WHO warns about burden of breast cancer

Women attend a breast cancer screening camp. PHOTO|COURTESY OF PINKRIBBON REDRIBBON.ORG

What you need to know:

  • A report by the International Agency for Research on Cancer forecasts that there will be 7,753,946 new cases of other types of cancer this year

Dar es Salaam. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has ranked breast cancer among the five types of the disease that will have high new cases in 2018.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), that is under WHO, has also ranked breasts cancer among types of cancer that will cause more deaths in the world this year.

An IARC report says there will be 7,753,946 new cases of other types of cancer. That is equivalent to 42.9 per cent of all cases.

It will be followed by lung and breast cancer with 2,093,876 and 2,088,849 new cases respectively, equivalent to 11.6 per cent.

Others include colorectum cancer with 1,849,518 cases (10.2pc), prostate cancer 1,276,106 cases (7.6pc) and stomach cancer 1,033,701 cases (5.7pc).

The report says other types of cancer will account for 3,422,417 deaths which is equivalent to 35.8 per cent of all deaths followed by lung cancer that will register 1,761,007 deaths equal to 18.4 per cent and that colorectum cancer will record 880,792 incidents, about 9.2 per cent.

While stomach cancer is forecast to claim 782,685 lives (8.2pc), liver cancer will kill 781,631 people (8.2pc) and breasts cancer 626,679 people, equivalent to 6.6 per cent.

East Africa is forecast to record 40,310 cases among its women with 20,165 of them projected to die in 2018 alone.

“The alarming trend on the disease has forced us to promote health and the wellbeing of Tanzanians starting with fighting breast cancer,” said Mr Cleyton Buguzi, the director of the Mother, Father and Children (Mofachi) which is a local non-governmental organisation.

Speaking to The Citizen last week at the Ocean Road Cancer Institute (ORCI), Mr Buguzi said Mofachi that was founded by seven health practitioners targeted to diagnose 10,000 female Tanzanians by January 2019.

He said females to be found with the disease will be educated on means of living with the disease and they will be assisted on the way they could be treated according to the country’s setups.

“The only challenge we are facing is lack of awareness among the Tanzanian women. Only 50 of them have attended today’s screening from Temeke and Mikocheni out of 100 women targeted,” he lamented.

Ms Maria Mdendemi, a sociologist volunteering with Mofachi, said late discovery of the disease was the major challenge facing Tanzanians suffering different types of cancer causing high disease mortality.

Furthermore, she noted the pain of losing two grandmothers in 2015 and 2016 after delayed diagnosis pulled her for volunteering in the organisations. “My grandmother was diagnosed with the disease while at stage three and four making it difficult for them to be cured,” she said. “We need to educate our people on reporting health complications to health practitioners immediately after seeing horrifying symptoms.”

She said by improving the health of the mother, father and the children, the family could plan and build brighter future including enabling the government to implement its development strategies.

Dar es Salaam businesswoman Lecia Mbarouk said the programme enabled the women to know their breast cancer status and reduce chances of getting the disease.

Ms Mbarouk, who is free of the disease, said her confidence and knowledge on the disease had increased after screening.

“During the screening, I was insisted on ensuring I maintain body hygiene and undergo frequent screening being some of preventive measures,” she said.

The 32-year-old woman residing at Mikocheni called upon fellowwomen to go for breast cancer screening, noting that early detection guaranteed full recovery.

Ms Flora Kamugisha, a resident of Mwananyamala, said some tumours developed in her breasts and was given antibiotics at Sinza Palestina Hospital, but she was cured. “One day, our priest announced during Sunday prayers that people interested in breast cancer screening should contact Mofachi at its head offices in Mikocheni B, which I did. I was registered and got included on the list of women who will be screened during the programme. I’m happy the doctors have directed me to return on November 20, 2018 for further checkups.”

She said her confidence increased after screening because she is aware that early discovery leads to recovery. Ms Ernesta Moria said she was screening after learning that there were different types of cancer that could only be identified through screening. According to her, ORCI experts have recommended her to return to the institute on October 20, 2019 for screening follow-ups.

“I requested the experts to hold cervical cancer screening, but it was impossible because of logistics issues. However, they have promised to do that in the future after prior arrangement with Mofachi leaders,” she said.

ORCI nurse Shida Mgungo said two women out of 24 had doubtful results and had been recommended to proceed for comprehensive testing.

“They will meet our doctors for further diagnosis,” she said.

She called upon Tanzanians to visit the institute for free screening services instead of waiting for public campaigns or diagnosis when the problem has matured.

She outlined some symptoms of breast cancer as non-painful and immobile tumours, nipple discharge, change in size or shape of breasts.

Others are lump or swelling in the armpit, dimples appearing on the skin of the breast, nipple rash and nipple becoming sunken into breast.

Earlier, Mr Buguzi said Mofachi was registered by the Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children on May 7, 2018. The organisation planned to operate in Dar es Salaam, Morogoro and Dodoma.

He said apart from mobilising breast cancer screening, Mofachi aimed at educating students in schools on the need to promote good health and social wellbeing.

According to him, Mofachi targeted to form clubs in five schools in every districts of Dar es Salaam -- Ilala, Temeke, Kinondoni, Kigamboni and Ubungo -- to train the youth on means of addressing various health challenges. Oncologists say cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread to other parts of the body.

Possible signs and symptoms include a lump, abnormal bleeding, prolonged cough, unexplained weight loss and a change in bowel movements. While these symptoms may indicate cancer, they may have other causes.Over 100 types of cancers affect humans.