BY SUKHDEV CHHATBAR
Nursing mothers have a lower risk of getting breast cancer compared with those who shun suckling their babies, clinical oncologist, Dr Hellen Makwani, told a breast cancer awareness seminar in Arusha last weekend.
Speaking at the event organised by Four Points by Sheraton Arusha, The Arusha Hotel, to mark October’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Dr Hellen Makwani highlighted breastfeeding as being among factors associated with reduced risk, emphasising that early detection could save lives.
“Breast cancer occurs when some breast cells begin to grow abnormally. These cells divide more rapidly than healthy cells do and continue to accumulate, forming a lump or mass,” she told the attentive audience.
Dr Makwani, an oncologist at NSK Hospital, urged the participants to detect changes in their breasts and seek medical assessment. Warning signs included lumps in the breast or armpit, skin dimpling, unusual nipple discharge and changes in breast size or shape.
She explained that those symptoms could also occur in conditions other than cancer, making medical assessment essential to establish their nature. Ironically, men too were at risk, she explained, and urged them not to feel embarrassed about seeking help for unusual breast changes. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), men accounted for about 0.5–1 per cent of breast cancer cases globally.
Some breast cancer survivors were among those who attended. Sharing their testimonies, they highlighted how timely treatment had helped them, reinforcing the seminar’s message about the importance of early diagnosis and treatment.
Dr Makwani’s presentation outlined that diagnosis included mammography, ultrasound, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and biopsy, which is a medical procedure to determine cell malignancy or harmlessness. Treatment depended on the type of breast cancer and how far it had spread. Care could involve surgery, chemotherapy, hormonal regulation and radiotherapy.
She implored the women to lead healthy lifestyles, which included avoiding alcohol, keeping a healthy weight, being physically active, eating a balanced diet, breastfeeding and limiting postmenopausal hormonal therapy. Also, Dr Makwani cautioned young women against using P2 emergency contraceptive pills without professional advice.
WHO identifies possible side effects of temporary emergency contraceptive pills, as including, among others, menstrual irregularities, nausea, vomiting and fatigue. The Agency advises instead counselling on more effective options for women who frequently need emergency birth control.
The seminar was preceded by a breast cancer awareness walk. Both activities attracted strong attendance.
After the seminar, members of the public accessed free screening organised in collaboration with NSK Hospital experts. The participants also had the opportunity to discuss their concerns with medical professionals.
Breast cancer is the second most common cancer among Tanzanian women, after cervical cancer. The International Agency for Research on Cancer estimated that Tanzania had 4,502 new breast cancer cases and 2,255 deaths from the disease in 2022.
Late diagnosis remains a concern in northern Tanzania. A study involving 116 patients at the Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre (KCMC) in Moshi between October 2018 and March 2019 found that most cases presented with advanced stages of the disease. While the findings related to patients at the hospital only, they still underlined the importance of timely diagnosis and treatment.
Once seen as a sure death sentence, breast cancer is currently largely curable, especially if caught early. Stages zero and one of the disease are essentially curable when caught very early or when the tumours are confined strictly to the breast ducts or local tissue. However, once the cancer spreads to distant organs such as the lungs or bones, in what doctors call Stage Four or Metastatic Breast Cancer, then it is generally considered not curable.
