Pakistan reports 44,000 breast cancer cases each year
Pakistan reports 44,000 breast cancer cases each year
Islamabad: About 44,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer in Pakistan each year, according to health experts, the highest mortality rate in Asia.
Doctors say the figure is a conservative estimate. There is no national cancer registry in the country, so the true caseload may be higher. Some health officials have put the annual number closer to 90,000 new cases.
Breast cancer in Pakistan: what the numbers show
The statistics: One in nine women in Pakistan is at risk of developing breast cancer during her lifetime, according to the awareness group Pink Ribbon and oncologists. That rate is among the highest recorded anywhere in Asia.
Reporting on a Lahore seminar, The News quoted Dr Shehryar of the Cancer Care Hospital and Research Centre as saying 44,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer every year. He told the audience that 120 women die of the disease in Punjab alone each day.
Estimates vary because Pakistan does not maintain a national database of breast cancer statistics, a point the Associated Press has also highlighted. The World Health Organization describes breast cancer as the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women in many countries and one of the leading causes of cancer-related death among women worldwide.
The push for early detection
October campaign: Each October, Pakistan marks Breast Cancer Awareness Month with walks, seminars and conferences. Pink Ribbon Pakistan, which runs the annual PINKtober campaign, organises youth programmes, outdoor advertising and information material, and lights prominent buildings pink, its chief executive Omer Aftab told Radio Pakistan.
The organisation says early detection and prompt treatment are the central messages of the campaign, because cancers found at an early stage are far easier to treat.
Former first lady Begum Samina Alvi has led a nationwide awareness drive, arguing that most cases in Pakistan are reported at the third or fourth stage, which makes treatment painful, expensive and less likely to succeed. Addressing a charity bazaar, she said: “One of the major challenges before us was to convey our message to women living in far-flung areas of the country.” She has said that early detection can lift survival chances to as high as 98 per cent.
The Cancer Care Hospital and Research Centre has run free mammography camps across the country, completing 100 camps and detecting 82 cases, according to its representatives.
Why late diagnosis remains the core challenge
The gap: Health workers say stigma and limited screening facilities keep many women from seeking help in time. Mammography is expensive for many families and is not widely available in public hospitals, particularly in rural areas.
Studies have found that many patients turn first to home remedies or delay visiting a doctor, and cultural taboos make it difficult for women to discuss the disease even within their families. Prof Majeed Chaudhry, speaking at a Lahore seminar, said: “This is a huge mission for us and we need you all to support us for this purpose.”
Campaigners say the message has not yet reached far enough. They argue awareness work must continue through the year, not just in October, and must target neighbourhoods, schools and health workers in remote districts.
Frequently asked questions
How many breast cancer cases are reported in Pakistan each year?
About 44,000 new cases are diagnosed each year, according to figures quoted by health experts. Some officials put the number higher, at up to 90,000, because Pakistan has no national cancer registry.
Why is the rate so high in Pakistan?
Doctors point to late diagnosis rather than a higher biological risk. Most cases are detected at advanced stages, when treatment is harder. Limited screening facilities, cost, stigma and lack of awareness all contribute.
What is Pinktober?
Pinktober is the annual Breast Cancer Awareness Month campaign held each October. In Pakistan it is led by Pink Ribbon Pakistan with walks, seminars, conferences and pink illuminations of buildings.
Where can women get help?
Cancer Care Hospital and Research Centre has offered free mammography camps, and Shaukat Khanum Cancer Hospital and Research Centre is among the specialist centres treating the disease. Women with concerns should consult a qualified doctor or a hospital screening centre.
