TEHRAN – Secretary of the Campaign for Breast Cancer Prevention said on Wednesday that breast cancer takes the life of about 3,000 women in Iran every year.

“More than 10,000 women are annually diagnosed with breast cancer in Iran,” IRNA quoted Hossein Daneshvar as saying.

Daneshvar also said that Pink Ribbon Campaign has been launched from last month with the aim of raising awareness about breast cancer in women, adding the campaign is to examine over 4,000 women starting from Thursday [today].

The pink ribbon is an international symbol of breast cancer awareness. Pink ribbons and the color pink in general identify the wearer or promoter with the breast cancer brand and express moral support for women with breast cancer. Pink ribbons are most commonly seen during National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

The examination will be free of cost and will take place in different cities of the country including Tehran, Kerman, Kermanshah, he added.

“Obesity, family history, overuse of fast foods and smoking tobacco, which has been rising among Iranian women, increase the risk of breast cancer,” Daneshvar explained.

He added that all women must be familiar with self-exams to prevent the cancer and women aged 40 and above should refer to doctor and get mammograms once in a year if required.

“If we fail to educate women on breast cancer, the number of people with the disease will double within 10 years,” he warned.

Given the medical facilities available in Iran, it is now possible to treat the cancer in the country without having the breasts removed and before going for long-term treatment, Daneshvar stated.

He also said that the treatment of each person with cancer imposes about 50 million tomans ($14.700) cost on the person as well as on the health system.

The cost will be doubled within the next 10 years, he concluded.

PT/P