Mrs Gifty Sarfo Annan, an Oncology Nurse Specialist at the Tamale Teaching Hospital, has urged men to periodically undertake medical screening on breast cancer to know their status.
She said this would ensure early detection and treatment and reduce any medical complications associated with the disease.
Mrs Annan said this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Tamale on the sidelines of an event organised to sensitise and screen members of blind and deaf community of the Ghana Federation of Disability Organizations (GFD) on breast cancer.
Mrs Annan said contrary to misconceptions that breast cancer could only be identified with women, it was critical for members of the public to know that the disease was on a rise among men.
She said, “Breast cancer does not discriminate. Both men and women must show interest in screening to enhance early detection and treatment.”
She emphasised that “World Health Organization reports that about 0.5 to one per cent of men are likely to get breast cancer, which means that if you take about one thousand men, one of them is likely to have breast cancer.”
The event was organised by Cancer Care for Humanity International, an NGO, which is committed to enhancing awareness creation on cervical and breast cancer.
It was also used to commemorate this year’s Mother’s Day.
Mrs Annan was worried that though the exercise was meant for both genders, men did not show up for the exercise because of the misconception about breast cancer.
She emphasised that the disease was treatable and encouraged both men and women to avoid self-medication and rather seek early medical attention.
Madam Abubakari Sahadatu Nimatu, Northern Regional President of GFD, praised Cancer Care for Humanity International for the exercise, and expressed optimism that the knowledge gained would help minimise breast cancer cases amongst them.
