National

Over 15000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer each year

More than 15,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer in the country every year, and a large portion of them are younger.

The data was presented at a discussion meeting on awareness about breast cancer held at Jatiya Press Club on Saturday.

Bangladesh Breast Cancer Awareness Forum organized the program.

BBCAF president and chief coordinator Dr Md Habibullah Talukder Raskin presided over the meeting.

Speakers at the program stressed carrying out awareness activities from family and raising awareness among the students at the school-college level to prevent the disease.

They also thought it can be included in the school curriculum, if necessary. 

Raskin, also a professor at the National Institute of Cancer Research & Hospital (NICRH), said screening of around 550 women has been conducted in Dhaka in the last year.

Screening activities have been accomplished in at least 30 districts outside Dhaka, he said, adding that they want to conduct the same in all the 64 districts this year. 

AAM/SU