ISLAMABAD: First Lady Begum Samina Alvi has underscored the need for maximum awareness regarding breast cancer as its early detection is the only way for its complete recovery.

She was addressing a breast cancer awareness seminar organized by Allama Iqbal Open University in Islamabad on Tuesday. The First Lady called upon women to dedicate at least few minutes for themselves every month for breast self-examination.

She said this is the only way that the disease can be diagnosed at an early stage and can be successfully cured. Speaking on the occasion, health experts called for preparing a comprehensive countrywide database to maintain the record of breast cancer cases and all relevant data related to disease. They said through this database all information related to the disease will be collected and organized and this will help in arranging facilities for its treatment and screening.

They noted with concern that one in every nine Pakistani women are diagnosed with breast cancer and the death rate due to the disease is also the highest in Asia because it is not diagnosed at early stage. They said there are 99 percent complete recovery chances if the cancer is diagnosed at initial stages therefore all-out efforts need to be done for its early diagnosis.