Men Encouraged To Screen For Breast Cancer

Dr. Patrick Kobla Quist, a retired obstetrician/Gynaecologist, says breast cancer was not a woman’s disease but a disease that can equally affect and even kill men at a faster rate than women.

He said men above 40 years were at a greater risk of developing lumps in the their breast, which could be cancerous and spread quickly to the lungs unlike women who have enough flesh around the breast and so may delay the spread of the disease to lungs and other parts of the body.

“I know of five men who have died of breast cancer…this is not a woman’s disease, men must wake up to this reality and check their breast also from time to time,” Dr. Quist added during the screening of over 200 women to test for the disease at the Sekondi Lorry Park in the Western Region.

The Screening had become an annual event on the Calendar of the Rotary Club of Sekondi/Takoradi with publicity support from the Empire FM, a member of the EIB media network, to create awareness on the disease and the need for early detection to save lives.

Dr. Quist mentioned that though some very bad cases have been detected….it was better to deal with the situation now before it spread to the liver and kidney among other areas.

Mr. Charles Thompson, President of the Club, mentioned that the club was ready to support screeners who would be referred for further test and treatment of the disease.

He said the Club saw investment in humanity as cardinal to the very existence of society and that the Club would not renege on that responsibility.

Ms. Anita Amarh, a participant who travelled from Axim to undergo the screening, told the GNA that though she was experiencing piercing pain around the nipple of the breast, examination had proved it was a collection of dirt and not linked to breast cancer.

Dr. Quist therefore advised her to use cotton to clean the area from time to time to remove such dirt.
In a similar vein, the Takoradi International Company in the Shama District of the Region screened about 50 women for suspected risk or a matured cancer / lump in the breast.

The women were drawn from female employees and wives of male employees to mark the pink October.
The screening facilitated by Cancer connect GH was on the theme “I Pledge Pink”.

The Head of Human Resource Management at Tico, Mr. Kwame Annor, said the screening was to compliment the company’s quest to keep its employees and their wives health to ensure productivity, “we are planning to include the males as it has been established that men are equally susceptible to breast cancer….it is surprising that people will not believe you when you say that men can also be affected by breast cancer.

I have lived with someone like that in the USA and I know men who have been diagnosed with the disease”.
The company according to him may extend the service to communities in the Company’s catchment area, “once we have taking care of our staff internally, we can now extend it to our communities since they are directly impacted by our activities.”

GNA