History

The development of modern oncology in Egypt is credited to two great surgeons, namely: Professor Abou-El Nassr and Professor El Sebai. The idea of establishing a National Cancer Institute arose in 1950s and was implemented through the great administrative efforts of Professor Ahmed Lotfi Abou El Nassr. With the same enthusiasm, Professor Ismail El Sebai introduced radical surgery for cancer and trained a large group of Egyptian surgeons. Thanks to their efforts, Oncology was recognized as a separate specialty by Cairo University in 1959.
The Original National Cancer Institute including its hospital 270 beds was built in the sixties and started operating in 1969. The total cost of building as well as equipment and foreign educational missions was only one million Egyptian Pounds (about $2.6 Million). The running cost for the year 1969 was 83 thousand LE ($200,000). Manpower Included 40 medical staff members as well as, 150 supporting and nursing staff serving in first year of operation about 5,700 new cases and 8,000 outpatient visits.