"Every year 40,000 women die and 90,000 new cases of breast cancer are being identified in Pakistan which is the highest rate of breast cancer in Asia. The incidence is increasing in the developing world due to increase in life expectancy, increase in urbanization and adoption of western lifestyles, said Dr Nida Wahid Bashir, Consultant Breast Surgeon, Dr Ziauddin Hospital. She was speaking at the 'Pink Ribbon Day,' an awareness activity organized by Dr Aijaz Fatima Cancer Patient Welfare Society in collaboration with Ziauddin University to mark Cancer Awareness Month.
Dr Nida Wahid said 69 percent of all breast cancer deaths occur in developing countries, which is very alarming for our continent. This is explained mainly by the lack of early detection programs, resulting in a high proportion of women presenting with late-stage disease the lack of adequate diagnosis and treatment facilities, she added.
"On stage zero, there is a 100 percent chance to survive from breast cancer similarly on stage 1, 98 percent, on stage 2, 88 percent, stage 3, 52 percent, and on stage 4, patients have only 16 percent chances to survive from this fatal disease. Maintaining a healthy weight throughout life, exercising, avoiding alcohol, and breast feeding are the few factors which can lower down only 1 third (33 percent) risks of breast cancer it means 67 percent chances of breast cancer are still present. Early detection in order to improve breast cancer outcome and survival remains the cornerstone of breast cancer control", she exclaimed.
While taking about modifiable risk factors and non-modifiable risk factors of breast cancer, Dr Nida Wahid said body weight, physical activity, use of alcohol, smoking, exposure to hormones, pregnancy and breastfeeding, radiation exposure are modifiable risk factors. Whereas, non-modifiable risk factors include gender and age, personal cancer history, family cancer history and genetics, early menstruations and late menopause, breast density and breast sizes.
"By avoiding smoking, alcohol, dairy products, electromagnetic radiation, red meat, obesity, late first birth of the child, hormone replacement therapy we can get rid of breast cancer. We can save ourselves by including healthy activities in our lives like exercise, diet, and fast walking, climbing stairs rather than taking a lift and avoid sitting after meals", she affirmed.
Earlier, Dr Aijaz Fatima Cancer Patient Welfare Society convener Amir Shahzad in his introductory presentation said according to research every two minutes a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer and every 13 minutes a woman dies due to this fatal disease. Every 1 out of 9 women in Pakistan are facing breast cancer. In developing and underdeveloped countries most of the women with breast cancer are diagnosed in last stages due to lack of awareness on early detection and barriers to health services."
Copyright Business Recorder, 2019
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