First lady for early detection, awareness about breast cancer

LAHORE: First lady Samina Alvi on Tuesday said that there was need for diagnosing the reasons behind increasing number of breast cancer patients in Pakistan, as about 90 per cent cases were curable if diagnosed at an early stage.

Addressing an awareness seminar on the breast cancer, arranged by Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre (SKMCH&RC) here, she said educational programmes and awareness seminars should be conducted to impart awareness among masses about preventive measures and treatment of breast cancer.

The first lady said that early diagnosis could help save lives of many women who fall victim to the disease, adding that it was time to fight breast cancer instead of ignoring it.

Samina Alvi said such events would prove helpful in creating awareness regarding causes, precautionary measures and treatment of the disease, citing that plans were in progress in consultation with about 66 governmental and non-governmental organisations to provide free mammography diagnosis test to women for a period of one month so that maximum number of women could undergo initial screening test.

She appreciated the SKMCH&RC role for conducting research about preventive measures and treatment of breast cancer, adding that the research should be expanded to tracing the causes and treatment of the disease.

Other speakers at the seminar including SKMCH&RC Chief Medical Officer Asim Yousaf said that breast cancer was the most common cancer amongst women all around the world and in Pakistan one out of nine women was at risk of getting breast cancer.

He said breast cancer claimed 40,000 lives per year in Pakistan. However early detection and improved treatment could increase the chances of survival by 90 per cent which could be achieved by creating widespread awareness.