Around 40,000 women die due to breast cancer and 90,000 new patients of the disease are diagnosed every year in the country.
Expensive treatment, lack of awareness, absence of cancer specialists and shortage of diagnostic facilities in public sector hospitals are the major challenges in coping with the increasing cases of breast cancer.
Women between the ages of 35 and 55 years are the more common victims of breast cancer in the country.
Like other countries of the world, Pakistan is also observing October as breast cancer awareness month.
During the past few years, efforts to spread awareness regarding breast cancer have been geared up and the NGO sector, especially Pink Ribbon, has been active in this regard. For the past two years, the awareness events are also organised at the government level.
However, the government hospitals in the country, including Punjab, do not have wards and departments for the treatment of breast cancer. Only a few big hospitals in the country offer the treatment but it is expensive and beyond the reach of most of the population.
“It is estimated that 40,000 women die of the disease annually in the country but we have no data collection mechanism for maintaining record of the victims of breast cancer. We have been working for last 15 years to increase awareness. Now there is considerable awareness and there is need of a plan of action,” Pink Ribbon CEO Omer Aftab said.
“This year it is our demand that there should be a hospital in each district having a department for breast cancer patients. The treatment of breast cancer is not affordable for the poor, so this year we are also demanding that in the health budget there should be increase the allocation for fighting breast cancer.”
He said the diagnostic equipment , ultrasound and mammography facilities should be affordable. Aftab said the ratio of breast cancer among cancer patients is 38.5 per cent. In the whole world, the average age of breast cancer patients is 55 years, but in Pakistan it is 35 years and it was observed during the past five years that 25 to 30 years old women are also falling prey to breast cancer. There is no national cancer registry in country and the government should develop it.
Talking about the issue Principal Post Graduate Medical Institute and renowned gynecologist Prof Dr Sardar Muhammad Al-freed Zafar has said that Pakistan is one of the countries in the world where the incidence of breast cancer among women is increasing alarmingly.
“In Pakistan, 90,000 cases are being reported annually which is a matter of great concern. In order to curb the growing incidence of breast cancer, we need to change our social attitudes and instead of treating breast cancer as a stigma, women need to be reassured so that they do not hesitate to consult their doctor in case of any discomfort,” he said.
“Breast cancer is a treatable disease, often diagnosed early while with immediate treatment, the patients recover and the chances of the cancer getting worse are very low. Not every lump in the breast or armpit is a symptom of cancer. However, mostly tumours that form without pain can become cancerous. Therefore, women should check their breasts and armpits regularly and not delay contacting a doctor if any unusual symptoms appear.”
He said women should have mammography tests twice a year and also contact their doctor so that immediate diagnosis and treatment of such disease was possible.
“It is uncommon for pregnant women to have breast cancer but care should be taken to ensure that the treatment is such that the disease is eradicated, the cancer does not spread further in the body and negatively affect the health of the baby and there are no side effects from the treatment,” said Prof Zafar.
“Due to traditions and social values women and young girls do not mention any change or discomfort in their breasts to their father or a close relative, which may lead to complications in case of delay in treatment. Surgery is inevitable due to the increase in discomfort and the patient has to undergo chemotherapy, radiation and other steps to completely eradicate the cancer from the body and in many cases medicines have to be used for life. It is the responsibility of the parents to get the girls diagnosed for the disease immediately,” he added.
“There is need that women should change their life style so that they stay safe from breast cancer. Women should change their daily habits and routine and take time for exercise. Beside this, they should improve their diet and include vegetables and fruits in their food,” said Dr Saima Chaudhry, a consultant.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 1st, 2020.
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