Evaluation of a cancer awareness campaign: experience with a selected population in Karachi.

The incidence and prevalence of cancer is rapidly increasing in both developed and developing countries. The most common cancers reported in Pakistan are breast and cervical cancers in females, and lung and oral cancers in males. Public awareness of cancer can play a vital role in its prevention, early diagnosis and treatment. A pilot survey conducted by the Cancer Support Group (CSG) of Aga Khan University Hospital from 2001 till 2004 to gauge the public awareness of cancer in Pakistan revealed that people were afraid of cancer and had little knowledge about its prevention and early detection. The survey also identified several social, religious and cultural misconceptions which hinder cancer screening and treatment. In order to create awareness amongst the general public, especially the young generation, members of the CSG also organized fifteen health education sessions in schools, colleges, hospitals and communities in Karachi which were attended by more than 1,500 people. With the help of the results generated in the pilot project, education material was designed and developed for these health education sessions. Ten percent of the participants contacted CSG members for some unusual finding after administering a self screening tests taught in these sessions. This indicates the importance of holding cancer awareness sessions and the positive feedback obtained suggests that people would like to have cancer awareness sessions continued.

Evaluation of efficacy of self breast examination for breast cancer prevention: a cost effective screening tool.

Breast cancer is the most prevalent neoplasm among females and every year the number of associated deaths increases so that there is a dire need for implementation of cancer screening and early detection. A survey conducted by various locally organised cancer registries indicated breast cancer to be the most prevalent cancer among females and the second most common cause of cancer deaths among Pakistani women. Since Pakistani females do not generally engage in screening practices we argue that nurses and lady health workers should team up to educate women for the possible early detection of cancer using Self Breast Examination as a screening tool. In this paper, we attempt to evaluate the primary efficacy of self breast examination as an early and cost effective cancer screening measure, and to discuss the relation of community health nurses as well as the lady health workers to education of females of low income countries such as Pakistan to possibly lower the cancer burden.