The Deputy Minister of Health and Member of Parliament for Essikado-Ketan, Dr Grace Ayensu-Danquah, has disclosed that approximately 2,000 women die from breast cancer in Ghana every year, with late diagnosis identified as a major factor contributing to the deaths.
Speaking to journalists in Parliament, she expressed concern that many women report to health facilities only when the disease has advanced, making treatment more difficult despite the availability of medical interventions that can improve survival when the cancer is detected early.
“What we are seeing in clinic is that the women come to us too late, what we call late presentation.
By the time they come it’s a little too late for us to do something about it.
But nowadays breast cancer is not a death sentence,” she said.
Dr Ayensu-Danquah explained that early detection gives patients access to a wider range of treatment options, including medication, surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
She said many women could survive breast cancer if the disease was identified early and appropriate treatment initiated promptly.
The Deputy Minister noted that October, observed globally as Breast Cancer Awareness Month, provided an opportunity to intensify public education and encourage women to prioritise regular breast examinations and screening.
She cautioned women against waiting until they experienced pain before seeking medical attention, explaining that some early signs of breast cancer were painless.
“If you see a lump in your breast, if you see nipple discharge and you are not pregnant, if you see a rash on the skin of your breast, if you see anything unusual about your breast, note that it is not pain, it’s painless,” she cautioned.
She encouraged women to conduct monthly breast self-examinations, preferably two to three days after their menstrual periods, to help identify unusual changes.
Among the warning signs she identified were hard, painless lumps, unusual breast rashes, changes in the skin resembling the texture of an orange peel, medically known as peau d’orange, and abnormal nipple discharge, including milky, clear or bloody discharge in women who are not pregnant.
Dr Ayensu-Danquah advised women who noticed unusual changes in their breasts not to panic but to seek medical attention for proper assessment.
“Don’t panic. Just make sure you go to see a doctor. The doctor will do a clinical breast exam. After that, decisions will be made whether you need a mammogram, an ultrasound, or both, and the doctor will guide you,” she added.
She also dismissed claims that undergoing a breast biopsy causes cancer to spread, urging women not to allow such misconceptions to prevent them from seeking timely diagnosis and treatment.
The Deputy Minister reiterated that early detection, regular screening and prompt medical consultation remained critical to reducing breast cancer deaths in Ghana.
