Breast cancer taboos

The pink ribbons that adorn October during Breast Cancer Awareness Month are not just the symbol of a global health awareness campaign, but a reminder of a critical national health emergency. With one of the highest incidence rates of breast cancer in Asia, the disease casts a long shadow over Pakistan. However, it is worth remembering that awareness, especially regarding early detection, can bring profound changes to the situation on the ground.

Breast cancer is regarded as the most common cancer among women in Pakistan, with one in nine women at risk of developing it in their lifetime. Pink Ribbon Pakistan estimates that 109 women lose their lives to the disease every day, or around 40,000 deaths annually from about 90,000 new cases. The age-standardised incidence rate — which takes into account the ages of patients to make data on disease rates more accurate — has also been steadily increasing over the past 20 years.

Couple these concerns with the fact that the disease also arrives much earlier in Pakistani women, and there is no question that the challenge remains immense. Other aggravating factors include later detection and cultural stigma — because of 'modesty', many women do not discuss or hear accurate information about the disease, while diagnostic and treatment facilities are still lacking, even though only a small fraction of women with the disease actually seek help before it is too late. Also, not enough women seek out mental health support after life-altering surgical interventions, such as mastectomies, because of the same 'modesty' and 'shame'.

It is heartening that the government, along with celebrities and influencers, has been doing good work to generate awareness, but there is still much work to be done before we can take solace in the kind of survival rates seen in the West - over 90% — which are attributed largely to early detection. Taking a step up from ribbons to providing timely access to life-saving medical care will not be easy, but it is the only way to stem the spread of the disease and bring it down from being a national calamity to a treatable hardship.