Emelia Ofori Agyemang, Senior Midwife at Bediako Community and Health Planning Services (CHPS) Compound, has reiterated that self-examination helps in early diagnoses of breast cancer at the initial stage.
Ms Agyemang also recommended an annual clinical breast examination and a monthly self-examination.
She said this during a health engagement session with students of Michel Camp ‘1’ JHS to create awareness on breast cancer.
The Senior Midwife, who is also a breast cancer and cervical cancer focal person for the CHPS Compound, illustrated that breast self-examination must start with first looking at the breast in a mirror with the shoulders held straight and arms on the hips.
She added that the arms should be raised looking out for any changes while squeezing each nipple between the fingers and the thumb gently to check for any discharge.
She said after the self-examination, the breast should be felt while sitting or standing.
She stressed that breast cancer could be prevented by breastfeeding, healthy eating, weight checks, physical activity, and avoiding alcohol or smoking.
“Breast cancer can be treated through surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and hormonal therapy,” she said, adding that it can be diagnosed through mammography or ultrasound, biopsy, chest X-ray, and breast magnetic resonance imaging.
The signs and symptoms of breast cancer include the appearance of lumps, nipple discharge, the presence of swelling in the breast, redness of the breast or nipple, and skin changes of the breast.
Ms Agyemang stressed that breast cancer may not show any symptoms at the initial stages, as it could spread to underarm lymph nodes and cause a lump or swelling even before the original breast tumour is evenly felt.
She said the World Health Organisation’s report indicated that the disease mostly occurred in women more than men and was the second leading cause of death in women, adding that, in Ghana, about 60 per cent of those diagnosed with breast cancer were found to be in the advanced stages.
Ms Agyemang enumerated that breast cancer had no specific causes but rather risk factors such as being female, hereditary, and race, noting that some controversial risk factors were braziers, abortion, antiperspirants, and breast implants.
She stressed that breast abnormalities detected should be reported to health providers for early diagnoses to save lives.