Loading…Loading…Loading…Why most breast cancers in Ghana are found late — the numbers behind the disease, the myths and barriers that delay care, and how BCI is fighting back.
In Ghana, breast cancer accounts for 16% of all cancers, making it a major public-health concern. About 4,650 cases are recorded annually, with around 2,060 deaths (GLOBOCAN). The mean age of diagnosis is 49 years — younger than the 62 years seen among Caucasians. Nearly 70% of women diagnosed in Ghana are already in advanced stages, largely due to low awareness, resulting in limited treatment success and high mortality.
In managing breast cancer, early detection is key, yet most cases present very late. The unavailability of breast-care and palliative-care centres across Ghana, poor health facilities, low awareness and a lack of screening programs all contribute to late diagnosis and poor prognosis. Contributing factors include stigma, limited education, delay in seeking care, religious and traditional beliefs, frequent use of herbal medications, and prayer camps.
As a serious health issue, breast cancer impacts significantly on the psychological posture and the social relations of the affected and his/her family. In Ghana, just like many African societies serious health problems have some religious connotations. Therefore, cancer patients — depending on the definition of their condition — may “shop around” consulting allopathic practitioners, faith healers and traditional practitioners in the quest for therapy. This plural health-seeking behaviour may pose serious problems for therapy management in the long term which could have been prevented with early detection.
Therefore, the overall goal of BCI is to carry out community outreach and engagement programs for individuals with high disparities in high breast cancer endemic areas in Ghana and even beyond. BCI’s outreach programs are led by scientists and medical personnel from the Peace and Love Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana and staff from Breast Care International. This is necessary because of the increasing breast cancer reported cases from this part of Ghana.
In Ghana, there are a lot of myths and misconceptions about breast cancer which contribute to the late-stage presentation. Some of these myths and misconceptions are:
Key among our greatest weapons in the fight against breast cancer in Ghana are education and awareness creation.
Majority of our women do not seek EARLY treatment because of the lack of knowledge, stigma and misinformation about the disease. Even more women seek non-medical treatment options allowing breast cancer to metastasize (spread to other organs) before seeking medical intervention. This means women die needlessly.
We are committed to reaching every woman in Ghana with the message that early detection and prompt action is the best protection, and that education and awareness creation are the most important remedies to the shame that surrounds this highly treatable condition.
These clinical photographs accompanied this page on the original BCI website. They show advanced-stage breast cancer — the reality behind the 70% figure — and why finding a lump early matters so much.
Make breast health education, screening, holistic treatment and support accessible and affordable to all communities in Ghana.