Jeddah-based King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center has joined a team of scientifically studying a new drug called "Afastin" which proved its effectiveness and advanced results in treating a colon cancer. Prof. Izzeddin Ibrahim, Consultant, Head of Tumor Department and Executive Director of the Hospital's Research Center and a Researcher in this study said that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia represented by the Hospital has been one of the forefront countries participated in the study conducted by Roche Drug Company. He noted that the Hospital treated 11 patients of colon cancer by this drug, stressing that the Kingdom's participation in this world scientific study demonstrates the Kingdom's great development in a medical and treatment field. On the other hand, the latest statistics of the National Registry of tumors showed that 5 out of 100,000 Saudis are inflicted by a colon cancer which ranks a third cancerous disease.