hayki, Regina’s remaining gynecologic oncologist has taken emergency medical leave. With the recent closure of Dr. Brydon’s office, this puts gynecologic cancer care in Regina in a crisis; leaving the Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region (RQHR) and the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency (SCA) scrambling on a day-to-day basis to provide the best available care for women needing diagnosis, surgery, treatment and follow-up.
Darlene Gray, President of Ovarian Cancer Awareness & Treatment in Saskatchewan (OCATS) was advised that the RQHR has doctors searching for a temporary replacement and that the RQHR feels this is a situation that could not have been planned for. “However,” Gray stated, “we’ve been speaking with the government for well over two years now about a possible crisis that we now face. We’ve been asking for proper space in the hospital to ensure retention of our specialists, nothing was done and we lost one specialist. We’ve been sharing our concerns about the hardship placed on the remaining gynecologic oncologist and about losing her too. Obviously, emergency medical leave was not anticipated but human beings get sick. It was unrealistic to not consider that having one specialist 24/7 was a crisis in the making, and prevent that.”
OCATS has learned that current patients will be reassigned to medical oncologists and two gynecologic oncologists (Brydon and Lucero) at the Allan Blair Cancer Centre (ABCC) and gynecologic oncologists in Saskatoon while the RQHR looks for a replacement doctor. Both the SCA and the RQHR share Gray’s concerns and are diligent in handling this crisis on a daily basis. Dr. Brydon though does not have the credentials to make chemotherapy decisions for patients with recurrent cancer. Dr. Lucero is on assessment until mid October, his credentials to deliver 2nd line chemotherapy are unknown to OCATS. Gray said, “it is critical that patients know the best chance at survival is getting proper treatment from a gynecologic oncologist, patients need to alert their general practitioners of the situation. Patients waiting for surgery need to ask for the proper surgeon in a timely manner – on an emergency basis. We have excellent doctors in Regina and Saskatoon but they were busy before this crisis. We are aware that everyone involved is doing the best the can and working hard to address the situation. It is appalling though that the situation we have worked so hard to prevent is now our reality. Our intent is not to scare patients, but the situation is upsetting and women have a right to know.”
“I worry for women needing a gynecologic oncologist for diagnosis and/or surgery right now. I am concerned for those having to endure a very difficult chemotherapy and travel too. I am anxious for my own follow-up as I have been unable to get an appointment for a couple of months for an examination.” Gray stated.
Women in Saskatchewan need to know that gynecologic oncologists play an important role in improved survival rates through accurate diagnosis and treatment, essential for ovarian cancer patients diagnosed in late stage. Only a skilled surgeon who is a gynecologic oncologist can effectively debulk advanced ovarian cancer before the administration of chemotherapy. Patients who have completed chemotherapy need a gynecologic oncologist for follow up monitoring with diagnostic tests and internal examinations to diagnose and treat recurrence. According to the John Hopkins Pathology, as many as 70-90% of ovarian patients will have recurrence at some point. Initial chemotherapy treatment for ovarian cancer is very standardized, but monitoring, quality of the patient’s life and treatments for recurrent disease is very individualized.
For more info contact Darlene Gray at 306-775-1848 or cell 306-529-3199.
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REGINA, September 7, 2010 - Dr. Maryam Al-Hayki, Regina’s remaining gynecologic oncologist has taken emergency medical leave. With the recent closure of Dr. Brydon’s office, this puts gynecologic cancer care in Regina in a crisis; leaving the Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region (RQHR) and the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency (SCA) scrambling on a day-to-day basis to provide the best available care for women needing diagnosis, surgery, treatment and follow-up.
Darlene Gray, President of Ovarian Cancer Awareness & Treatment in Saskatchewan (OCATS) was advised that the RQHR has doctors searching for a temporary replacement and that the RQHR feels this is a situation that could not have been planned for. “However,” Gray stated, “we’ve been speaking with the government for well over two years now about a possible crisis that we now face. We’ve been asking for proper space in the hospital to ensure retention of our specialists, nothing was done and we lost one specialist. We’ve been sharing our concerns about the hardship placed on the remaining gynecologic oncologist and about losing her too. Obviously, emergency medical leave was not anticipated but human beings get sick. It was unrealistic to not consider that having one specialist 24/7 was a crisis in the making, and prevent that.”
OCATS has learned that current patients will be reassigned to medical oncologists and two gynecologic oncologists (Brydon and Lucero) at the Allan Blair Cancer Centre (ABCC) and gynecologic oncologists in Saskatoon while the RQHR looks for a replacement doctor. Both the SCA and the RQHR share Gray’s concerns and are diligent in handling this crisis on a daily basis. Dr. Brydon though does not have the credentials to make chemotherapy decisions for patients with recurrent cancer. Dr. Lucero is on assessment until mid October, his credentials to deliver 2nd line chemotherapy are unknown to OCATS. Gray said, “it is critical that patients know the best chance at survival is getting proper treatment from a gynecologic oncologist, patients need to alert their general practitioners of the situation. Patients waiting for surgery need to ask for the proper surgeon in a timely manner – on an emergency basis. We have excellent doctors in Regina and Saskatoon but they were busy before this crisis. We are aware that everyone involved is doing the best the can and working hard to address the situation. It is appalling though that the situation we have worked so hard to prevent is now our reality. Our intent is not to scare patients, but the situation is upsetting and women have a right to know.”
“I worry for women needing a gynecologic oncologist for diagnosis and/or surgery right now. I am concerned for those having to endure a very difficult chemotherapy and travel too. I am anxious for my own follow-up as I have been unable to get an appointment for a couple of months for an examination.” Gray stated.
Women in Saskatchewan need to know that gynecologic oncologists play an important role in improved survival rates through accurate diagnosis and treatment, essential for ovarian cancer patients diagnosed in late stage. Only a skilled surgeon who is a gynecologic oncologist can effectively debulk advanced ovarian cancer before the administration of chemotherapy. Patients who have completed chemotherapy need a gynecologic oncologist for follow up monitoring with diagnostic tests and internal examinations to diagnose and treat recurrence. According to the John Hopkins Pathology, as many as 70-90% of ovarian patients will have recurrence at some point. Initial chemotherapy treatment for ovarian cancer is very standardized, but monitoring, quality of the patient’s life and treatments for recurrent disease is very individualized.
For more info contact Darlene Gray at 306-775-1848 or cell 306-529-3199.
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