A Lecturer and chemical pathologist at the School of Medical Sciences at UCC, Dr. Frank Ghartey, has revealed that healthcare practitioners are seeing more breast cancer cases than before.
Speaking in an interview on the Atlantic Wave, he explained that breast cancer, which remains a leading cause of death among women, has become more prevalent due to lifestyle changes.
He said this is largely due to urbanization and civilization which makes people less physically active while having more access to food than before.
“So, we’re getting obese and overweight and calorie density is one thing that’s another risk factor. So, this disease is not a spiritual thing,” he said “It is lifestyle related and it has been there for more than almost 4,000 years, it has been there with us.”
Debunking several myths, Dr. Ghartey emphasized that breastfeeding can significantly reduce the risk of breast cancer.
He indicated that the notion that men sucking breasts could reduce the risk of breast cancer is untrue adding that it is breastfeeding by infants that protects the mother from breast cancer.
Explaining this, he said “It’s the breastfeeding because during that time some hormones are at play when a woman gives birth to a child…
“There’s something called a prolactin influence on the breast and all that. The prolactin hormone itself is like a natural contraceptive. So, it reduces the number of menstrual cycles the woman will have while she’s breastfeeding.”
According to him, women who menstruate are at a hundred times the risk of getting breast cancer establishing why men are at a lower risk of developing breast cancer.
“So, anything that will minimize the number of menstrual cycles in a woman’s lifetime would reduce her risk for breast cancer,” he said.
As the world marks October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Dr. Ghartey encouraged women to make breast screenings a regular habit to catch any early signs of the disease.
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Source: Afote Asomdwoe Laryea/ATLFMNEWS
