ISLAMABAD: Health professionals while stressing the need for early detection and diagnosis of cancer have said that 98 percent patients of breast cancer can survive with early detection and diagnosis coupled with healthy lifestyle, exercises and quality food.
Speaking at an event in connection with ‘Breast Cancer Awareness Month’ organised by local hotels here, Ayesha Isani Majeed of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), head Department of Radiology and Dr Saeeda Yasmin of Shifa International Hospital advised women over 40 monthly self-examinations, yearly examinations by caregivers and screening starting at an early age.
They highlighted socio-cultural barriers to timely treatment: “Feminine sensitivity, stigmatization, and aversion to male doctors hinder women from seeking care. Breaking these barriers is crucial for effective breast cancer management.”
Ayesha Isani Majeed on Friday stressed women over 40 to have their yearly mammogram procedure and the regular breast self-examinations to be conscious of their good health.
She said early detection and early diagnosis was the key with 98 percent recovery rates at the early detection stage and 27 per cent in advanced stage of the disease. “Yearly mammograms for women over 40 and breast self-examinations, as well as healthy lifestyle, nutritious food and exercise can help bring down the incidence of the disease.”
In observance of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a local hotel organised a dedicated awareness session for its employees, aimed at empowering them with knowledge about early detection, diagnosis, and treatment options for breast cancer.
The session featured esteemed medical professionals, Dr Ayesha Isani Majeed and Dr Saeeda Yasmin. Both are renowned and leading practitioners for breast cancer treatment and diagnosis.
Both the health professionals highlighted the importance of early detection and shared details about the state-of-the-art facilities available for mammography, ultrasound, and biopsies.
They have also shared important insights into breast cancer detection and treatment, emphasising the life-saving importance of regular screening and self-examinations.
The session also included a practical demonstration on how to perform self-examinations, a key method in early detection. Employees had the opportunity to engage in testing and consultations with the doctors, further enhancing the session’s impact.
Speakers at the session emphasised the organisation’s commitment to promoting the well-being of its employees and supporting initiatives that empower them through health awareness.
According to a study published in 2021 by National Institutes of Health (NIH) US Department of Health and Human Services, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer and the leading cause of cancer deaths in women globally.
In 2018, 2.1 million new cases were reported, with 627,000 deaths.
Pakistan has the highest incidence of breast cancer among Asian countries: one in nine women is at risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer during their lifetime.
According to the International Agency of Research on Cancer 2018 report, 34,066 new cases of breast cancer had been reported in Pakistani women. Unfortunately, coupled with delayed referral to appropriate facilities and late diagnosis in the country, mortality rate of breast cancer patients is high.
The key to cure cancer is early diagnosis as concluded in different studies; if one is diagnosed at an early stage, there are greater chances of recovery and survival and diagnosis at later stages lowers the chances of survival, thus, it emphasises to spread awareness about the early diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer among the general public.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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