Cancer prevention: Changes in lifestyle, eating habits can help prevention

Health professionals share concerns on World Cancer Day.


Our Correspondent February 04, 2013
Prof Qureshi said that early diagnosis increases a patient’s chance of survival.

FAISALABAD:


Healthy foods and exercise are amongst precautions one can take against cancer. Cancer is increasing in young girls In Pakistan. Breast cancer is now the most prevalent in the country.


This was stated by Dr Naureen Aziz Qureshi, one of the speakers at a seminar arranged by the Directorate of Medical Sciences, Government College University Faisalabad (GCUF) in collaboration with the Higher Education Commission, a media group and a mobile phone company to highlight World Cancer Day in Faisalabad on Monday.  Faculty of Sciences and Technology Dean Qureshi, Directorate’s Riaz Hussain Dab, Dr Kiran Fatima and Dr Muhammad Asif Saleem were the main speakers.

Prof Qureshi said that early diagnosis increases a patient’s chance of survival. She stressed the need to create awareness at the national level and to educate women to examine themselves at least once a month.



She added that Pakistan had the highest prevalence of breast cancer in Asia. She said 40,000 women died of the disease every year.

Dr Riaz Husain Dab said that one out of nine women in Pakistan was at the risk of breast cancer. He said that there was a genetic pre-disposition to cancer if someone in the family had had cancer. He said people having family members with cancer were 10 times more likely to get cancer.

He said breast feeding helped reduce the risk of developing breast cancer. He suggested that a Breast Clinic be set up at every hospital.



Dr Dab stressed the need for documentation to help in research. He added that research in the area would be useful in identifying healthy eating habits and lifestyle, as climate and other factors in Pakistan were different from the western world.

Dr Kiran Fatima said that cancer was a leading cause of death worldwide and accounted for 7.6 million deaths (around 13% of all deaths) in 2008.

On February 4, each year, the World Health Organisation supports International Union Against Cancer to promote ways to ease the global burden of cancer, she added.



She said cancer prevention and raising the quality of life for cancer patients were recurring themes. Dr Fatima said the theme this year was, Dispel Myths and Misconception About Cancer. She stressed the need to increase the intake of fruits and vegetables and to cut preserved meat intake.

Dr Muhammad Asif Saleem stressed the need for joint efforts to raise awareness about the disease.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 5th, 2013.

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