JEDDAH: The 10th Middle East Best of San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium opens in Jeddah on Saturday to identify the latest treatments and raise awareness about the affliction.

Organized by the Ministry of National Guard and Ministry of Health, the two-day event will see the participation of over 400 doctors and specialists in oncology from local and global organizations.

Breast cancer is considered the most common type of cancer among females. According to latest reports, 1,600 new cases are diagnosed on an annual basis in Saudi Arabia.

More than 1 million cases of breast cancer are diagnosed each year, with many dying, according to statistics from the World Health Organization. Specialists say that Saudi Arabia has less cases compared to many Arab, European and American countries.

Breast cancer is a major health problem in both high income and middle-to-low income countries, and is the second leading cause of death in the world. It is considered the most common cancer among Saudi women and counts for 13 percent of the most common cancers among men and women.

Omalkhair bint Abdullah Abu Al-Khair, head of the organizing committee and breast cancer consultant at King Abdulaziz Medical City of the National Guard, said there would be several papers presented and workshops held on treatments and research.

“We have made every effort to ensure that quality topics will be delivered by quality speakers and are hoping for positive interactions. As always we want to encourage and support local research activities...”

She said there would also an opportunity for survivors to talk about their experiences, alongside the input of 50 of the world’s leading researchers.

Topics to be discussed include: Basic Science Form, Breast Cancer Predisposition: Germline and Risk Reduction Management, Neoadjuvant Treatment of ER + Breast Cancer, and Adjuvant Endocrine Therapy in 2015.

Also on the agenda will be: Optimizing Clinical Outcomes and Quality of Life in Breast Reconstruction, New Insights in Breast Radiation, HER2 Positive Breast Cancer: Insights from the Lab and Clinic, and Triple Negative Breast Cancer.