Awareness for breast cancer

A ‘pink road show’ will be organised in Dhaka on Oct 22 to raise awareness on breast cancer.

It is the most prevalent cancer afflicting women in Bangladesh.

October is being observed as the Breast Cancer Awareness Month globally.

Marking the month, the National Institute of Cancer Research and Hospital (NICRH) and the Bangladesh Breast Cancer Awareness Forum jointly launched month-long awareness and free screening campaign on Oct 1.

The Forum, a platform of organisations working to raise cancer awareness, observes Oct 10 as ‘Breast Cancer Awareness Day’ in Bangladesh since last year.

Coordinator of the Forum Dr Md Habibullah Talukder said on Friday that they would organise the pink road show across Dhaka.

The pink ribbon is an international symbol of breast cancer awareness like the red ribbon is for HIV/AIDS.

Dr Talukder, a cancer epidemiologist at the government’s cancer institute said, specialists and activists would distribute leaflets directly to the people during the colourful road show.

According to the NICRH registry, breast cancer was increasing with 26 percent of their women patients between 2008 and 2010 suffering from it, followed by 21 percent who are afflicted by cervical cancer.

Globally breast cancer is the most prevalent form of cancer afflicting women, but in Bangladesh, more women were previously suffering from cervical cancer.

Delayed marriage, tendency to take babies lately and not to breastfeed children were some of the factors that increased the risk of breast cancer.