Breast Examination Has Increased – Head of Breast Unit

Mrs Florence Dedey, the Head of the Breast Unit at the Surgery Department of Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra, said this year’s Breast Cancer Awareness examination has increased as compared to the previous years.

Mrs Dedey said, ‘’last year we had 16 partner hospitals participating and this year so far, we have about 30, with 563 patients examined and about 165 level of patronage, so even the number of hospitals doing it have almost doubled. And it seems to be on a more wide-spread scale’’.

She said, in addition to the free screening, they go to media houses in Accra to talk about breast cancer awareness and the information they are sending across was for women to be free from breast cancer by regularly visiting the hospital each month for x-ray and ultra-sound that form part of the screening process.

Adding, the purpose of screening is to be able to catch and detect the breast cancer early if it is to occur, so that it can be treated effectively and be able to be cured

Mrs Dedey said, ‘’Just from the examination, it is difficult to say someone has cancer. Before you make diagnosis a of a cancer, first of all, you have to examine the person, and have taken x-rays and ultra-sound. You have to take a biopsy so you need to put a needle into whatever you find and send some to the lab, and it is only the lab that can definitely confirm that someone has a cancer ‘’.

She said, they were looking forward to extending the date beyond October because there were a lot of people still coming for the examination.

“The information we are sending across is for women to examine their breasts so as breast awareness, as we put it every month, they go to the hospital regularly to have x-ray and that form part of the screening process.

Source: GNA