Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC) has called on women to seek early breast cancer screening to lessen its risks.

Without early screening the risks of dying of breast cancer are high, Dr Francois Uwinkindi, the head of Cancer Unit at RBC said.

He said Butaro Cancer Centre in Burera District has recorded 1,346 women with breast cancer cases from 2012 up to 2016.

Uwinkindi was speaking at a news conference called Monday to brief journalists about the forthcoming breast cancer awareness campaign organised in partnership with Society for Family Health (SFH) Rwanda and Access Bank Ltd.

The campaign will involve breast cancer screening and awareness on Friday at Kigali Car-Free Zone.

Over 500 women aged from 35 years are expected to participate.

Manasseh Gihana Wandera , the executive director of SFH Rwanda, called on the private sector and civil society to partner with government in battling cancer.

Dr Marie Aime Muhimpundu, the division manager of non-communicable diseases at RBC, said: "In Rwanda we are still building capacity to treat breast cancer. That is why we call for early tests. More delays mean more deaths. Information about it and early checkup will reduce the cost of its treatment.”

Symptoms of breast cancer include lumps in the breasts. Breast cancer is typically detected during a screening examination, before symptoms have developed, or after a woman notices a lump.

Excessive alcohol exposes one to breast cancer and people who are obese are more vulnerable to the disease, according to medics.

Dr Muhimpundu said most women suffering from breast cancer die in developing countries.

While 80 per cent are treated and cured in developed countries, she said, only 40 per cent are treated and cured in poor countries.

Between 2012 and 2014, a study by the Ministry of Health and partners found that the median time from breast cancer onset to diagnosis was 15 months.

Breast Cancer Facts and Figures 2015-2016, a publication of the American Cancer Society, says many factors known to increase the risk of breast cancer are not modifiable, such as age, family history, early menarche, and late menopause.

It shows that factors that are modifiable include postmenopausal obesity, use of combined estrogen and progestin menopausal hormones, alcohol consumption, and breastfeeding.

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