‘Over 83,000 breast cancer cases in Pakistan every year’

LAHORE: Breast cancer is one of the most dangerous types of cancer, and in Pakistan it is higher among the young women. It is estimated that each year more than 83,000 cases of breast cancer are reported in Pakistan. Nearly 40,000 women die, just due to the deadly disease.

This was stated by experts from Shaukat Khanum Memorial Hospital while addressing a seminar organised by a private group of institutions at Dr Nisar Auditorium Tuesday, according to a press release issued here.

They said the main reason for high growing breast cancer is Pakistani traditional society; there is no system of collecting data and keeping record of cancer cases. Major causes of the disease among women are obesity, overweight and aversion to breast-feeding.

They said that every year thousands of females lose their lives because there is no system of mass diagnosis in our country. Unfortunately, mostly the poor women are dying of breast cancer. As most of the patients do not get an accommodating and welcome treatment as they cannot afford it.

Moreover, due to lack of awareness, several women do not share their health issues with others and are shy to go for any kind of breast examination. Not only elder women, it is affecting younger too. Around 77 percent of women with breast cancer are over the age of 50.

They said that proper diet and exercise along with awareness about cancer disease so that they could live a healthy life. They said that every year hundreds of women die of breast cancer and the data in this regard is alarming for Pakistan. “Unfortunately, Pakistan stands atop as far as the deaths of women due to breast cancer are concerned,” they said, adding that lack of awareness was the leading cause of breast cancer related deaths.

They said that young female students are the future mothers and this seminar is the part of awareness campaign launched by Shaukat Khanum Memorial Hospital. Dr Nimra Nadeem was the keynote speaker on this occasion.