Breast Cancer Patients Advised To Desist From Unorthodox Treatment

Health experts say many breast cancer patients are reluctant to seek modern medical care for fear of losing their hair or having their cancerous breast cut.

Studies by Peace and Love Hospital in Kumasi suggest 70 per cent of patients avoid seeing their cancerous breast cut of or mastectomy, while 20 percent skip chemotherapy or chemical-based treatment for fear of hair loss.

Chief Executive and President of Breast Care International, Dr. Beatrice Wiafe Addai, says the misconception drives patients to resort to unorthodox treatment methods.

She says after spending time at prayer camps without success, patients return to the hospital when their condition has hit crisis level.

Dr. Wiafe Addai spoke to Luv News at a forum for breast cancer survivors who shared their experiences with newly-diagnosed patients.

She emphasizes continued education as a way of eliminating or reducing its prevalence.

Meanwhile, head of Laboratory Services and Biobank Group at the World Health Organization, Dr. Maimuna Mendy, says developing bio-banks for storage of disease samples would improve breast cancer research.

Biobanks are centres where biological samples are stored for testing nutritional markers which identify some diets and their link to cancer growth in humans.

The Laboratory Services and Biobank Group at the W.H.O is however partnering the Peace and Love Hospital to develop its Biobank Centre.