October 27, 2008	Monday	Shawwal 27, 1429

KARACHI, Oct 26: Women who are diagnosed with breast cancer at an early stage have an 84 per cent survival rate, while these chances are much reduced to 18 per cent for women diagnosed at a later stage. Delay in disease detection also means manifold increase in treatment expenses and greater psychological and emotional trauma for the patient and her family.

Being in a difficult situation of not having enough resources but reporting a large number of breast cancer cases of a complicated nature, developing countries like Pakistan have fewer options. The situation calls for united efforts on part of the government, the media and society at large to raise awareness about the significance of early diagnosis that can help save many lives.

These were some important points highlighted at a seminar on breast cancer organised at the Aga Khan University on Saturday. About strategies to combat breast cancer, the speakers said that though the first responsibility lies with the government to make services for diagnosis and treatment available to all women, other components of society like the media can play a crucial role in disseminating the required information about the disease.

“Breast cancer can’t be prevented. But, we can reduce its risks by adopting a healthy lifestyle and tell people about the benefits of early detection, the complications the disease can cause at a later stage and the options available for treatment,” said Dr Shaista Khan, adding that about 85 per cent of the cases had no hereditary linkage.

Talking about the risk factors, Dr Nazia Riaz said that age increased the risk of getting breast cancer. “People in their 40s have a higher risk of getting breast cancer than someone in their 20s. The major risks also include a family history of breast cancer among close relatives, early periods, first pregnancy after age 30, having no children and late menopause,” she said while pointing out that breast cancer could also occur in men, affecting about one per cent of men worldwide.

Giving some statistics on disease incidence, she said: “Breast cancer has become the most common malignant illness among women both in developed and developing countries and over one million cases are reported every year. Of them, around 400,000 women die. In Pakistan, one in every nine women is likely to suffer from the disease, the highest incidence rate in Asia.”

However, she added that there had been a 20 per cent decline in breast cancer cases over the last decade worldwide and that was partly due to better screening facilities that can help detect cancer at an early stage.

The speakers emphasized that women should be aware of the feel of their breasts and if they detect anything abnormal during self examination, they should consult a doctor.

Mammography, they said, was a safe technique and could detect cancer before it grew to a palpable size. The recommended age for mammography was 40, but if a patient had a history of breast cancer, then it could be done at an early age. The radiological screening was advised every year.

The speakers also discussed various treatment options and dispelled the fears associated with biopsy. They called for initiating a national cancer programme in view of the rising cases of all types of cancers in the country.

Later, two women survivors narrated how they battled the disease. Keeping an active, healthy lifestyle and continuing with routine work, they said, was the best way to tackle breast cancer. They also shared their experience of losing all their hair and how they coped with life during that period.

“It was a terrible experience. But it was temporary and all the hair grew back again. There is always light at the end of the tunnel,” they remarked.

Dr Azmina Tajdin and Dr Shaista Afzal also spoke.