BEIRUT (AP) — Syrian first lady Asma Assad has been diagnosed with leukemia, the office of President Bashar Assad announced Tuesday. The president’s wife was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia “after presenting with several symptoms and following a comprehensive series of medical tests and examinations,” the statement said. She will “adhere to a specialized treatment protocol that includes stringent infection prevention measures” and “will temporarily withdraw from all direct engagements” as part of the treatment plan, it added. Acute myeloid leukemia is an aggressive cancer of the bone marrow and the blood. Asma Assad has previously been treated for breast cancer. In August 2019, she announced that she was “completely” free of the disease a year after her diagnosis. Born and raised in the United Kingdom, although her family is originally from central Syria, the first lady is a powerful and divisive figure. She is under western sanctions and has been a highly controversial figure in the course of the Syrian conflict. |
Remains believed to be missing woman, daughter found at West Virginia home on same day suspect diedTommy Robinson is cleared of breaching dispersal order at march against antiI've lived in a bus stop for seven monthsCrew members injured in crash on set of Eddie Murphy movie 'The Pickup''Challengers' review: Prepare to get hot and botheredTexas deputy dies after being hit by truck while helping during accidentErik Jones to miss Dover race because of broken lower vertebraUnitedHealth says wide swath of patient files may have been taken in Change cyberattackFTC sues to block Tapestry's $8.5 billion acquisition of CapriFormer Green Bay player Kayla Karius leaves South Dakota to return to her alma mater as coach