The Pre-Course 3rd Kuantan Breast Imaging Workshop, IIUM Breast Centre, Kuantan – 31 Oct 2009

The Asian Breast Diseases 7th Teaching Course, Vistana Hotel, Kuantan – 1-2 Nov 2009

Three breast meetings were held in Kuantan from 31st October to 6th November 2009. These were as follows:
 

1. The Asian Breast Diseases Association (ABDA) 7th Teaching Course 2009	1-2nd November 2009	Vistana Hotel Kuantan Jalan Teluk Sisek
2. Pre-Course Breast Imaging Workshop	31st October 2009	IIUM Breast Centre, Jalan Hospital, Kuantan
3. The Tabar Course	4-6th November 2009	Swiss Garden resort & Spa, Beserah Kuantan

The 7th ABDA Teaching Course was officiated by YBhg Dato Sri Syed Arabi Idid, Rector, International Islamic University Malaysia. It attracted a total of 181 participants, inclusive of 19 international participants from Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. The meeting was multi-disciplinary with the theme “Screening, Staging and Optimal Management of Breast Cancer”. The invited local and overseas speakers included the following:

Pathologists

• Prof Ann Thor (USA), sponsored by the International Society of Breast Pathologists

• Prof Looi Lai Meng (Malaysia)

• Dr Tan Puay-Hoon (Singapore)

Surgeons

• Prof Yip Cheng Har (Malaysia)

• Dr Shaik Bukhari (Singapore)

• Dr Nur Aishah Mohd Talib (Malaysia)

Oncologist

• Dr Ho Gwo-Fuang (Malaysia)

Radiologists

• Dr Jennifer Cawson (Australia), sponsored by MMAF Radiology Fund

• Prof Malai Muttarak (Thailand), sponsored by MMAF Radiology Fund

• Dr Llewellyn Sim Shao-Jen (Singapore)

Physicists

• Prof Ng Kwong-Hoong, PhD (Malaysia)

• Dr David Yeung, PhD (Hong Kong)

Scientist

• Dr Teo Soo-Hwang, PhD (Malaysia)
   

There were six sessions held over 2 days. A parallel session on Full Field Digital Mammography & Self Assessment Hologic Workshop was organized by Hologic Inc. and facilitated by Technology Medical Associate. The Workshop has been held only for the third time in the Asia-Pacific region.

The Pre-Course Breast Imaging Workshop on 31st October featured separate programmmes for local radiographers and radiologists. It was attended by a total of 69 radiographers and radiologists. Places were restricted due to the nature of the Workshop

The main sponsors of the above included the following:

- Ministry of Higher Education
- Technology Medical Associates
- The MMA Radiology Fund
- The International Society of Breast Pathologists
- Hologic Inc.

The Tabar Course was attended by 162 multi-disciplinary participants, from Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Japan, South Africa, India, and United Arab Emirates. The Course featured radiologic-pathologic correlation and was conducted over three days by the internationally renowned Swedish breast radiologist, Prof Laszlo Tabar who has had a long career in breast mammographic screening and who has read more than a million mammograms! He has published extensively on his rich and long experience in mammography. He has held his popular Tabar courses in many countries globally, and after Kuantan was heading for the Gold Coast Australia for his next course. The Ministry of Health sponsored many senior pathologists, radiologists and surgeons who attended the Course.