Breast cancer news from the White House and the first lady! First lady Laura Bush told yesterday that U.S. will work with nations in the Middle East to help spread awareness and research about the growing problem of breast cancer in a region where discussing it can be a cultural taboo.

Laura told that the State Department has formed partnerships with the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia to bring the latest information about the disease to these countries. Other countries like Morocco and Jordan might be joining the group soon, as discussion progress with these countries.

"The progress we've made in the United States is exciting, but too a number of women around the world are still too embarrassed or too uninformed to seek the therapy they need in time to save their lives," Mrs. Bush said at a conference sponsored by the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, a partner in the effort.

There is very limited research or statistics collected on breast cancer in the Middle East, said Erin Walsh, a senior adviser for Near Eastern affairs at the State Department who just returned from a trip to the UAE and Saudi Arabia. But she said anecdotal evidence suggests cases are on the rise in the region and they are being discovered dangerously late because the disease is not widely discussed.

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