A BREAST cancer diagnosis no longer carries the bleak outlook it did a generation ago. Targeted medicines, immunotherapy, and treatments tailored to individual tumours are improving prospects for patients. For a Pakistani woman, however, these advances offer little comfort when she cannot afford prescribed drugs, must travel repeatedly for chemotherapy, or abandon treatment halfway through. This is a concern during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, whose theme, ‘Every story is unique, every journey matters’, asks us to look beyond the diagnosis to the person living with it. In 2022, Pakistan recorded an estimated 30,700 new cases and 15,500 deaths from breast cancer among women. Worldwide, 694,000 women died of the disease in 2024. Early detection remains vital, but finding cancer is only the beginning. Patients also need tests to establish which treatment will work, dependable supplies of medicines, surgery and radiotherapy where required, and care that does not ruin families financially.

These needs are far from guaranteed in Pakistan. Specialists at a conference in Karachi this month cited costly medicines, shortages, and official hurdles that prevent patients from completing treatment. For women outside major cities, journeys to hospitals can mean lost wages and childcare problems. Others need help coping with the physical and emotional effects of treatment, or returning to ordinary life afterwards. The true test for governments lies in whether women receive the treatment they need, not simply whether their cancer is detected. Affordable diagnostic tests, timely treatment, and a reliable supply of essential medicines must be ensured. Provincial health departments should publish figures on how long patients wait for diagnosis and treatment, and how many finish their prescribed course. The WHO’s global initiative aims for 80pc of patients to receive complete recommended treatment. Pakistan should strive to meet that goal, with public funding directed at the greatest gaps. Every patient’s journey may be different. None should end prematurely because proper care was out of reach.

Published in Dawn, October 22nd, 2026