Routine checks kill cancer – MWAN President

By Julie Sylvia, Onitsha

The President, Anambra State chapter, Medical Women Association of Nigeria, MWAN, Dr Amaka Onubogu, weekend, called on women of 40 years of age and above to go for mammography for breast cancer screening affirming that routine breast checks kill breast cancer.

According to Onubogu, October is breast cancer awareness month, and as such she appealed to women of the age bracket mentioned to take advantage of the awareness month to stay safe from cancer and live longer and healthier for their families.

She disclosed that the breast cancer examination could be done in both public and private hospitals in the state nearest to the people and where the tools were yet to be provided that referrals were made.

The President added further that MWAN in the state in collaboration with Eldorado Multi-Specialist Hospital would hold a free breast cancer screening, self breast examination and mammography and urged women to pay a scheduled visit to the hospital.

Onubogu said that interested persons could reach their team of doctors for the free breast cancer screening to book a slot on the following telephone numbers 07035103939 and 07065973549.

She described breast cancer as the commonest and deadliest cancer that affect women in both developed and developing countries including Nigeria, disclosing that breast cancer accounts for 25 per cent of all cancers.

“Every minute four women die of breast cancer somewhere in the world. Nigeria has the highest burden of breast cancer in Africa and unfortunately, the rate is increasing, survival is very low but the disease is curable if detected early.

“Unfortunately majority of patients present at advanced stages of the disease,” she lamented.

Onubugo said that importance of mammography was that early detection of very small cancerous changes in the breast that were too tiny to be felt by hand during routine clinical breast or self examination was possible .

She encouraged every woman to go for test for early detection of breast cancer where a health worker will do a better examination to avoid cancer taking lives of women unnecessarily.

She said that yearly mammography is recommended for every woman above 40 years and two to three years yearly after 55 years but lamented that the awareness is low and the cost is somewhat high.

Onubogu said that MWAN has provided opportunity to increase awareness on the practice of routine mammography and opportunity for those who may ordinarily not afford to get it.

She explained that the target age of 40 is because those at that age are the commonest risk factor for breast cancer even if every woman above 40 years is at risk but the peak age is 40 to 55 years.

“October is taken for the awareness of breast cancer, otherwise tagged “pink October” , it is annually celebrated with 2023 theme as “Thrive365”.and its slogan, ,let us unite to make the world aware to close the gap in cancer care,”Onubogu said.

Onubogu added that the collaboration with Eldoardo hospital is because it is a popular mammography center and the management agreed to collaborate with the association as they have done in past years.

She commended Dr Chinemelum Emegoakor, a surgeon and chairman of Eldorado multispecialist hospital for making the year program possible.

“We urge all women of the age specified to visit us at the hospital and we thank those who have been coming since October 1st we started the screening which will last till October 31,” she said