By Dr. Stephen R. Grobmyer, Institute Chief, Breast Surgery, Cancer Institute, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi
A growing challenge among younger women
Across the Gulf, breast cancer is affecting women at increasingly younger ages, often in their 30s and 40s, a pattern that diverges sharply from trends in the West, where the median age at diagnosis is closer to 62 [1,2]. Yet most global research, screening guidelines, and treatment protocols remain anchored to Western populations.
This contrast underscores a critical truth: precision medicine can only be as precise as the data behind it.
In the UAE, national health strategies are prioritizing personalized and precision medicine, leveraging data and genomics to redefine how breast cancer is detected, treated, and prevented. Public awareness campaigns and wider screening access are enabling earlier diagnosis, when treatment is most effective.
This momentum reflects a broader regional commitment to culturally relevant care. Efforts to expand screening and promote genetic counseling are helping more women detect breast cancer early, equipping them with the knowledge and tools to make proactive decisions about their health.
Building a national ecosystem and its impact on precision oncology
In recent years, the UAE has become one of the first countries worldwide to implement genomics at a national scale, through the Emirati Genome Program, designed to inform personalized prevention and precision oncology. By integrating genetic, clinical, and lifestyle data, these national efforts are laying the foundation for a healthcare system built around each patient’s unique biology, turning data into a tool for prevention, not just treatment. These insights are already shaping the future of prevention and treatment strategies tailored to the local population [3].
This approach aligns with Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi’s commitment to deliver care that reflects the diversity of our patients and a model of care rooted in research, innovation, and compassion. Through our Hereditary High-Risk Program, women with BRCA mutations or a family history of cancer can now access advanced screening, preventive medication, or surgery, all guided by their own genetic blueprint [4].
Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi is driving a regional transformation in precision oncology by being the first hospital in the GCC region to participate in a global clinical trial of a Selective Estrogen Receptor Degrader (SERD), a new class of therapies that more effectively target the most common type of breast cancer. This participation ensures that regional patients both contribute to and benefit from cutting-edge therapies under development [5].
In parallel, we are working to eliminate delays in care that impact patient outcomes. In many health systems, patients navigate a ‘serial care’ model, seeing multiple specialists in isolation, often over weeks. This slows diagnosis, delays treatment, and heightens anxiety. In contrast, our multidisciplinary Breast Health Clinic brings diagnostic testing, genetic counseling, and specialist consultation together under one roof so that care is more efficient, coordinated, and responsive to patients’ needs [6].
The UAE’s leadership in genomics has also accelerated discovery. Insights from national genomic databases are already informing new approaches to prevention, screening, and therapy. Combined with Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi’s advanced imaging and AI-powered diagnostics, these insights enable earlier detection and better outcomes for women each year.
These initiatives are reshaping what personalized medicine means for women in our region: care based not on global averages, but on the specific genetic composition and environmental realities of local communities.
Where precision meets compassion
At the Fatima bint Mubarak Center, inaugurated in 2023, we are delivering care that is not only multidisciplinary but also guided by molecular insights and genomics. We interpret tumor genomics, integrate mutation profiles, and tailor treatment plans uniquely for each patient. Advanced imaging technologies, including 3D mammography, MRI-guided biopsies, and AI-powered diagnostic tools, are integrated with genomic data to detect cancers earlier and treat them more effectively [7].
This convergence of data and technology is redefining what’s possible in breast cancer care, from earlier detection to more precise, less invasive treatment. At the forefront of this shift, our team performed the UAE’s first robotic mastectomy and introduced preventive lymphatic bypass surgery, helping reduce the risk of lymphedema, a long-term complication that can significantly affect a woman’s quality of life after treatment [8, 9].
Beyond the hospital walls, we continue to enhance patient recovery through remote monitoring, wearable devices, and supportive care that allows survivors to return to their lives with strength and confidence. These innovations embody a simple philosophy that preserves both life and the quality of living it.
