‘Educate communities on early, regular breast cancer examinations’

Rev Prof Paul Frimpong- Manso-president of FMI

 The Frimpong-Manso Insti­tute (FMI) has urged gov­ernment and stakeholders to continue to educate commu­nities on the need for early and regular breast examinations.

According to the Institute, early detection was the best chance to reduce its adverse effects on women.

This was contained in a statement copied to The Spec­tator in Accra on Monday.

According to the statement, data from the World Health Organisation (WHO) indicates that 2.3 million women have breast cancer and about 685,000 died from the disease in 2020.

Also in the same year, it said 7.8 million women were reported to be living with breast cancer for five years, making it a predominant can­cer among females.

“There is no doubt that breast cancer is a public men­ace, therefore it needs much attention so that it does not overwhelm our coping health systems,” it said.

Breast cancer, it stated, was said to be exclusive to women but was also now af­fecting men.

The statement said some risk factors included obesi­ty, excessive alcohol intake, family history, early menarche, tobacco use and postmeno­pausal therapy.

It added that 50 per cent of breast cancers were without notable risk factors except for being a female and an adult over 40 years.

It said symptoms of breast cancer may include breast lumps, without pain, change in size of breast or nipple appear­ance and bloody fluid from the nipple while there may also be no signs in the early stage of the cancer.

The statement said the cancer could spread to other organs such as lung, liver and the brain.

In the statement, FMI congratulated health workers in the country for leading the charge against breast cancer through advocacy, screening and survivor management.

The Institute also com­mended Dr Mrs Beatrice Wiafe Addai of the Breast Care International and Peace and Love Hospitals for champion­ing breast care for over two decades in the country.

“We acknowledge your immense contribution to educating many and providing management for the condition which has improved the quality of life of breast cancer survi­vors,’ it said.

It therefore urged Ghana­ians to promote awareness on the disease and the need for more women to get screened early and on regular basis in the month of October.

 By Jemima Esinam Kuatsinu