70% breast cancer patients seek treatment when too late

Islamabad : Seventy per cent of the breast cancer patients in Pakistan seek treatment at an advanced stage of the disease. Lack of awareness, societal taboos and stigma, inefficient healthcare system marked by lack of facilities and absence of female consultants, and financial issues are the key barriers in the way of timely screening, early diagnosis, and curative treatment for a majority of the patients.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women worldwide. In Pakistan, 90,000 cases of breast cancer and 40,000 deaths per year are being reported; this is the highest rate of breast cancer in Asia. Moreover, 10 million women in Pakistan are at the risk of breast cancer. The high mortality rate in Pakistan owes it to the fact that 70% of the breast cancer patients come for treatment at stage III of the disease.

The average age of breast cancer incidence is 55 years worldwide; in Pakistan, the maiden age is 35—a rare and alarming trend that shows more and more young girls being diagnosed with breast cancer.

Pink Ribbon has dedicated the month of October to raise public awareness about prevention and early detection of breast cancer. Detected at an early stage, the chances of a patient’s survival are more than 90%.

Pink Ribbon claims having brought a change in the society, but still finds it difficult to talk about breast cancer, especially in the country’s rural areas. “We are making efforts to reduce breast cancer stigma and improve access to information, screening and treatment,” the organisation stated in a press release.