‘Breast cancer on the rise among Pakistani women’

Karachi

Breast cancer is on the rise among younger women and even in unmarried girls in Pakistan, and alarmingly women in early 40s are being diagnosed with the lethal disease, unlike the rest of the world where the onset of the disease is usually seen in the mid to late 60s.

More alarmingly, one in nine cancer patients suffer breast cancer in Pakistan; and women and girls, whose mother or grandmother have been diagnosed with breast, colon or ovarian cancer, are at high risks of becoming victims of the disease.

For diagnosis of disease at very early stage, each girl after puberty should do self examination, and if any lump is found, she should immediately consult any specialist for check up and screening.

These views were expressed during second public awareness seminar titled "Breast Cancer: Is it preventable?" held at the PMA House Karachi on Monday.

The session was arranged as pre-seminar of the Pak-China Med Cong to be kicked off on January 8, which is being organised by the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) in collaboration with the China Medical Association (CMA).

The congress will continue until January 10. Around 1,000 delegates including foreigners are expected to attend this mega event. The PMA and the CMA will also sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) during the congress.

On Monday, speakers at the seminar were breast surgeon Prof Dr Farah Idrees Rehmani, Prof Dr Muhammad Asif Qureshi and President PMA Karachi Dr Shaukat Malik.

Dr Farah Idress told that there were many misconceptions attached to breast cancer among public, since it was wrongly perceived that the patient felt immense pain and it could only be diagnosed was only diagnosed at the terminal stage.

“Breast cancer starts as a small lump, more often without pain," she clarified.

“In other parts of the world, usually women older than 60 years are reported as breast cancer patients, but unfortunately the situation is very different in Pakistan as breast cancer cases are being witnessed in younger age group in the early 40s.

Of all the breast cancer cases diagnosed in Pakistan, around 15 percent cases are of unmarried girls”, she said.

“Prolonged use of estrogens like oral pills of birth spacing can also trigger the risk of breast cancer in next generation of such woman. Woman delivering first baby after age of 30 years also have increased risk of breast cancer.” 

Every woman after age of 40 years should get her screened for breast cancer once a year.

 “People consider that the disease spreads after getting biopsy done while many avoid accepting the disease visit quacks.

“Breast cancer is also diagnosed in one in every 100 men. Awareness among masses is increasing, but still patients are visiting hospitals at later stages. People should not be afraid of disease as it is treatable and patient can lead a normal life.”

Prof Dr Muhammad Asif Qureshi said nowadays mammogram was a routine diagnostic tool for diagnosis of breast cancer in women of 40 years age.

“This is the least harmful, but very important in diagnosis.”

Dr Shaukat Malik said screening and diagnosis facilities were better in public sector hospitals in Karachi, which needed to be replicated in other parts of Sindh as well.

"A study done by the Kiran Hospital recently has found that in every 100 cases, 40 are of breast cancer, which is very alarming," he added.