Pakistan needs to enhance diagnosis, treatment facilities

Rawalpindi
For years, Pakistan has been considered as a country having the highest rate of breast cancer in Asia with almost every ninth woman at risk of contracting the malignancy that causes not less than 40,000 deaths every year yet there has almost no facilities for diagnosis and treatment of the disease, particularly in rural areas.
Apart from bigger cities, no steps have ever been taken to provide treatment and diagnostic facilities for the threat to nearly 70 per cent of total female population of the country living in relatively smaller cities, towns and villages.
The incidence of breast cancer is continuously on the rise and according to data, well over 90,000 new cases of the disease are reported every year in the country and it is worth mentioning here that the data is based only on reported cases and does not include the number of poor women dying from the ailment in far flung areas of the country.
Health experts believe that women have been at greater risk of contracting breast cancer mainly because of lack of awareness and change in lifestyle. Breast cancer accounts for over 38.5 per cent of all female cancers in the country.
Late childbearing, small timing of postpartum breastfeeding and the general lifestyle of modern women make them more vulnerable to the problem. In recent years, it is observed in Pakistan and around the globe that even younger women are just as likely to develop breast cancer as women in their fifties. There have been several reported cases of women as young as 20 years of age that have been diagnosed with the disease.
Breast cancer is the top cancer in women both in the developed and developing world; however, its incidence is increasing rapidly in the developing world due to increase in life expectancy, increase in urbanization and adoption of western lifestyles while lack of diagnostic and treatment facilities are adding fire to the fuel.
October is the month of Pink Ribbon – Breast Cancer

Awareness Month worldwide that is marked as an international campaign organised by major breast cancer charities for increasing awareness among masses about various aspects of the disease and to generate funds for research for its prevention, diagnosis, treatment and cure. The celebration of October as breast cancer awareness month also provides opportunity to health care workers and policymakers of the countries to give due attention to the health threat and take steps necessary for its remedies.
Studies reveal that the most significant risk factors for breast cancer are gender (being a woman), age (growing older) and family history of cancer. Other risk factors are early menses before 12 years of age, late menopause after 55 years, late childbirth after 30 years of age, no children, no breastfeeding, physical inactivity, previous history of breast cancer, higher socio-economic status, low consumption of fruits and vegetables, exposure to pesticides, obesity, alcohol consumption, smoking, high dose radiation to chest, high fat diet and genetic abnormalities.
Early stages breast cancer may be asymptomatic. Most breast cancers present as hard lumps, may be associated with in drawing of nipple and discharge. There may be changes in the skin such as redness, scaling, swelling, changes in texture, and puckering. All these are warning signs of breast cancer.
Experts believe that chances of surviving breast cancer are more than 90 per cent if detected early. In Pakistan, the situation is worse in remote areas where women are not aware of the disease.
Another setback is that treatment facilities in the country are inadequate. Pakistan has to overcome many barriers such as illiteracy, misconception, social stigma and lack of medical facilities to reduce the damage caused by the disease.
It is important that the exact cause of breast cancer is yet to be discovered by medical science but there are factors which usually increase or decrease risk of its incidence.
Experts believe that through screening, disease can be diagnosed at early stage that may reduce the mortality and morbidity from breast cancer. Various methods of diagnosis are Breast-Self Examination (BSE), clinical examination by a doctor, ultrasound, MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) and biopsy. The recommended early detection strategies for low- and middle-income countries are awareness of early signs and symptoms and screening by clinical breast examination (by a doctor or nurse) in demonstration areas.
Studies suggest that if you are 50 years of age or above, be sure to have a screening mammogram every two years. Women should examine their breasts monthly from the age of 18. It is just two minutes exercise. Menstruating women 5-7 days after the beginning of their period, menopausal women - same date each month, pregnant women same date each month. Examine all breast tissue.
There is no reason to conclude that breast cancer will end up killing you. Breast cancer is no longer a death sentence.
Experts say that to minimise damages caused by the disease in Pakistan, there is a need of improving health facilities for breast cancer patients in the country. Number of female oncologists should be increased and Breast Cancer Clinics should be established all across the country. By creating central cancer registry and launching of mobile screening bus facilities especially for rural women can minimise losses being caused by the disease.
Experts say that use of anti-cancer foods such as turmeric, ginger, garlic, onions, beans, carrots, tomatoes, oranges, lemons, grapefruits, omega-3 (found in fatty fish) and vitamin D should be increased; whereas foods with high glycaemic index such as sugars, honey, white bread, white rice, pasta, mashed potatoes, cornflakes, jams, jellies and sweetened drinks (fruit juices and sodas) should be limited.
Educating the masses and health professionals is highly important in fighting cancer.