Collaboration at the core
At Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, we ensure each patient’s journey is guided by collaboration by convening tumor boards that bring together surgeons, oncologists, radiologists, pathologists, genetic counselors, and nurses. Treatment decisions reflect not just one specialty’s view, but the full spectrum of tumor biology, genetics, and patient context [7].
This patient-first model is reflected in how our teams and spaces are designed: coordinated around the person, not the disease. Physicians and nurses are organized into disease-specific teams, ensuring consistency, communication, and continuity throughout each patient’s treatment path.
Leading a regional shift
Since its opening in 2023, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi’s Fatima bint Mubarak Center has recorded nearly 83,000 patient visits, delivered 27,500 chemotherapy infusions, and over 19,500 radiation treatments. The Center is modeled on Cleveland Clinic’s Taussig Cancer Center in the U.S., blending international expertise with local relevance.
Together with our national partners, we are shifting care for breast cancer, by enhancing access to world-class treatments, predictive medicine, and contributing to population-specific research.
With initiatives like the Emirati Genome Program, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi is advancing a unified precision oncology ecosystem, one that uses data to guide prevention, detect disease earlier, and personalize treatment for every woman. This collaborative framework is positioning the UAE as a global exemplar in genomics-driven care.
As Institute Chief, I’ve seen firsthand how this model advances both the science and the humanity of cancer care in the region. Our vision is clear: research should not just come from abroad, but from our region, by and for the communities most affected [8, 9].
Toward a more equitable future
Breast cancer does not present the same way in every woman, and our care should not either. The path to better outcomes lies in building a richer, more representative body of knowledge, and using it to inform every aspect of care.
At Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, we want to make precision medicine a reality today. As we mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we celebrate the UAE’s leadership and collective progress toward a future where every woman’s story is one of early detection, personalized care, and lasting wellness. Our goal is clear: to ensure that every woman in the region benefits from research that represents her and care that is informed by her unique biology.
References
- Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP). Cancer Incidence in the United Arab Emirates: Annual Report 2021.
https://mohap.gov.ae/documents/20117/1212145/CANCER+INCIDENCE+IN+UNITED+ARAB+EMIRATES+ANNUAL+REPORT+OF+THE+UAE+-+2021.pdf - World Health Organization. Breast Cancer Fact Sheet. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/breast-cancer
- Emirati Genome Program – Department of Health – Abu Dhabi. https://emiratigenomeprogram.ae/en/index.html
- Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. Hereditary High-Risk Program. https://www.clevelandclinicabudhabi.ae/en/cancercenter/cancer-programs/hereditary-high-risk-program
- Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. Fatima bint Mubarak Center Leads Regional Effort in Breast Cancer Recurrence Study. https://www.clevelandclinicabudhabi.ae/en/media-center/news/ccad-fatima-bint-mubarak-center-leads-regional-effort-in-breast-cancer-recurrence-study
- Cleveland Clinic Newsroom. New Breast Cancer Study Finds Survival Increases When Time Between Diagnosis and Treatment Conclusion is Limited. https://newsroom.clevelandclinic.org/2021/06/30/new-breast-cancer-study-finds-survival-increases-when-time-between-diagnosis-and-treatment-conclusion-is-limited
- Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. Breast Health Program. https://www.clevelandclinicabudhabi.ae/en/cancercenter/cancer-programs/breast-health-program
- Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi performs UAE’s first robotic mastectomy; in an effort to reduce the burden of breast cancer on patients. https://www.clevelandclinicabudhabi.ae/en/media-center/news/ccad-performs-uaes-first-robotic-mastectomy-in-an-effort-to-reduce-the-burden-of-breast-cancer
- Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi introduces lymphedema preventive supermicrosurgery for post-operative breast cancer patients to the UAE. https://www.clevelandclinicabudhabi.ae/en/media-center/news/cleveland-clinic-abu-dhabi-introduces-lymphedema-preventive-supermicrosurgery-for-post-operative-bre
