Pakistani women are most prone to breast
cancer in Asia
Introduction to
breast cancer:
Breast cancer is an ever increasing malignancy in the past few
decades. Breast cancer awareness programs have been very popular and nowadays
self examination on annual basis is recommended for every woman of reproductive
age group.
Breast cancer is an aggressive disease in which breast cells start
over producing themselves. This overproduction is uncontrolled and can occur at
any age group but common age group affected by breast cancer is fourth and
fifth decades onwards. Incidence of breast cancer:
Breast cancer is the most commonly occurring cancer among women of
all ages followed by lung cancer in recent past owing to increased incidence of
smoking in women. Breast cancer has been the concern for World Health
Organization for long time.
Recently, there has been decline in the incidence of breast cancer
probably due to decline in the hormone replacement therapy in the post
menopausal females. Another reason for this decline is the public awareness
about the disease. Campaigns regarding breast cancer awareness have been
started throughout the world and one day of year is being celebrated as breast
cancer awareness day. Pink color is assigned to the slogan of breast cancer
awareness.
Treatment for breast cancer:
Treatment options for breast cancer have also improved over time
and with early diagnosis of disease, success rates have increased a lot as compared
to the past. Surgical options for treatment include removal of lump if it is in
initial stages and the patient is young or removal of whole breast when disease
is advanced. Removal of small lymph nodes in the axilla is also undertaken so
as to minimize any residual disease in the nodes.
Post surgical chemotherapy is also a treatment option if disease
is advanced. Radiation therapy alone or in combination with surgery or
chemotherapy is also an option.
Pathological examination, why there is a need?
After surgery, the removed breast is taken to the laboratory for
hisopathological examination. It helps to stage the disease precisely and also
to diagnose the exact microscopic variety of tumor. It helps the treating physician
to plan for any further treatment like chemotherapy or radiation therapy.
Distant metastasis, is it a death warrant?
Another important point in treating breast cancer is to scrutinize
spread of disease to the distant organ. Breast cancer is notorious for its
spread to distant organs like liver, bones, lungs or brain. Liver is the most
commonly involved organ and routine checkup is advised to monitor the status of
liver. If there is any evidence of distant spread, then the diseased is labeled
as stage IV.
Asian
Population is at increased risk of developing breast cancer:
According to a recent study performed on Asian population,
Pakistani women are reported to be at high risk for development of breast
cancer among all other Asian countries. This fact has raised some concerns in
the Pakistani women especially young girls as breast cancer is being
increasingly reported at younger age groups. The reason for this increased
incidence is probably unawareness to the disease. Recent campaigns about breast
cancer have raised some concern in the general population and people are
seeking medical attention increasingly. Annual self breast examination is the
best option to rule out early disease. Whole of both breasts are examined by
the girls themselves and if they find some lump, it is reported to the
officials and proper investigations started.
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