Bizri, Maya

Key points Psycho‐oncology, a multidisciplinary field that addresses the patients' and their caregivers' physical, psychological, social, and behavioral well‐being, is extensively integrated in cancer care in high‐income countries Psycho‐oncology services remain underdeveloped, fragmented, and poorly implemented in low‐ and middle‐income countries, particularly those in the Arab Middle East and North Africa region To upgrade these services, accommodation to both (i) the unique needs of Arab low‐ and middle‐income countries and (ii) the best practices of psycho‐oncology is crucial There is scarcity of research on the barriers and challenges faced during building or expanding psycho‐oncology services in the Arab low‐ and middle‐income countries We summarize a priori challenges that may be encountered in psychosocial capacity building in similar Arab low‐ and middle‐income countries using Lebanon as a pilot program