Kumasi, Sept. 9, GNA – A breast cancer surgeon has called on the government of Ghana to institute a national basic screening procedure for breast cancers.
Dr Joseph Kwaku Oppong, the immediate-past Head of Surgery at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi, who made the call, argued that when cancer screening programmes were standardized and high-resolution ultrasounds made available at various health facilities, women could examine their breasts, identify abnormalities and report early signs and symptoms of breast cancer for treatment.
Again, the National Health Insurance Scheme should not be for only curative purposes but should be proactive, preventive and compulsory to ensure that people go for regular medical check-ups, particularly for breast and other cancer screening.
Dr Oppong pointed out that it was time-conscious efforts were made to intensify public education on the importance of breast cancer screening, especially at the senior high school levels.
This, he said, would help to reduce late detection of breast and other cancers and early treatment.
He was speaking at the 6th Annual International Symposium jointly, organized by the International Center for the Study of Breast Cancer Subtypes (ICSBCS), the Weill Cornell Medicine, a medical school in New York and KATH.
It was held under the theme: “Improving Breast and Gynaecological Cancers Management and Outcomes in Low- and Middle-Income Countries.”
Dr Oppong indicated that though there could be some survivors, breast cancers were deadly all over the world, adding that, though the prevalence rate of cancers was significant, many of them were still not reported.
“Now if you take away road accidents, it is the leading cause of mortality and morbidity, I mean cancers in general,” he observed.
He said some patterns of breast cancer were more aggressive than others, citing the pattern known as Triple Negative Breast Cancer as one.
These Triple Negative Breast Cancers, according to him, were more common among women from western, Sub-Saharan Africa as compared to European and White American women.
Other challenges associated with cancers had been the high cost of the drugs used for treatment, the golden standard of treatment, which was to remove the cancers as well as financial constraints, which at times made it difficult for surgeons to open up and make the diagnosis.
He said the partnerships with various stakeholders would help to unravel the genetic and biological causes of Triple Negative Breast Cancer and help surgeons develop better treatments for these tumours.
It would also help in capacity building for Africa, as America invests in the oncology services and resources of local communities.
The mission of the ICSBCS is to reduce the global breast and gynaecological cancer burden through advances in research and delivery of care to diverse populations worldwide.
Source: Ghana News Agency
