Sodiq Ojuroungbe
A Professor of Radiology at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Edo State, Professor Adenike Akhigbe, has stressed the critical need for heightened awareness and education about breast cancer, particularly in men.
While addressing the misconception that breast cancer is solely a women’s disease, the professor stated that this misperception can lead to delayed diagnoses in men, resulting in more advanced stages of the disease upon detection.
Addressing the audience during the 312th Inaugural Lecture of the University of Benin, Akhigbe said men must recognise potential signs of the disease and seek medical attention promptly if any unusual changes in their breast tissue are noticed.
Speaking on the topic; ‘Seeing the Unseen: Medical Imaging to the Rescue’, the physician said this proactive strategy would significantly help early diagnoses and better results for male patients.
She, however, noted that breast cancer is less common in men.
According to her, to facilitate early detection and treatment of breast cancer, men must be aware of the risk factors and symptoms.
The professor of radiology also stressed the importance of mammography in early breast cancer detection, encouraging women to begin regular screenings at age 40.
Akhigbe highlighted the profound impact of radiological imaging on modern healthcare.
She addressed common myths and encouraged women to begin regular screenings at age 40.
“To facilitate early detection and treatment of breast cancer, men must be aware of the risk factors and symptoms.
“The misconception that breast cancer is exclusively a woman’s disease can lead to delayed diagnoses in men, which often results in more advanced disease at the time of detection,” she explained.
Akhigbe, who is a founding member of the Breast Imaging Society of Nigeria and its immediate past president, advocated for regular mammograms starting at age 40 for women.
She emphasised the need for tailored screening protocols that take into account the unique demographic and healthcare challenges in Nigeria.
Akhigbe stressed the importance of public education campaigns to increase awareness and encourage early screening, aimed at reducing the burden of breast cancer in the country
PUNCH Healthwise reports that the International Agency Research on Cancer recorded 28,380 new breast cancer cases in Nigeria in 2020, representing 22.7 per cent of new cancers and accounting for the highest proportion of all cancer types.
According to IARC, Nigeria has one of the world’s highest age-standardised mortality rates of breast cancer and the highest in Africa.
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