Daijiworld Media Network - Islamabad

Islamabad, Feb 20: Nearly 10,000 children are diagnosed with cancer in Pakistan every year, yet fewer than 30 per cent survive — a stark statistic health experts attribute to delayed diagnosis, limited treatment infrastructure and financial hardship.

The figures were shared during a “Health Wise” awareness session on childhood cancer organised by the Indus Hospital and Health Network, according to a report by The Express Tribune. Experts noted that globally around 400,000 children and adolescents are diagnosed with cancer annually, with nearly 80 per cent of cases occurring in low- and middle-income countries.

While developed nations report survival rates between 80 and 85 per cent, outcomes in developing countries remain significantly lower due to late detection and inadequate access to specialised care.

Dr Naeem Jabbar, Consultant in Pediatric Haematology-Oncology, emphasised that most childhood cancers are treatable if identified early. He explained that, unlike many adult cancers, childhood cancers are rarely linked to lifestyle factors and often have no clearly defined cause. With timely and appropriate intervention, cure rates can reach as high as 85 per cent.

However, in Pakistan, survival rates are hampered by multiple systemic challenges, including delayed recognition of symptoms, insufficient supportive care facilities, a shortage of trained specialists, limited access to specialised treatment centres and a high rate of treatment abandonment.

Among the most frequently diagnosed childhood cancers in the country are leukaemia, lymphoma, brain and spinal tumours, bone tumours, soft tissue sarcomas, neuroblastoma, Wilms tumour and retinoblastoma. Treatment options such as chemotherapy, surgery and radiotherapy are available, experts said, but outcomes depend heavily on early initiation.

Responding to questions from the media, Dr Shumail Ashraf, Consultant Pediatric Oncology and executive director of the Medical Services Directorate, stated that the Pediatric Haematology-Oncology Department in Karachi handles approximately 1,000 new cases each year. Since 2014, more than 16,000 children have received treatment, and around 1,300 are currently undergoing care.

Experts concluded the session by stressing that early diagnosis can dramatically improve survival chances and called on parents, teachers, healthcare providers and the media to strengthen awareness efforts so that every child has an equal opportunity to receive timely treatment.