Pakistan has the highest rate of breast cancer all over Asia due to which every year around 40,000 women die. One out of every nine women in Pakistan faces risk of the disease while the prevalence of this deadly ailment is the highest amongst all types of cancer in the country. National Co-ordinator, Pink Ribbon, Omer Aftab told Business Recorder that fortunately, breast cancer can be detected and cured at a very early stage.
Therefore, it is necessary to focus on prevention and diagnoses rather than cure since early diagnosis in breast cancer increases chances of survival to more than 90 percent, he said. Experts revealed that the recent trends in Pakistan have shown that the breast cancer incidence is alarmingly high in young girls. Breast cancer is one of the oldest types of cancers and also the most common form among females. Breast cancer's basic definition is an uncontrolled growth of breast cells.
When cells divide and multiply rapidly, they form a lump, called tumour. Nearly 80 percent of findings on mammogram are not cancers. They are usually benign tumors, a cyst, or some other non-cancerous condition. A tumor is defined as cancer only when it can invade nearby tissues and organs and damage them. Then it is called malignant, experts said. In last 25 years, experts said, Pakistan has witnessed a significant increase in number of cases of various kinds of cancers and the threat claimed not less than 100,000 lives in 2015. The number of deaths from cancers particularly from lung cancer in males and breast cancer among females is also on the rise in the country. Apart from many other factors, lack of awareness among public about various aspects of the problem is a leading cause of damages due to cancers, the experts added.
They said studies revealed that every year, nearly 300,000 new cases of various kinds of cancers are reported from across the country that adds up to the existing pool of millions of patients of cancer undergoing treatment in Pakistan. According to health experts, there are number of reasons for rise in number of cases of cancers though the four main causes include: longer life expectancy, more accurate diagnosis, alarming prevalence of Hepatitis B and C and the rise in tobacco use.
Raising public awareness about breast cancer is of singular importance as it is the necessary first step that will go a long way towards alleviating the burden of this disease among Pakistani women, Omer said. On the other hand, Pakistan lacks facilities for treatment of cancer patients and various studies have shown that less than 40 percent of all cancer patients in the country are able to receive health care while diagnostic and treatment facilities are not available to over 60 percent patients.