The Department of Surgery at the School of Medical Sciences at the University of Cape Coast has raised concerns over the young age of breast cancer patients.

According to the head of the department, Dr Martin Mornah, the rate at which young women get breast cancer should make the nation sit up and screen all females that go to health facilities.

Speaking at a breast screening exercise at the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital, Dr. Martin Mornah intimated that the phenomenon was a call to action on the part of stakeholders.

Dr Martin Mornah said there is a cause for worry with regards to the population that is screened with breast cancer.

“What is frightening is not just the numbers; it is the population group in which you find these patients. They tend to come as young patients,” he explained.

Dr Mornah said detecting breast cancer early improves survival, lowers morbidity and reduces the cost of care if patients can be promptly diagnosed and effectively treated. 

Effective early detection and diagnosis, he explained, reduces barriers to accessing care.

“We recommend that women who walk to health facilities should be screened so traces of breast cancer can be detected and dealt with,” he suggested.