Early Diagnosis Can Increase Chances of Surviving Breast Cancer

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Early Diagnosis Can Increase Chances of Surviving Breast Cancer

 “Women who are diagnosed with breast cancer at an early stage have an 84 per cent chance of survival, while these chances are much reduced, to 18 per cent, for women diagnosed at a later stage,” said Dr Nazia Riaz, Consultant General Surgeon, Department of Surgery, Aga Khan University (AKU) at a public awareness programme for Breast Cancer Awareness Day, held recently at the AKUH, Karachi.

“Age increases the risk of getting breast cancer. People in their 40s have a higher risk of getting breast cancer than someone in their 20s,” said D r Riaz, adding that one in eight women worldwide is affected by this disease. Breast cancer has become the most common malignant illness among women both in developed and developing countries.

The most commonly used screening tools for breast cancer include mammograms (the radiological technique for breast cancer screening), clinical breast examinations and self examinations. According to Dr Shaista Afzal, Consultant Radiologist, AKU, routine breast screening can reduce breast cancer-related deaths by 25 to 30 per cent. Mammograms help diagnose tumours at an earlier stage, although research at AKU has shown that they may be less effective for younger age groups. The government has recently set up mobile mammography units to help improve screening and diagnoses of breast cancer.

Dr Azmina Tajdin Vali Mohammad, Consultant Oncologist, AKU, spoke on the use of medication to cure breast cancer.

Research conducted by the Dow University of Health Sciences in 2006, revealed that approximately one in every nine Pakistani women was likely to suffer from breast cancer, one of the highest incidence rates in Asia. The Karachi Cancer Registry, the only population-based cancer registry in Pakistan, reports that breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in Karachi, accounting for 34.6 per cent of total cancer cases.

The event also provided an opportunity for a number of people to sign up for free mammographies and ultrasounds.

2010-01-04T18:46:38+00:00