Lack of awareness leads to alarming stage of breast cancer

Women feel shy in sharing their breast cancer-related symptoms with family members

KARACHI:

Among many factors that lead to breast cancer around the world, the most common are obesity, having a first child after the age of 35 years, and late marriages, said Pink Pakistan Trust (PPT) President Dr Zubaida Qazi.

She was addressing the breast cancer awareness session, "Find the Cure" organised by the Centre of Excellence for Women's Studies, University of Karachi, in collaboration with Pink Pakistan Trust, at the KU Arts Auditorium on Monday.

Dr Qazi said, "Unfortunately, women feel ashamed and avoid talking about their pain and symptoms leading to breast cancer. It has been witnessed that women also do not get due support from their families and are left alone to bear the pain and when their condition worsens, they are brought to the hospital when it is too late."

She informed the audience that any abnormal changes around the breast can be an early sign of cancer, so women should not ignore it and immediately consult a doctor.

She mentioned that Pink Pakistan Trust is dedicated to improving the lives of underprivileged women and provides free consultation to breast cancer patients.

Dr Qazi mentioned that the first screening centre for breast cancer is going to be established at the University of Karachi in order to create awareness among students.

She explained in detail about the self-examination that every woman can do regularly on monthly basis, especially at the end of menstrual period. She said women should notice the changes in size, colour, shape, or occurrence of any lump, skin boil, unusual discharge from nipples and bulging.

Speaking on the occasion, the KU Vice Chancellor, Professor Dr Khalid Mahmood Iraqi said, it is possible to cure breast cancer if it is timely diagnosed. But, unfortunately, due to lack of timely diagnosis in our country, the disease is increasing at alarming level.

He mentioned that awareness is essential for the prevention of the disease and there can be no platform for awareness better than universities.

On the occasion, the Iqra University VC, Dr Wasim Qazi said that awareness is essential to reduce the rapidly increasing number of breast cancer patients and expressed that this is a good sign that Pink Pakistan Trust is playing a key role in this regard. He mentioned that conducting such awareness seminars will promote awareness which will have a positive impact on society.

The KU Dean Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Professor Dr Nusrat Idrees said that lack of awareness is one of the major reasons for the rapid increase of breast cancer in Pakistan.

The seminar also had a question and answer session in which students asked questions about the symptoms and treatment of the disease.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 19^th, 2021.