Yes, almost all breast cancer cases are found in women, but men too are at risk of contracting it. This should dismantle the belief that it is a women’s business. Not only this fact, but also, because in 2020, there were 2.3 million women diagnosed with the disease and 685,000 deaths globally. It is the second leading cause of cancer death in women.

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UN data indicate that close to half of all breast cancers occur in women with no specific risk factors other than sex and age. This means that even those without personal or family history of cancer, or a high lifetime estrogen exposure, among others, are still at risk.

For Rwanda, breast cancer incidence rate is estimated at 41.0 per 100,000 women, with a mortality rate of 19.4 per 100,000. Annually, breast cancer incidence in Rwanda is 16.1 per cent of all new cancer cases.

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Even one person dying from breast cancer is too many. Every October sees the Breast Cancer Awareness Month, with an aim to educate women about breast cancer and early detection tests so that they could take charge of their breast health.

Research has shown that early detection of breast cancer can lead to a better prognosis and more treatment options. When breast cancer is detected early, it is often smaller and less likely to have spread to other parts of the body. This means that treatment is more likely to be successful and less invasive.

Early detection can also improve quality of life. When cancer is detected early, it is less likely to cause symptoms such as pain, fatigue, and nausea. Patients who are treated for early-stage breast cancer are also more likely to be able to keep their breasts and have less disfiguring surgery.

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As a community, there are several things we can do to encourage this. We can encourage women to perform breast self-exams regularly, to feel for any changes in their breasts. We can also encourage them to undergo clinical breast exam where a physical examination of the breast is performed by a healthcare professional. Together, we can save more women just by spreading information.