ISLAMABAD: To tackle the growing number of breast cancer cases in the country and to create more awareness about the disease, Pakistan's First Lady, Samina Alvi, on Wednesday launched an anti-breast cancer campaign in collaboration with Pink Ribbon, a non-profitable group, in Islamabad.

In her address, while kickstarting the campaign at the President’s House, Alvi said that one out of every third woman in Pakistan is at the risk of contracting the disease, timely diagnosis of which can help prevent its onset.

She urged women not to shy away from getting themselves screened for breast cancer, while also requesting the media to play an active role in spreading awareness about the disease – a lack of which was the main reason for the increase in the number of cases reported. 

According to the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), nearly 8.2 million people die of cancer across the world each year, while 14 million new cases are registered annually. 

Cancer of the breast is the top malignancy reported in Pakistan, with more than 40,000 women dying from the disease every year. Around 77 per cent of those with the disease were above the age of 50. 

During a seminar hosted by the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital & Research Centre (SKMCH) on Monday, experts cited a lack of awareness and reluctance to share health issues with others as the main reasons why most women shied away from getting themselves examined. 

Alvi suggested for doctors and health experts to be invited on talks shows to discuss details about the disease, as timely intervention could help 90 per cent of breast cancer patients get diagnosed and cured.

Advising those who have a family history of cancer to opt for regular screening, experts also said that women nearing and above the age of 40 should undergo regular mammogram and ultrasound tests, while those above 50 should take colonoscopy tests. 

Others with a history of smoking were advised to have a CT scan done once a year. Warning that obesity further increased the risk of contracting various types of cancer, experts also advised people to opt for a more healthy lifestyle and a balanced diet.