October is globally called the Pink month because of its significance in the raising of awareness and consciousness of all especially women, to the deadly breast cancer that continues to ravage humanity and defies a known cure.
Pink is synonymous with women. No wonder, the colour is knotted into a ribbon and worn throughout the month to indicate support and care for women suffering from breast cancer or who are survivors.
It is in the spirit of the care and support for prevention of breast cancers in women of reproductive ages in Nigeria that leading telecoms giant, MTN Foundation has been involved in establishing six Mammography Centres within Government Hospitals in the six geopolitical zones of the country.
The first of such centres was situated within the premises of Lagos General Hospital was commissioned during the week by first lady of Lagos State, Abimbola Fashola.
According to renowned Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, University College Hospiital, Ibadan, Professor Isaac Adewole, the occurrence of breast cancers range from localised cancers such as ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) to invasive cancers that can rapidly spread (metastasise).
According to Professor Adewole, it is only through the use of an appropriate diagnostic tool that any type of cancer can be identified.
He explained that Breast Cancer isn't always detected with the naked eye although a regular monthly self examination could reveal early signs such as lumps or discharge but the symptoms are often hidden within breast tissues.
"Most times changes that occur with the breasts may not be the result of breast cancer; for example, lumps and bumps could come and go, as a woman's hormones ebb and flow, and as she ages. Likewise the breast skin may change in texture due to sunburn, radiation treatments, or infections that cause rashes. So it cannot be sufficient to conclude that a woman has breast cancer until a mammogram is carried out on her", Adewole noted.
There is increasing evidence that breast cancer is on the rise in Nigeria. Available data from Ibadan Cancer Registry indicates that breast cancer accounted for six per cent of the commonest cancers recorded during 1960-1980 period and rose to 14.8 per cent between 1980 and 1985.
Within the cancers of the female, breast cancer maintained the trend rising from 11.2 per cent to 25.7 per cent during 1960-1980 and 1980-1985 periods respectively.
Speaking at the commissioning of the Mammography Centre in Lagos, Medical Director of the hospital, Dr. Ahmid Balogun, expressed delight that the new centre would avail more women the opportunity to get an early diagnosis of breast cancer and take appropriate treatment if need be before it gets too late.
"Previously, our patients would have to collect a form and go outside to look for a private centre to do a mammogram and a lot of time is wasted if the suspected tumour is cancerous, it spreads before any medical intervention and it becomes a problem for any doctor to manage.
"But with the new centre, a patient can just walk in and get a mammogram done at a subsidised rate of about 60 per cent of what is obtained elsewhere in a private centre", said Balogun.
In her own submission, Abimbola Fashola noted that while it is advisable for women to do a monthly self breast examination, "one could miss out on the onset of cancers except one makes use of a digital machine like the mammography which is very easy for the doctor to pick whatever is there in the breasts".
She pointed out instances in which some women had been misdiagnosed through mere clinical examination only to be discovered by a mammography to have tumours found cancerous.
According to the Director of Radiology Services, Dr. Kolawole Akinlemibola, within a week of test running the equipment about 15 women were screened with only one showing macro calcification, that is the patient has a form of stone in the breast and would be followed up.
A macro calcification he explained is nothing to be worried about but a micro calcification in clusters calls for concern and follow-up with ultrasound scan or a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as the doctor may request.
He explained that when a mammogram is done, a woman should expect to be told that the screen is normal or not. "If it is normal, it means there is nothing wrong in the breast tissues and the woman would repeat the mammogram a year later.
"But if there is any particular thing found in the tissues, it would be followed up with a high frequency ultrasound scan, then stereotactic maneuvre for a histology diagnosis and appropriate treatment.
A mammogram remains the gold standard for breast cancer screening and early detection can help detect 85 to 90 per cent of all breast cancers, even before you can feel a lump, she noted, and advised women above 30 years to avail themselves to the service once a year while those with history of cancers in the family should do the screening twice a year.
Director of MTN Nigeria, Victor Odili, disclosed that the centre is equipped with a G.E Mammography machine, compression paddle, exposure control box, face shields, manual sets among others as well as standard accessory options like radiation shield, Cytoguide, stereotactic biopsy system, a 20KVA generator and air conditioner.
He said the Foundation bore the cost of the civil works carried out by Deux Project, a social sector solution provider and non-clinical training of the facility staff and will provide all the needed consumables for 12 months.
Other centres are located within the premises of Specialist Hospital, Irrua, Edo State; University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu; Uthman Dan Fosio University Teaching Hopsital, Sokoto, Federal Medical Centre, Nguru, Yobe; and Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja, Kogi State.
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