Mulago National Referral Hospital has revealed an increase in breast cancer cases among men. This shocking revelation was made by Dr. Kintu Luwagga, a consultant at the Breast and Endocrine Surgery Unit, during the launch of Breast Cancer Awareness month.
Dr. Luwagga noted that the unit receives up to 1,600 patients with various breast conditions, of which 5% are diagnosed with breast cancer, an increase from 3% over previous years.
As the overall number of cancer patients surges, Dr. Luwagga explained that the prevalence of the disease among men is also rising. “Over the years, statistics have shown that 1 to 2 percent of men had breast cancer, but recently, we are seeing this number rise to 3 to 4 percent,” he said, adding that this is a strong reason for men to be more vigilant about the disease.
He emphasized, “This is why we encourage men to get involved in screening and seek care early because most of them come in when the disease is already at an advanced stage. Men should take an interest in their breast health.”
According to Dr. Luwagga, the reasons behind this disturbing trend are yet to be fully established, but research is ongoing. Meanwhile, he highlighted the need to examine genetic components, environmental factors, and personal habits such as smoking, high alcohol consumption, obesity, and poor nutrition (both deficiency and excess of certain nutrients) to fully assess predisposing factors.
A thorough examination of these factors, he stressed, can help trace the root causes of the problem. “All these are implicated, and in some cases, it’s actually a combination of factors.”
The consultant also expressed concern about the growing number of healthcare practitioners diagnosed with the disease. This concern inspired the theme of this year’s awareness week: Caring for the Carers. “Specific programs to care for health workers should continue alongside initiatives for the general public,” Dr. Luwagga noted, as many health workers are increasingly being diagnosed with the disease.
Additionally, it was noted that many patients are not utilizing available cancer care equipment, such as mammography machines, despite their availability. Dr. Luwagga attributed this to a lack of awareness, partly caused by health workers not recommending the use of these technologies.
Due to late diagnoses, statistics show that up to 50% of cancer patients in Uganda pass away within five years.