‘Cancer affects 300,000 in Pakistan yearly’

LAHORE: Cancer spreads by the use of tobacco, Gutka, alcohol, inadequate diet, lack of exercise and obesity, Dr Nauman Zafar, Consultant Urological Oncologist at Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute and Research Centre (PKLI), said while speaking on World Cancer Day here on Monday.

Cancer is the deadliest disease that has caused millions of deaths in the world. In Pakistan, more than 300,000 people are being affected by cancer each year. World Cancer Day represents an opportunity to focus on what can be done to address cancer and avoid thousands of deaths, Dr Nauman Zafar said, adding PKLI aims to raise mass awareness about kidney, pancreas, liver and prostate cancer and provide cutting-edge treatment facilities to improve the lives of people as well as reducing the burden of this devastating disease on individuals and society.

Since more than a third of all cancers are preventable through lifestyle interventions, PKLI urges people to take responsibility for decreasing cancer risk for themselves, he said and added taking simple actions such as stopping smoking, avoiding use of alcohol, exercising regularly and reducing the intake of processed and red meat can extend a healthy life, and it would prove to be the first-line of defence against cancer and other associated non-communicable diseases.

Dr Nauman explained that PKLI focuses on offering a wide range of high-quality and up-to-date medical services that will help in improving health of the communities. Major cancer surgeries including cystectomy, nephrectomy, hepatectomy, prostatectomy, transurethral resection of a bladder tumor (TURBT) have also been performed by the highly-trained surgeons of PKLI, Dr Nauman added.

walk: To mark World Cancer Day, a walk was organised at Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital & Research Centre here on Monday.

Paediatric cancer patients, their families and hospital staff joined together to raise awareness about this deadly disease. Participants at the walk were holding colourful placards with the theme slogan of World Cancer Day – “I am, I will.” Although, kids at the walk were under treatment of different types of cancer, they all were looking determined to defeat the cancer.

It is pertinent to mention that in Pakistan Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital & Research Centre is the only institute which is providing financially supported cancer treatment to 75pc of its patient. After SKMCH&RC Lahore and Peshawar, construction of third and Pakistan’s largest Shaukat Khanum Hospital has started in Karachi.

seminar: Punjab University Department of Public Health, Institute of Social and Cultural Studies (ISCS) has organised a breast cancer awareness seminar in connection with International Cancer Day.

The seminar was attended by a large number of female students and faculty members. ISCS Director Prof Dr Rubeena Zakar discussed that Pakistan is facing triple burden of disease with increasing number of cases of cancer.

awareness: The World Cancer Day was observed at King Edward Medical University (KEMU)/Mayo Hospital here on Monday.

KEMU Vice Chancellor Professor Khalid Masood Gondal led the walk. Faculty members Prof Irshad Hussain Qureshi, Prof Asghar Naqi, Prof Sajid Abaidullah, Prof Abrar Ashraf, Prof Saira Afzal, Prof Shareef, Medical Superintendent, Mayo Hospital Dr Tahir Khalil and Head of Department of Oncology and Radiotherapy Dr Muhammad Abbas Khokhar, other doctors, staff, nurses, paramedics and general public participated in the walk.