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Last year was my 5th trip with the medical group to Iran, we visited  Mashhad, Tabriz, Isfahan, Shiraz, Kashan and Share Kord Medical schools.
 
We participated in seminars, symposiums, panel discussion, work shops, lectures and operating room participation. It was a great experience for our group the host institution hospitality was extraordinary.
 
As my field of work was surgical oncology, I talked about breast cancer, Sentinel node biopsy, Melanoma, smoking and cancer, and most important about Care of patient in last part of his life and palliative management of terminally ill person (Hospice).
 
Unfortunately the Hospice subject was not understood well in medical and administration sector, we had hard time to get few people to attend the discussion.
 
We need to stress on general subjects, such as Quality assurance, tumor board, tissue committee, ethical subjects in medicine and respect of person that trusted us with their lives.
 
Nasser K Ghassemi, MD, FACS