Minal Khan posted a picture on Instagram on Thursday wearing a shirt featuring a pink ribbon, urging people to check for signs of breast cancer. Khan wore the ribbon to support women who face breast cancer, survivors, and women who prioritise their health.
Doctors recommend that women conduct a self-breast examination once every month, a process taking two to three minutes. This examination involves checking for visual changes in the breasts while standing before a mirror.
Any unusual changes in the size, shape, skin colour, or nipples warrant a consultation with a medical practitioner. The second component of the check requires feeling the breasts and armpits for any lumps, which should be done while standing upright and while lying down.
Experts advise that women should not perform this self-breast examination more frequently than once a month. Estimates from 2024 suggest that one in every eight women in Pakistan may develop breast cancer at some point in their lives.
Furthermore, the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital estimates that 83,000 women in Pakistan receive a breast cancer diagnosis each year. October is recognised as breast cancer awareness month.
