Islamabad
Cancer is the second leading cause of death and direly needs attention of the government, media and health experts to create awareness amongst masses. Prevention and awareness can decrease overall healthcare cost of the country.
Minister of State for Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) Dr. Tariq Fazal Chaudhary made this statement while addressing participants of an awareness seminar against cancer at Shifa International Hospital (SIH).
Dr. Tariq Fazal Chaudhary said World Cancer Day is an ideal opportunity to spread the word and raise awareness about cancer in public and in the world. He also appreciated the role of mainstream media and SIH for creating cancer awareness and alleviating myths about cancer. He advised the masses, specially students and youth, to raise questions about cancer and ask for answers. Stressing on the need to get tested for cancer, he said quacks were not the right place to treat a deadly disease like cancer. “Cancer is not a social taboo. It’s preventable and it’s treatable,” he stated. Dr. Tariq urged for living a simple life, consuming simple and healthy food and doing regular exercise to prevent cancer. Masses should know possible symptoms of cancer.
Consultant medical oncologist SIH Dr. Kamran Rasheed said cancer occurs when cells in any part of the body begin to grow abnormally. Although there are many kinds of cancer, they all develop because of uncontrollable growth of cells. He said cancer could be treated through various methods including surgery, radiation treatment, chemotherapy, targeted therapies and bone marrow transplant. But prevention is better than cure, Dr. Kamran remarked.
Dr. Kamran added that currently, 8.2 million people die from cancer worldwide every year, of which 4 million people die prematurely. People over 30 years of age are more vulnerable to this disease.
Thickening or lump in the body, an injury that is not healing, unusual bleeding or discharge, indigestion or trouble swallowing, irritating cough and hoarseness, obvious changes in moles or warts, changing in bathroom habits, unusual weight loss, hunger loss and fever are some of the warning signs for cancer, and one must consult a doctor, he said.
Dr. Kamran said cancer is any cell in the body which has become immortal and whose growth has become unchecked. It has the tendency to spread in different parts of the body. He said, cancer is a very serious disease but can be avoided by adopting healthy lifestyle and indulging in physical activities and exercises. Dr. Kamran told the participants that cancer is 90 per cent curable if it is diagnosed on time. “Treatment is more successful today than ever,” Dr. Kamran remarked.
Consultant medical oncologist and breast cancer expert SIH Dr. Saira Hassan said breast cancer is the commonest cancer in women worldwide. Pakistan has the highest incidence of breast cancer in entire Asia. “The best way to fight this cancer is to detect it early,” she remarked.
Dr. Saira said, “One in eight women is at the risk of developing breast cancer in her life”. She added that in a majority of the women, breast cancer is first noticed as a lump in the breast. However, swelling of the upper arm or swelling or lump in the armpit can also be signs of breast cancer. The best way to detect is to perform monthly breast self-exam (BSE), she informed the audience. She advised women to do self-examination for breast cancer. “If you feel any lump, consult your doctor for further diagnosis and treatment,” she said.
Consultant radiation oncologist SIH Dr. Muhammad Farrukh said an estimated 32.6 million people are living with cancer worldwide. Pakistan is the 7th populous country with estimated cancer incidence of 1,48,041 new cases, 1,01,113 cancer related deaths (48,449 men and 52,664 women), and a prevalence of 3,44,243 living cancer patients are reported in the past five years. The age-standardised ratio is more in females (128 women and 95 men per 100,000 populations, respectively).
Dr. Farrukh informed that cancer is rapidly spreading in developing countries like Pakistan. He said cancer would become the commonest cause of death by 2020. “The median age at diagnosis for cancer of all sites was 66 years of age,” Dr. Farrukh said. He added that cancer is the 2nd commonest cause of human deaths (12.6%) after cardiovascular diseases (15.1%) followed by road traffic accidents (9.7%), respiratory ailments (7.1%), and peri-natal conditions (5.4%).
Dr. Farrukh said cancer is the disease of the 21st century. Smoking, shisha, alcohol, immune suppression, family history, environment, excessive exposure to sunlight, and infections are some of the risks for developing cancer. He said timely screening, active and healthy lifestyle and avoiding avoidable risk factors can protect people from all types of cancer.
