Staff Reporter
Every ninth woman in the world is likely to suffer from breast cancer but in Pakistan every eight women are likely to suffer from this disease.
The chances of having breast cancer among women are higher than males and women who are in the 40’s have higher chances of being diagnosed with cancer as compared to women who are in their 30’s.
Pakistani women develop breast cancer at some stage of their lives, most of them still do not have awareness regarding the disease, due to which we have the highest rate of breast cancer than any other type of cancer in the country.
With timely diagnosis, proper awareness and treatment, prevention and adoption of precautionary measures survival rates as compared to other types of cancer, breast cancer has over 90 percent chance of complete cure, but prevention is in early diagnosis.
Besides the fact that lack of diet and smoking are most significantly associated with breast cancer in patients in the country while other major causes of breast cancer are obesity, lack of knowledge, unawareness and unhygienic circumstances during breast-feeding.
These views were expressed by Dr Rabab Zehra of Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital. She was addressing the awareness session organized by the Student’s Advisor Office, University of Karachi.
The Karachi University in collaboration with Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital arranged the session to spread basic information regarding breast cancer and why the disease is rising in Pakistan and what measures should be adopted to avoid breast cancer.
She said that breast cancer is related to severe social and economic issues in the country. She shared that in most parts of rural Pakistan, women were unable to talk about this topic and even in urban localities breast cancer is not communicated properly because of our traditional culture and gender prejudice.
Dr Rabab Zehra lamented that most of the women are reluctant to go for any kind of breast examination.
She advised that breast cancer can be diagnosed by screening mammograms and breast self-examination.
