Cairo, July 28, 2022 — EVA Pharma, The Egyptian presidential initiative to boost breast cancer diagnosis has had a major positive impact, according to experts who spoke at a scientific symposium to present the most recent research findings on breast cancer treatment in Egypt.

Dr. Hamdi Abdel Azim, professor of oncology at Cairo University's Faculty of Medicine and head of the national committee of the Presidential Initiative for Women's Health, said that according to several studies done up until 2018, or prior to the start of the presidential initiative on diagnosis of breast cancer, 59 percent of Egyptian women who were diagnosed with the disease were in the late stages; however, thanks to the presidential initiative, this figure has dropped to 29 percent.

Dr. Abdel Azim said that breast cancer patients in Egypt are now being provided with a high level of treatment that is no less than that found in Europe, so patients can be treated in Egypt instead of travelling to Paris, for example. He also noted that the earlier the disease is discovered, the better the results of treatment will be.

Dr. Ola Khurshid, professor and head of the National Cancer Institute's Department of Oncology and Hematology, also spoke at the symposium, explaining that there has been a breakthrough in the treatment of breast cancer in Egypt thanks to contemporary therapies like Verzenio, which is used with hormonal therapy as a targeted therapy to stop the growth of cancer cells. As a result, some patients may eventually be cured, allowing them to live normal, healthy lives.

She also stated that in the past, patients had received chemotherapy, which results in their cancer being controlled for a period of six months. They then began receiving hormonal treatment, which controls the cancer for about 16 months, and finally, targeted therapy combined with hormonal therapy, which results in the cancer being controlled for more than 40 months, representing a significant improvement.

There has also been a move from total mastectomies to partial mastectomies, she said, which may result in the presence of microscopic cells in the body that may lead to relapse of the patient and the return of the cancer. The Verzenio treatment reduces this risk of relapse and promotes the full recovery of the patient after surgery. She also noted that treatments like Verzenio are being used in the early stages of the disease as well.

The new medication is a breakthrough, according to Dr. Yasser Abdel Qader, professor of oncology at Kasr Al-Ainy College of Medicine. It can be used  in combination with conventional hormone therapy and is taken for two years, without causing any adverse effects or changing the patient's way of life.

In his address at the symposium, Dr. Abdel Qader stated that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the medication as a treatment for early-stage breast cancer patients, not just late-stage patients. He emphasized that this discovery raises the possibility of curing patients at the early stages of breast cancer.

Modern medications like Verzenio have increased the survival rate for patients with breast cancer by 30 to 40 percent, according to Dr. Mohsen Mokhtar, professor of oncology at Kasr Al-Ainy College of Medicine and president of the Egyptian Association for Supporting Cancer Patients. He stated that it is used in conjunction with hormonal therapy and that it inhibits a certain gene in breast cancer cells in order to stop the growth and proliferation of the disease.

Dr. Mokhtar emphasized that the earlier the treatment is used, the better the outcome, noting that this treatment can be used only with hormonal therapy, or in addition to/instead of chemotherapy or radiation, which results in an improvement and no relapse. Regarding the segment that benefits from new treatments in breast tumors, he said that approximately 40 to 50 percent of women with breast cancer benefit greatly from this drug.

Dr. Ibsam Saad El-Din, professor of oncology at the Faculty of Medicine at Cairo University, cited a study by the World Health Organization to the effect that the number of cases of breast cancer globally during the past year was 2.2 million, and the number of recent cases in Egypt during 2021 was around 22,000 women.

She explained that breast cancer is one of the most prevalent forms of cancer among women in Egypt, as well as worldwide, pointing out that, according to the national Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS), the population of Egypt has reached 102 million, around 48.5% of whom are women.

She stressed the importance of early cancer detection, and said that a healthy diet, exercise, and avoiding obesity, smoking, and external hormonal treatments are all factors that reduce the risk of breast cancer.

Breast cancer also affects men, she noted, but to a lesser degree than women. There are genetic factors that may cause breast cancer, but their impact is also limited. Through early detection programs, cancer can be discovered while it is still at a simple stage.

She noted the presence of breakthroughs in the treatment of breast cancer which have improved full recovery and survival, and medicines are provided in the presidential initiative, adding that each patient’s treatment plan is individualized.

Dr. Amjad Talaat, director of the Specialized Medicines Department at EVA Pharma, the company that provides the Verzenio treatment in Egypt, said that Egypt places the right to treatment at the top of its priorities. He noted that EVA Pharma has cooperated with the state campaign "100 Million Seha" to eliminate hepatitis C and infectious diseases. EVA Pharma also cooperates with the Egyptian Drug Authority, the Unified Procurement Authority, and the Ministry of Health and Population. Dr. Talaat said that providing these modern treatments in Egypt has involved targeted effort and work, and is part of EVA Pharma’s ongoing commitment to the community.

Dr. Talaat added that EVA Pharma provides imported drugs for the treatment of breast cancer at an "appropriate price" for Egyptian patients, and is working on the manufacture of drugs for the treatment of all forms of tumors and cancer. These treatments are set to be on the market in the near future.