Photo: BSS

RANGPUR, Oct 31, 2025 (BSS) - At a multidisciplinary seminar, experts have emphasized regular screening, healthy lifestyle, maintaining a healthy weight, physical activity, balanced diet rich in fruits and vegetables, and timely treatment to prevent breast cancer.
 
The Surgery Department of Rangpur Medical College (RpMC) organised the post-rally seminar on 'Breast Cancer Awareness' at the institution's Lecture Gallery-1, marking the Breast Cancer Awareness Month- 2025 on Thursday afternoon. 
 
RpMC Principal Professor Dr Md Nazrul Islam attended the event as the chief guest with its Vice-principal Prof Dr Md Anowar Hossain in the chair.
 
Director of RpMCH Brigadier General Dr Ashiqur Rahman, Head of the Pathology Department Prof Dr Md Mostafizur Rahman Akand, Head of the Medicine Department Associate Prof Dr Md Mokhlesur Rahman Sarkar, Head of the Department of Radiology Associate Prof Dr Fahmida Nahid, Radiotherapist Dr Shafiqul Islam, former RpMC Principal Prof Dr Md Syed Abu Taleb and Associate Prof of the Department of Surgery Dr Md Abdul Baset, among others, addressed as special guests.
 
Junior Consultant of the Surgery Department of Rangpur Medical College Hospital (RpMCH) Dr Samiha Tasnim Munmun delivered a Power-Point presentation providing information and pictures about breast cancer at the seminar.
 
She said a total of 1,137 patients came to the Breast Clinic of RpMCH for breast problems from April to September this year.
 
Of them, 54 have been diagnosed with breast cancer, and 42 of them are stage three or four breast cancer patients.
 
"Out of the 267 cancer patients who underwent surgery at RpMCH, 15.54 percent were diagnosed with rectal cancer, 21.9 percent with colon cancer, 24.42 percent with stomach cancer and 37.74 percent with breast cancer," said Dr Samiha.
 
Out of 267 cancer patients who underwent surgery at RpMCH in the last five months, 102 are breast cancer patients.
 
"Many women, affected by breast cancer, are dying because they are not able to get timely treatment," she added.
 
The experts put importance on regular screening, such as mammograms, for early detection and success of treatment of breast cancer, which is the abnormal, uncontrolled growth of cells in the breast, forming a tumor that can spread to other parts of the body.
 
The seminar informed that RpMCH was officially awarded for securing third place in the country in collecting data on population-based cervical and breast cancer screening programmes including electronic data tracking.
 
Earlier, a public awareness raising rally on breast cancer prevention from the medical college premises circled the whole RpMCH campus.