In Asia, Pakistan has the highest rate of breast cancer, Principal DMC
KARACHI: Principal Dow Medical College Professor Dr. Saba Sohail has said that the rate of breast cancer in Pakistan is the highest in Asia, commonly seen in premenopausal women and diagnosis in their 30’s is not uncommon. She said that most cases are diagnosed ay Stage III and IV the main reason of which is avoiding screening. She said that that timely mammographic screening can significantly reduce breast cancer-related deaths. She further mentioned that although mammography is a painful test, women over the age of 40 should undergo this test biennially for early diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer. She said this at a mini symposium on breast cancer awareness at Arag Auditorium, Dow Medical College. The symposium was organized in collaboration with Dow University of Health Sciences, Civil Hospital's Breast Surgery Unit, Surgical Unit 3, and the Department of Medical Oncology. The symposium was addressed by several distinguished speakers, including Principal of Dow Medical College Prof. Dr. Saba Sohail , Dr. Nargis Muzaffar from SIUT, Assistant Professor from Dow University Dr. Maryam Nauman, Associate Professor Aga Khan University Dr. Abida Khalil Sattar, Assistant Professor Dow University Dr. Ameema Saleem, and Head of Breast Surgery Unit Prof. Dr. Farhat Jaleel, Dr. Raja Rahul and Civil Hospital's Medical Superintendent Dr. Khalid Bukhari were also present on the occasion.Professor Saba Sohail presented an overview of reality about common misconceptions regrading radiological screening for breast cancer. She stated that a 3D mammogram is often considered similar to a traditional mammogram, but that's not the case.
A 3D mammogram increases early cancer detection by 40% while reducing false alarms for unnecessary screenings by 40%. She also presented research statistics showing that 63.4% of the Pakistani population believes mammography causes breast cancer due to radiation, 63.4% think biopsy causes breast cancer, and 38.7% attribute it to the evil eye. She mentioned that over 75% of women affected by breast cancer do not have a family history of the disease. She further stated that women aged should 30 to 40 should undergo screening, and every woman over 40 should have regular screenings biennially. She clarified that having an ultrasound does not replace a mammogram. Associate Professor at Aga Khan University, Dr. Abida Sattar, discussed axilla management for non-specialists. She spoke about ways to assess the stages of breast cancer and the treatment steps, guiding on how to provide proper direction to breast cancer patients. Assistant Professor at Dow International Medical College, Dr. Umema Saleem, spoke on the topic of surgical strategies in the treatment of breast cancer. She mentioned that surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, hormonal, and targeted therapies are used for treating breast cancer. Later, Dr. Raja Rahul presented the oncology department's statistics for Civil Hospital from 2020 to 2024.
Dr. Rahul reported that during this period, 5,051 cancer patients were registered. Of these, 1,054 (34%) were breast cancer cases, 752 (25%) were head and neck cancer cases, 834 (27%) were leukaemia cases, 195 (6%) were colorectal cancer cases, 249 (8%) were gynaecological cancer cases, and 2,867 were other types of cancers. In 2024 alone, 731 cancer patients were registered, including 140 breast cancer cases, 73 head and neck cancer cases, 42 upper GI tract cancer cases, 39 colorectal cancer cases, 24 gynaecological cancer cases, and 413 hepatocellular carcinoma, blood cancer, and sarcoma cases. He further stated that since 2020, 79 stage one, 191 stage two, 293 stage three, and 491 stage four breast cancer cases were registered, whereas in 2024 alone, 25 stage one, 28 stage two, 41 stage three, and 74 stage four breast cancer cases were registered at Civil Hospital.Later, Professor Farhat Jaleel, head of Surgical Unit III and Breast Surgery Unit at Dow University, discussed the resources available for the treatment of breast cancer at Civil Hospital Karachi. She mentioned that the hospital offers facilities such as a breast filter clinic, biopsy, ultrasound, tumor board, frozen section, sentinel lymph node dissection, routine breast surgery procedures, and level one and two oncoplastic procedures. These services are provided free of charge, in collaboration with radiology, pathology, plastic surgery, and the oncology department at SIUT.She presented statistics for the unit, stating that from October 2018 to September 2024, the OPD saw 152 patients in 2018, 1,184 in 2019, 534 in 2020, 838 in 2021, 932 in 2022, 703 in 2023, and 724 in 2024. For benign and malignant cases, there were 8 benign and 10 malignant cases in 2018, 53 benign and 67 malignant in 2019, 22 benign and 41 malignant in 2020, 33 benign and 50 malignant in 2021, 18 benign and 33 malignant in 2023, and 29 benign and 38 malignant cases in 2024, with 292 surgeries performed in total for breast cancer treatment.
