Cintia A. , Lebledparle.com
Do you know theme average age of breast cancer diagnosis in Cameroon is 42 years? This is according to Professor Julius Dohbit, a gynecologist and obstetrician. Speaking at a press meeting ahead of the third conference organized by the Cameroon Society of Senology (SOCASEIN) to be held in Yaounde, he revealed that over 4,200 cases of breast cancer are recorded annually, with approximately 2,285 deaths. This figure excludes cases in remote areas and those without access to proper medical treatment.
The SOCASEIN conference aims to address breast cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment protocols, and awareness. Experts will discuss ways to improve early detection and management of the disease. The conference is under the theme “Breast Cancer in Sub-Saharan Africa: The big challenge for weak resources”.
Professor Dohbit speaking to journalist highlighted several factors contributing to the rise in breast cancer cases in Cameroon including the lack of proper medical equipment and diagnostic tools, wrong information about the disease leading to delayed medical intervention. Another serious issue is patients seeking traditional healers or religious prophets instead of going to real doctors and the mammography issue. The cut off age for mammograms are women aged 45 and above, yet in Cameroon, the average diagnosis age is 42, making early detection more difficult.
With oncologists gathered at the conference, the goal is to find effective solutions to improve breast cancer care, ensuring that Cameroonian women especially younger patients receive timely and accurate diagnoses.
