The Chief of Medical Staff at the Trust Hospital, Dr Nana Ama Abankwa, has called for a shift in cancer awareness campaigns to encompass all forms of the disease, not just those frequently spoken of.
She made the appeal at the third edition of the Trust Cancer Academy awareness programme, which was held in Accra recently.
While acknowledging significant strides in cancer awareness in Ghana, particularly for breast, cervical, and prostate cancers, Dr Abankwa stressed that many other cancers remained underrepresented in public discourse and required urgent attention.
"Cancer awareness is improving in Ghana, especially for female cancers such as breast and cervical and prostate cancer in men, however, those are not the only cancers we have in Ghana.
There are cancers in literally every part of the body," she said.
She cited lung and dermatological cancers as examples needing more consistent visibility, alongside the already well-known ones.
She also highlighted the financial burden on patients, particularly for diagnostic tests not covered by the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
"For the cancer to be confirmed, you need to do a biopsy and some of these tests are not on the NHIS.
Patients end up paying out of pocket, which delays diagnosis and treatment," she explained.
Prostate cancer
A Consultant Oncologist at Trust Hospital, Dr Lemuel Davies Bray, raised concerns about prostate cancer, highlighting the diagnostic challenges faced by healthcare professionals.
He explained that prostate cancer is a heterogeneous disease with various causes and risk factors, including family history, age, race, diet and genetics, making its detection complex.
"Because prostate cancer is the most fearsome, it tends to dominate discussions, but there are several other diseases of the prostate," he said.
To healthcare professionals
He cautioned against relying solely on Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) testing, despite its widespread use.
He explained that High PSA levels do not always indicate cancer, as infections or prostate enlargement can also elevate readings.
Conversely, some cancers produce low or no PSA, leading to false reassurance if PSA is the only diagnostic marker.
"If a patient sits in front of you with a normal PSA, don’t give false hope. Prostate cancer can still be present," he said.
Dr Bray also elaborated on the importance of Digital Rectal Examination (DRE) and MRI-guided targeted biopsies, indicating that early-stage cancers are often missed without imaging.
He stressed that traditional blind biopsies can lead to false negative results, and a negative biopsy does not definitively rule out cancer.
"When you have a biopsy result, all it tells you is that the tissue sampled did not contain cancer.
It does not mean the patient is cancer-free," he emphasised.
He advocated the use of MRI-based targeting during biopsies to enhance diagnostic accuracy.
Background
The Trust Cancer Academy, an initiative by Trust Hospital, was established three years ago to update healthcare professionals on cancer diagnosis, treatment and emerging innovations.
The annual programme gathers clinicians and medical experts to share best practices, address diagnostic challenges and promote early detection.
The two-day event was held on the theme: “Empowering Clinicians, Inspiring Innovation and Uniting Against Cancer.”