He noted that in the past year, there were 2 stage one, 13 stage two, 29 stage three, and 15 stage four cases, requiring surgery to save patients' lives. She further mentioned that Unit Three annually organizes awareness campaigns, mini symposiums, and workshops for residents to spread awareness about breast cancer. Dr. Farhat Jaleel stated that for the diagnosis of sentinel lymph nodes, the provision of gamma knife, OPD records, a separate breast clinic in the OPD, stereotactic biopsy, and availability of mobile X-ray machines for breast cancer patients in the ward, ultrasound,
mammogram machine, CT scanner, MRI machine, and radiotherapy for breast cancer patients are needed at Civil Hospital. "At the end of the symposium, Principal of Dow Medical College, Professor Dr. Saba Sohail, and MS Civil Hospital presented shields to the speakers, and certificates were awarded to the symposium organizers. Additionally, the winners of the breast cancer poster competition were announced. Furthermore, at Dow Medical College, a bake sale was organized by the Pink Ribbon Foundation, Dow University students, Tumor Board Establishment Facilitation Forum (TEFF), and Soch, which included an awareness desk on breast cancer, a donation campaign for the treatment of breast cancer patients, and a photo booth.
KARACHI: Principal Dow Medical College Professor Dr. Saba Sohail has said that the rate of breast cancer in Pakistan is the highest in Asia, commonly seen in premenopausal women and diagnosis in their 30’s is not uncommon. She said that most cases are diagnosed ay Stage III and IV the main reason of which is avoiding screening. She said that that timely mammographic screening can significantly reduce breast cancer-related deaths. She further mentioned that although mammography is a painful test, women over the age of 40 should undergo this test biennially for early diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer. She said this at a mini symposium on breast cancer awareness at Arag Auditorium, Dow Medical College. The symposium was organized in collaboration with Dow University of Health Sciences, Civil Hospital's Breast Surgery Unit, Surgical Unit 3, and the Department of Medical Oncology. The symposium was addressed by several distinguished speakers, including Principal of Dow Medical College Prof. Dr. Saba Sohail , Dr. Nargis Muzaffar from SIUT, Assistant Professor from Dow University Dr. Maryam Nauman, Associate Professor Aga Khan University Dr. Abida Khalil Sattar, Assistant Professor Dow University Dr. Ameema Saleem, and Head of Breast Surgery Unit Prof. Dr. Farhat Jaleel, Dr. Raja Rahul and Civil Hospital's Medical Superintendent Dr. Khalid Bukhari were also present on the occasion.Professor Saba Sohail presented an overview of reality about common misconceptions regrading radiological screening for breast cancer. She stated that a 3D mammogram is often considered similar to a traditional mammogram, but that's not the case.
