It’s not every day that physicians receive international recognition for their contributions to healthcare. But when a physician from Rambam Health Care Campus (Rambam) is honored in this way, it not only affirms their professional excellence—it reflects their deep commitment to Rambam’s mission.
Professor Alona Zer Kuch. Photography: Rambam HCC; background by Aakash Dhage on Unsplash
Every five years, clinical guidelines for the treatment of lung cancer are revised. This year, Professor Alona Zer Kuch, director of Medical Oncology at the Joseph Fishman Oncology Center at Rambam, was selected to lead an international team of physicians in drafting the updated guidelines for non-small-cell lung cancer. The guidelines were recently published by the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO), which represents more than 40,000 oncologists across 179 countries.
The project required hundreds of hours of work and coordination across multiple time zones. “Preparing the guidelines was a year-long effort involving countless meetings and Zoom calls,” says Zer Kuch. “It unfolded during some of the most difficult events Israel has ever faced, yet I felt no tension or discomfort from my international colleagues."
Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related death globally, with over 2.2 million new cases diagnosed annually. Non-small-cell lung cancer is the most common and deadliest form of the disease. Major risk factors include smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke, asbestos, radon gas, and air pollution.
