Arab Health 2025: How a simple test stopped cancer growth in UAE woman

Dubai: In a case of precision medicine, an Emirati woman, who is a participant in the Emirati Genome Programme (EGP), is now living a cancer-free life after doctors detected a genetic mutation that could have led to thyroid cancer.

Hasan Jasem Al Nowais, Managing Director and Group CEO of M42, said the genome sequencing of the 40-year-old woman revealed a concerning mutation in her genes.

“She didn’t have cancer. She was going to develop cancer through that gene that’s going to mutate to become cancerous,” Al Nowais told reporters on the sidelines of the ongoing Arab Health event in Dubai.

The EGP – one of the largest population genomics initiatives in the world – is a nationwide project to predict and prevent genetic diseases among the Emirati population. The programme, targeting 1 million genetic samples from Emiratis, invites citizens to sample collection sites where they can contribute 8 millilitres of a blood sample for adults, or two swabs from the inside of the cheek for children. The programme provides data to identify the causes of genetic diseases, understand the types of genetic mutations, predict the likelihood of certain diseases, and develop effective healthcare plans to prevent them.

“When diagnosed, they confirmed 100 per cent that this gene was mutating to develop thyroid cancer.”

Thanks to the early detection, the medical team swiftly removed her thyroid. “They quickly identified it, resected her thyroid. She’s now living a happy life,” Al Nowais noted. “That’s preventive care. We looked at precision.”

Genomics expansion

Meanwhile, in a sign of its ambition to expand its foothold in genomics and grow its contribution to global genomics diversity, M42 and Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Health have signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate and explore opportunities for strategic partnerships on the Uzbek Genome Programme.

“Our partnership with Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Health is transformational for Uzbekistan’s healthcare ecosystem, for the Uzbek people and for global diversity in genomics research. With the lack of diversity in genomic research, underrepresented populations in the world are having to go without critical benefits ranging from advanced clinical care to early detection of diseases and rational drug design,” Al Nowais said.

Separately, Diaverum, a global leader in renal care acquired by the M42 in 2023, announced plans to start operations in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain, bringing advanced technological solutions and personalised patient care to renal patients in the UAE. Additionally, M42 has entered a partnership with Rhapsody, a leading digital health enablement platform, to empower precision medicine initiatives across the UAE and beyond. This collaboration, powered by Microsoft Azure, aims to streamline data exchange, providing healthcare organizations with easy access to scalable, interoperable solutions worldwide.