In a seminar held by Basra Health Office lately on the occasion of International Day for Fighting Cancer, doctors specialized in cancer disease confirmed the high range of cancer disease infection spread southern Iraq. Dr. Omran Suker Habeeb, Professor of epidemiology at Basra University declared, in a speech to SAWA Radio, "Infections registered in Basra declared 70 infection cases among each 100 thousand persons a year. He confirmed the increase of cases for sure more than those 10 or 20 years ago. "Increase of infection is 50 – 100% of some kinds of cancers specially breast, lymph nodes and blood cancers." Dr. Habeeb said.

Dr. Jawad Al-Ali, Internal Disease Consultant talked about patients suffer cancer, "There were 1604 cases of cancer in Basra in 2005 and 900 cases from other governorates. In 2006 the number registered was 1470 cases. This does not mean cases decreased but may patients traveled abroad for better check- up and medical treatment."  Then Dr. Al-Ali talked about cancers caused by radiation. "Cancers related to uranium radiation are cancers of blood, bones, kidney, liver and sometimes breast cancer."

Khachk Bartinian, Researcher in radiation pollution, talked about the emerge of new kinds of cancer which did not exist in the past. "We see new kinds of cancer which we did not ever see in the past and others target individuals at 60 – 70 years of age but now they target people of 20 – 30 years old."

Participants in the seminar demanded quick response from the Iraqi Government to fight the real reasons causing cancer infections such as radiation and pollution as well as supplying hospitals with specialized and qualified staff to handle this issue.

- Source: SAWA