Accra:St. George's University (SGU), a medical institution based in Grenada, West Indies, has advocated for a risk-informed approach to breast cancer screening to enhance early detection and treatment outcomes in Africa.
According to Ghana News Agency, SGU emphasized that screening strategies should take into account individual risk factors and be bolstered by improved access to diagnostic and specialist healthcare services. The call for this approach was made in a statement issued by SGU and shared with the Ghana News Agency.
The statement noted that breast cancer remains the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women in Africa and is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths on the continent. It referenced estimates from the International Agency for Research on Cancer's GLOBOCAN 2024 report, published in 2026, indicating that Africa recorded approximately 225,643 new breast cancer cases and 100,070 deaths in 2024.
Dr. Tonia Frame, Assistant Professor and Director of the Global Health Unit in the Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine at SGU, pointed out that breast cancer risk varies among women and should not solely be determined by age. She highlighted that family history, genetic susceptibility, previous breast abnormalities, and other recognized risk factors should guide decisions on screening, specialist referral, and additional imaging.
Dr. Frame encouraged women to be aware of the normal appearance and feel of their breasts and to seek medical attention for any unexplained changes. SGU cited a 2025 study across five sub-Saharan African countries, which found that 21.9 percent of women diagnosed with breast cancer were under 40 years old, underscoring the need for breast awareness, clinical examination, and personalized risk assessment.
The university also highlighted disparities in access to breast assessment, diagnostic imaging, and specialist care across sub-Saharan Africa. It referenced a 2026 systematic review and meta-analysis which revealed that only 13 percent of women had undergone a clinical breast examination, with uptake affected by factors such as education, income, health insurance coverage, and healthcare access.
SGU called for stronger referral systems, enhanced training for frontline health workers, expanded imaging and pathology services, and timely follow-up of abnormal findings. The institution noted that artificial intelligence could aid breast cancer detection in regions with limited imaging capacity and specialist availability, but emphasized that technology should complement rather than replace clinical assessment and diagnostic confirmation.