Breast cancer has become a major health hazard as more than 40,000 women die of this disease every year, said Pink Ribbon CEO Dr Omer Aftab while addressing an awareness session on Breast Cancer at Faisalabad Women Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FWCCI) here on Wednesday. He told that breast cancer is spreading at a much faster pace in Asia. In Pakistan its prevalence is alarming as around 38.5 percent women are infested with this disease. He said no doubt it is a deadly disease but we could avoid deaths due to breast cancer by taking necessary prevention and early diagnostic measures. He told that in Pakistan it has become a general practice that patients with breast cancer are brought to the oncologists when they have already touched the last stage of cancer and colonization of cancer cells have taken roots in other parts of body. He stressed the need for early diagnosis of breast cancer and in this connection teen age girls should be educated to be vigilant in case of any unusual change they must consult their parents or doctor. Similarly women less than 40 years should also ensure regular monthly check up while annual mammography in also imperative for women over 40 years of age. Earlier in his address of welcome Madam Robeena Amjad President FWCCI appreciated the initiative of Pink Ribbon to hold awareness seminars about Breast Cancer and said that it is the most common disease haunting women, worldwide. In Asia, Pakistan has the highest numbers of cancer patients and out of these, most of them are women. She said that prevention is better than cure and one of the major reasons of high mortality rate due to breast cancer in Pakistan is due to illiteracy and lack of proper hygiene.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2019