RIYADH, 13 October 2004 — A symposium on “Breast Cancer” will be held at the Kingdom Schools here today to raise public awareness on the dimensions of the problem.
The program, to be opened by Princess Reem Alwaleed, is organized by the Kingdom Hospital in cooperation with the Kingdom Schools. More than 1,000 participants including female students are expected to attend the symposium.
“The forum is being held to coincide with Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October to inform the public that timely diagnosis could prevent the malady,” the director of the Kingdom Hospital, Dr. Fayez Takkidine, told Arab News.
“Participants will be entitled to a free mammogram (breast checkup) at the Kingdom Hospital,” he said.
Breast cancer is responsible for 12 percent of deaths of women between the ages of 20 and 50, making it one of the primary causes of death in that age group. There are 5,000 new cases diagnosed each year. Around 80 percent of the cases occur in post-menopausal women aged over 50. It is the most prevalent form of cancer among women in Saudi Arabia, with 20.6 percent of all female cancer cases attributed to it. Close to two-thirds of females diagnosed with breast cancer in Saudi Arabia are in advanced stages, compared to only one-third in the West.
Dr. Takkidine said a fund will be launched at the end of the symposium to undertake research on the disease. Donations will be diverted to the Breast Cancer Center at King Faisal Hospital and Research Center.
