LGH first hospital to launch breast cancer BRCA-1 test

LAHORE : The Central Research Lab of Post Graduate Medical Institute, Lahore General Hospital has crossed another milestone in the history of medicine by making possible BRCA-1 for breast cancer diagnosis.

In this regard advance test has started at LGH which has become the first public sector hospital in Pakistan to conduct advanced breast cancer diagnosis and genetic identification based testing using state-of-the-art lab, especially by imported kits for this purpose and patients have started getting benefit out of it. This was expressed by Principal Ameer Uddin Medical College Prof Dr Al-Fareed Zafar while talking to media representatives on Saturday.

On this occasion, Director Central Research Lab PhD Dr Ghazala Rubi, MS Dr Frayad Hussain, Dr Laila Shafiq, Dr Abdul Aziz and administrative doctors were also present.

Prof Al-Fareed Zafar while paying appreciation to the performance of Director Central Research Lab Dr Ghazala Rubi and her team for launching the advanced BRCA-1 test, said that the biggest benefit of BRCA-1 will be that such women who have a family history of breast cancer and those who are genetically at risk of developing this chronic disease and will be able to get an awareness of the possibility of developing breast cancer or not through the recognition of genes from the above mentioned advanced test.

He revealed that the test compares normal genes with affected ones to determine whether or not the disease is present, identifying not just one gene but a panel of seven types of genes. Prof Al-Fareed stated that like all over the world, there is an expand in breast cancer cases in Pakistan also, especially here, due to the oriental traditions and religious trends, women feel reluctant to disclose their problem to others. He further said that causes the disease to intensify and the doctor is consulted only when the complications increase which sometimes get out of control and the patient's life becomes unwarranted. Principal PGMI said that our women should not hesitate to concern doctors timely so that any kind of pain or slight lumpiness is felt in the breast cancer disease can be prevented immediately.

Prof Al Farid Zafar said that the facility of mammography test is available in all teaching hospitals.