KARACHI, Jan 11: Breast cancer is the most common of the cancers among Pakistani women. Initially, it was thought that breasts having malignant tumours should be removed. However, breast conservation therapy later emerged as an important treatment option.

Under this option, only the mass slightly in excess of the malignant tumours is removed. Several experts, discussing the "Recent Trends in Breast Cancer Management" on Saturday afternoon, said this new option should be offered to the patients in addition to mastectomy that involved removal of the affected breasts.

The speakers at the meeting, which was attended by a large group of well-known surgeons, oncologists, pathologists and histopathologists, said that tumours of five centimetres or less should be selected for this kind of treatment.

One participant said 30 per cent of the women, whose breasts were removed went into depression and anxiety. Depression was quite common among women, who underwent minimally invasive surgery too. However, he ruled out conservation therapy if the cancer was of the multi-focal type.

Another participant said if the patient was expected to ignore the surgeon's advice, conservation therapy should not be attempted. Cosmetic issues should also be kept in mind, said one of the participants. He underscored the need for close cooperation among the radiologists, pathologists, oncologists surgeons and pathologists.

"A correct decision regarding the therapy option to be exercised cannot be made unless a multi-disciplinary approach is adopted," he said. Mammogram, ultrasound, CT scan and MRI was among the examinations, which should be carried out to arrive a decision regarding the mode of treatment to be adopted, he added.

One of the speakers was of the opinion that tools were now available with the help of which it could be predicted whether there would be recurrence of the disease after the completion of the therapy. He said tumours could be shrunk too.

The experts who attended the meeting were Dr Shaista Khan, Dr Rufina Soomro, Prof Naheed Sultan, Dr Irfan Daudi, Prof M. Shamim, Dr Mumtaz Mahar, Prof Samie Ashraf, Dr Saleem Soomro, Dr Muzaffar, Dr Naila Zahid, Dr Amyn Allidina, Dr Najeeb Naimatullah, Dr Irfan Vaziri, Dr Azmina, Prof Sirajudaula Syed, Dr Naila Kiyani, Dr Saba Jamal, Dr Shahid Parvaiz, Dr Zafar Sajjad, Dr Humaira Ahsan, Dr Imrana, Dr Anwar, Prof Abbas Zafar and Dr Shaiq Ali.