129 HEALTH & WELLNESS womanthismonth.com | NOVEMBER 2026 Beyond the Operating Theatre Surgeon Dr. Noof Al Shaibani explains how coordinated treatment, advanced reconstruction and investment in local expertise are shaping breast cancer care in Bahrain. With more than 20 years in surgery, Dr. Al Shibani has increasingly focused on breast cancer, particularly oncoplastic and reconstructive procedures. Now Chief of Medical Staff at Bahrain Oncology Centre (BOC), alongside her role as Head of Surgical Oncology, she sees leadership as an opportunity to improve the entire patient journey. She also heads the Breast Health Centre at the Royal Medical Services. She explains: “As a surgeon, you can change the journey of one patient at a time, which is extremely rewarding. But in a leadership position, you have the opportunity to improve the whole system: the patient pathway, multidisciplinary working, access to treatment and the overall standard of care.” She credits Commander Sheikh Fahad’s support with encouraging service development, international collaboration and investment in local teams. A clearer pathway BOC has expanded the complexity of surgery available locally and strengthened collaboration across specialties. The National Tumour Board brings surgeons, oncologists, radiologists and pathologists together to review individual cases and agree treatment plans. The team considers pathology, imaging and the tumour’s stage and biology, alongside the patient’s circumstances, to determine the sequence and combination of treatment. Dr. Al Shibani says: “This multidisciplinary approach means that when I sit with my patient and discuss her treatment plan, that recommendation represents the collective expertise of the whole cancer team.” At the Royal Medical Services Breast Health Centre, screening, clinical examination, imaging and biopsy are brought together with direct access to specialist breast surgeons. Genetic assessment and testing help identify women at increased risk, particularly those with significant family histories or specific clinical indications. She says: “The aim is early detection, rapid diagnosis and a clear pathway. I always want the woman to know what the next step is and who is looking after her.” Building local expertise Advances in oncoplastic surgery have also broadened women’s choices after diagnosis, while treating the cancer safely remains the first priority. Dr. Al Shibani explains: “Oncoplastic surgery allows us to combine cancer surgery with plastic surgical techniques. In appropriately selected patients, we can remove larger tumours while preserving and reshaping the breast.” Where mastectomy is necessary, discussions can include immediate reconstruction, implants, reconstruction using the patient’s own tissue and, for selected patients, nipple-sparing techniques. Collaboration with France’s Gustave Roussy has helped introduce autologous breast reconstruction at BOC, expanding the options available locally. For Dr. Al Shibani, the value extends beyond performing complex procedures. She says: “The real achievement is knowledge transfer. We want international collaboration to help us build sustainable expertise within Bahrain.” Her priorities include advancing oncoplastic surgery and reconstruction, training local teams and strengthening screening, genetics and risk assessment. She also wants to shorten the time between an abnormal finding, diagnosis and treatment, within a service extending from prevention to survivorship. She says: “My vision is quite simple: a woman diagnosed with breast cancer in Bahrain should be able to receive comprehensive, personalised and advanced breast cancer care here at home, at a standard comparable with leading international cancer centres.” That ambition remains grounded in the emotional reality of a diagnosis. Dr. Al Shibani says: “I think we should always remember that behind every breast cancer diagnosis there is a woman whose life has suddenly changed.” For her, care must address patients’ fears, families, body image, psychological wellbeing and life after cancer. She adds: “But we should never feel that we have finished. There is always another level to reach.”
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