There is a paucity of published data and limited understanding of the unmet needs of cancer patients in the Middle East, particularly in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, consisting of Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Identifying and addressing these unmet needs can lead to many positive patient outcomes, including better ability to cope with disease symptoms and treatment side-effects, improved physician–patient communication and better adherence to treatment regimens [7, 15]. The purpose of this study is to assess the unmet needs of cancer patients in the UAE, with the goal of improving the supportive care services for these patients and, thereby, positively impacting their overall quality of life .