LAHORE: Pakistan has the highest rate of breast cancer in Asia and its incidence is alarmingly increasing in young girls aged 18 to 22 years.

Addressing at an awareness seminar on breast cancer here at the University of Health Sciences (UHS) on Thursday, Pink Ribbon Campaign Assistant Programme Manager Sonia Qaiser said the ailment was the most common cancer among women in the world and every year 1.3 million women were diagnosed with it.

She said one out of nine womenin Pakistan was at risk of falling a victim to the disease, adding that around 90,000 cases were reported every year in the country out of which 40,000 women die of it.

Ms Sonia emphasised it was the right of every woman to know about fatal diseases and society should not consider the issue a taboo.

UHS acting Vice Chancellor Prof Muhammad Tahir said early detection of breast cancer was the mantra to improve treatment outcomes, longevity and quality of life.

While sharing the challenges in combating breast cancer, he said Pakistan had to overcome countless barriers such as illiteracy, misconception, social stigma and lackof health facilities. He also pointed out some ethical issues in the detection and treatment of the disease.

Lady Willingdon Hospital Associate Professor Dr Lubna Jawaid gave a presentation on effectsofvitaminDlevelsonbreast cancer. She said that vitamin D3 deficiency was now recognised as one of the most significant and preventable risk factors for breast cancer. She added there were scientific evidences that breast cancer incidence reduced up to 80 per cent with vitamin D.

`To maximize the potential for cancer prevention, get vitamin D serum levels to at least 40-60 ng/ml or higher`, she advised.Oncologist Dr Najamul Hasan said awareness about breast cancer was catching up. `Girls should start self-examination of their breasts from the age of 18. Women are still hesitant to come in for screening.

They are afraid of cancer and think they will never get it. Even educated persons think cancer means death, but it is not so`, he added.

Breast cancer was no longer a death sentence, and to get this message across, there must be ef forts to dispel fears and infuse optimism into hundreds of women, their families and the community at large, he concluded.

A large number of female students attended the seminar.