2023 Volume 31 Issue 2 Pages 39-41
Breast cancer (BC) is the leading cause of cancer mortality in Pakistan and other South Asian countries. Recent statistics indicate an increased risk of BC incidence and mortality among women in this region. Many factors have been associated with increased mortality from this disease including late detection due to inadequate knowledge of screening, and financial constraints due to which many women do not undergo screening tests. Other causes that have led to the deterioration of the disease status among females include a lack of public knowledge of BC's symptoms and misconceptions taking root from cultural reasons. This situation has called into question the effectiveness of BC awareness campaigns, as they may not have achieved the desired results that were originally envisioned. In this paper, we highlight the shortcomings of the awareness campaigns in Pakistan: lack of BC knowledge, financial constraints, and inaccessible healthcare facilities; and suggest alternatives for reducing breast cancer incidence and mortality.
