Awareness month: Regular screenings urged to guard against breast cancer
‘Higher fatality rate in Pakistan stems from reluctance to share problems’.
LAHORE:
The fatality rate among breast cancer sufferers is much higher in Pakistan than in the United States and Europe because of women’s reluctance to bring up the matter in the early stages of the disease, said experts at a seminar at King Edward Medical University (KEMU) on Saturday.
Around 100,000 women are suffering from breast cancer in Pakistan and October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The Surgical Oncology Society of Pakistan (SOSP) organised the seminar to mark the month.
Professor Muhammad Arshad Cheema, the SOSP president and KEMU Surgery Department chairman, said most Pakistani women shied away from sharing certain health problems with their family members.
“If females feel any swelling in the breasts they should consult a doctor. Don’t wait or use any traditional cures. The chances of recovery increase if the breast cancer is detected in the early stages,” Prof Cheema said.
He said that the ratio of deaths due to breast cancer in Pakistan was many times higher than in the US and Europe as women didn’t share this problem in the early stages. He said in the early stages, breast cancer usually didn’t present any symptoms and that was why it was important to have regular breast exams.
He said the first sign is usually a breast lump or a lump in the armpit that is hard, uneven and doesn’t hurt. He said the symptoms could also include a change in the size, shape or feel of the breast, including redness, dimpling or puckering like the skin of an orange. He said the symptoms of advanced breast cancer may include bone pain, breast pain, swelling of one arm and weight loss.
Professor Zafarullah Chaudhry and Professor Sadaqat Ali Khan also gave presentations on breast cancer.
Prior to the seminar, doctors and students participated in a walk at the university.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 14th, 2012.
The fatality rate among breast cancer sufferers is much higher in Pakistan than in the United States and Europe because of women’s reluctance to bring up the matter in the early stages of the disease, said experts at a seminar at King Edward Medical University (KEMU) on Saturday.
Around 100,000 women are suffering from breast cancer in Pakistan and October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The Surgical Oncology Society of Pakistan (SOSP) organised the seminar to mark the month.
Professor Muhammad Arshad Cheema, the SOSP president and KEMU Surgery Department chairman, said most Pakistani women shied away from sharing certain health problems with their family members.
“If females feel any swelling in the breasts they should consult a doctor. Don’t wait or use any traditional cures. The chances of recovery increase if the breast cancer is detected in the early stages,” Prof Cheema said.
He said that the ratio of deaths due to breast cancer in Pakistan was many times higher than in the US and Europe as women didn’t share this problem in the early stages. He said in the early stages, breast cancer usually didn’t present any symptoms and that was why it was important to have regular breast exams.
He said the first sign is usually a breast lump or a lump in the armpit that is hard, uneven and doesn’t hurt. He said the symptoms could also include a change in the size, shape or feel of the breast, including redness, dimpling or puckering like the skin of an orange. He said the symptoms of advanced breast cancer may include bone pain, breast pain, swelling of one arm and weight loss.
Professor Zafarullah Chaudhry and Professor Sadaqat Ali Khan also gave presentations on breast cancer.
Prior to the seminar, doctors and students participated in a walk at the university.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 14th, 2012.