A 3D mammogram increases early cancer detection by 40% while reducing false alarms for unnecessary screenings by 40%. She also presented research statistics showing that 63.4% of the Pakistani population believes mammography causes breast cancer due to radiation, 63.4% think biopsy causes breast cancer, and 38.7% attribute it to the evil eye. She mentioned that over 75% of women affected by breast cancer do not have a family history of the disease. She further stated that women aged should 30 to 40 should undergo screening, and every woman over 40 should have regular screenings biennially. She clarified that having an ultrasound does not replace a mammogram. Associate Professor at Aga Khan University, Dr. Abida Sattar, discussed axilla management for non-specialists. She spoke about ways to assess the stages of breast cancer and the treatment steps, guiding on how to provide proper direction to breast cancer patients. Assistant Professor at Dow International Medical College, Dr. Umema Saleem, spoke on the topic of surgical strategies in the treatment of breast cancer. She mentioned that surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, hormonal, and targeted therapies are used for treating breast cancer. Later, Dr. Raja Rahul presented the oncology department's statistics for Civil Hospital from 2020 to 2024.
Dr. Rahul reported that during this period, 5,051 cancer patients were registered. Of these, 1,054 (34%) were breast cancer cases, 752 (25%) were head and neck cancer cases, 834 (27%) were leukaemia cases, 195 (6%) were colorectal cancer cases, 249 (8%) were gynaecological cancer cases, and 2,867 were other types of cancers. In 2024 alone, 731 cancer patients were registered, including 140 breast cancer cases, 73 head and neck cancer cases, 42 upper GI tract cancer cases, 39 colorectal cancer cases, 24 gynaecological cancer cases, and 413 hepatocellular carcinoma, blood cancer, and sarcoma cases. He further stated that since 2020, 79 stage one, 191 stage two, 293 stage three, and 491 stage four breast cancer cases were registered, whereas in 2024 alone, 25 stage one, 28 stage two, 41 stage three, and 74 stage four breast cancer cases were registered at Civil Hospital.Later, Professor Farhat Jaleel, head of Surgical Unit III and Breast Surgery Unit at Dow University, discussed the resources available for the treatment of breast cancer at Civil Hospital Karachi. She mentioned that the hospital offers facilities such as a breast filter clinic, biopsy, ultrasound, tumor board, frozen section, sentinel lymph node dissection, routine breast surgery procedures, and level one and two oncoplastic procedures. These services are provided free of charge, in collaboration with radiology, pathology, plastic surgery, and the oncology department at SIUT.She presented statistics for the unit, stating that from October 2018 to September 2024, the OPD saw 152 patients in 2018, 1,184 in 2019, 534 in 2020, 838 in 2021, 932 in 2022, 703 in 2023, and 724 in 2024. For benign and malignant cases, there were 8 benign and 10 malignant cases in 2018, 53 benign and 67 malignant in 2019, 22 benign and 41 malignant in 2020, 33 benign and 50 malignant in 2021, 18 benign and 33 malignant in 2023, and 29 benign and 38 malignant cases in 2024, with 292 surgeries performed in total for breast cancer treatment.
He noted that in the past year, there were 2 stage one, 13 stage two, 29 stage three, and 15 stage four cases, requiring surgery to save patients' lives. She further mentioned that Unit Three annually organizes awareness campaigns, mini symposiums, and workshops for residents to spread awareness about breast cancer. Dr. Farhat Jaleel stated that for the diagnosis of sentinel lymph nodes, the provision of gamma knife, OPD records, a separate breast clinic in the OPD, stereotactic biopsy, and availability of mobile X-ray machines for breast cancer patients in the ward, ultrasound,
mammogram machine, CT scanner, MRI machine, and radiotherapy for breast cancer patients are needed at Civil Hospital. "At the end of the symposium, Principal of Dow Medical College, Professor Dr. Saba Sohail, and MS Civil Hospital presented shields to the speakers, and certificates were awarded to the symposium organizers. Additionally, the winners of the breast cancer poster competition were announced. Furthermore, at Dow Medical College, a bake sale was organized by the Pink Ribbon Foundation, Dow University students, Tumor Board Establishment Facilitation Forum (TEFF), and Soch, which included an awareness desk on breast cancer, a donation campaign for the treatment of breast cancer patients, and a photo booth.
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