1700 new breast cancer cases in Lebanon with 90% healing prospects

Director of Naef K. Basile Cancer Institute (NKBCI) at the American University of Beirut Faculty of Medicine, Professor Naji Sagheer, referred to some 1,700 new cases of breast cancer this year in Lebanon, according to official statistics. Sagheer was speaking during a seminar organized by the Lebanese Breast Cancer Foundation and AUB in the southern town of Kfar Jowz, Nabatiyeh area. During the seminar which was attended by over 250 women from surrounding villages, Sagheer emphasised the importance of awareness and early cancer detection tests primarily by breast self-exam, while disclosing that almost half the cases noted in the survey were patients of the age group 20 to 50. In his presentation, he explained what breast cancer is and how women are affected. He cautioning against the negative effects of taking birth control pills for long periods of time, such as 15 years, or taking hormones to treat menopause symptoms. Finally, Sagheer revealed that prospects for healing are very high and approaches 90% of cases as indicated by a recent study published by the American University of Beirut. (Al Diyar, 25 May 2015)