Muscat – Abdullah Mohamed al Lawati from College of Medicine and Health Sciences at Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) has brought recognition to the sultanate with his research presented at 2024 Canadian Society for Pharmaceutical Sciences and Controlled Release Society Symposium. It was hosted by University of Alberta in Canada earlier this month.

Speaking to Muscat Daily from Canada, he informed that he was awarded the first place for best scientific poster. A total of 102 posters were presented. 

Lawati’s research, titled Prescription Patterns and Economic Analysis of Anticancer Medications for Breast Cancer Patients: Insights from a Three-Year Study at an Oncology Unit in the Sultanate of Oman, began with the objective of elevating healthcare standards.

The symposium saw the participation of 400-500 delegates, representing numerous countries with major delegations from Japan, Thailand, USA, Australia and Brazil. Participants included representatives from major Canadian universities – University of Alberta, University of Toronto, McGill University and University of Manitoba, among others.

Lawati’s standout research focused on breast cancer – a significant global health challenge ranking as the fifth leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women worldwide in 2018. 

In Oman, it accounts for 32% of female cancer cases, representing the nation’s second most common cause of death. Given its gravity, understanding prescription patterns and treatment costs within Oman is crucial. 

The study helped analyse patterns and expenditures, offering insights into global comparative studies while potentially identifying areas for intervention to enhance treatment quality.

“This retrospective cross-sectional study focuses on the prescription patterns of anticancer drugs among breast cancer patients at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital from January 2018 to January 2021. The sample comprises female patients aged 18 or older who underwent at least one treatment for breast cancer during this period,” explained Lawati.

Revealing the findings, he said  the majority of patients received an average of 4.73 anticancer drugs, with the Anthracycline, Cyclophosphamide and Docetaxel regimen being the most common, administered to 33.5% of the patients. 

Cyclophosphamide emerged as the most frequently prescribed drug, followed by Doxorubicin and Docetaxel. Total drug expenditure on anticancer therapy during this period amounted to approximately RO1.655mn, with targeted therapy representing the majority (75%) of spending, while chemotherapy and hormonal therapy accounted for 20% and 5%, respectively.

According to Lawati, comparative analysis suggests that the prescription patterns align with previous international studies, though differences may stem from varied drug prescription guidelines across settings. 

“These findings underscore the importance of optimising drug utilisation to enhance resource efficiency and healthcare delivery, thus ensuring better treatment outcomes for breast cancer patients in Oman and beyond.”

Drawing from his experience, Lawati noted the numerous advantages of such medical conferences. “They go beyond mere lectures, facilitating exchange of ideas and presentation of pertinent research by pharmaceutical sciences experts.”

Highlighting the significance of diverse participation in medical conferences, Lawati said, “Active engagement builds a strong foundation for medical research and enhances our approach to patient data.”