Asma Assad has been diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia, the presidency has announced
Asma Assad, the wife of Syrian President Bashar Assad, has been diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), his office said on Tuesday.
The condition was discovered after the first lady underwent a series of tests following the onset of symptoms, the statement said. The 48-year-old will need to be isolated during her treatment, it added.
AML is a very deadly type of cancer that affects bone marrow and can progress quickly. Previous chemotherapy is a risk factor for the disease.
Asma Assad was previously diagnosed with breast cancer, but announced her full recovery in 2019 after receiving chemotherapy at a Syrian military hospital.
The British-born investment banker married Bashar Assad in December 2000, five months after he had taken power following the death of his father, Hafez Assad.