Medically reviewed by Dr. Unsa Mohsin.
One in every nine women has a lifetime risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer in Pakistan, making it the most prevalent type of cancer in the country. Even though it is mostly present in women aged above 50, it is on the rise among younger women as well. Ratio of breast cancer in Pakistan keeps increasing as 88,000 to 90,000 new patients are admitted each year from which around 40,000 die.
This is mainly due to the fact that patients diagnosed are mostly in the advanced stages of the disease. But what is breast cancer? And can it be cured? What are the causes of breast cancer in Pakistan?
Similar to other cancers, breast cancer also develops due to the uncontrolled division of abnormal cells in a part of the body. In a normal situation, cells that have performed their function are destroyed and replaced by new ones. These malignant or harmful cells from a tumor then start to spread and damage surrounding tissues and organs.
Symptoms and Causes of Breast Cancer in Pakistan
The most common and noticeable symptom of breast cancer is a lump or area of thickened tissue on the breast. However, there can be many other symptoms including discharge or bleeding from the nipple, a change in the size or shape of either of your breasts or a lump in your armpits.
Factors that increase the risk of breast cancer include:
- A family history of breast cancer
- Age – the risk increases as you get older
- Previous benign breast lump
- Obesity
Diagnosis and Treatment
Mammographic screening is used to detect breast cancer; X-ray images are taken of the breast area. Apart from this, there are also methods for self-detection that are relatively simple and can help in early diagnosis.
If cancer is detected at an early stage, it has a fair chance of being treated through a combination of surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. The type of surgery and the treatment the patient has afterward will depend on the type of breast cancer they have and the stage it is in.
Awareness regarding breast cancer is low in Pakistan. In women and in the general population, it is a topic not discussed as much as it should be, leading to its high prevalence. Apart from the social stigma attached to the topic, a high percentage of the population still prefers going to untrained physicians before visiting a hospital, by which time the disease advances to a dangerous stage. All of us need to do our part and speak up to raise breast cancer awareness.
Read more: Importance of Breast Cancer Awareness
