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Why Ghanaian Experts Want More Focus on Colon Cancer

Stacey Knott

   ACCRA, GHANA - Cancer experts in Ghana lament that little attention is
   paid to screening for colorectal cancer, leading to a high death rate
   for the disease, despite its relatively low occurrence. They hope the
   recent death of American actor Chadwick Boseman, the star of the
   Hollywood film "Black Panther," might bring fresh awareness. Stacey
   Knott reports from Accra.

   By the time a patient comes to Dr. Clement Edusa with colon cancer, it
   is often too late.

   The medical director of the Sweden Ghana Medical Center will see cancer
   that has been misdiagnosed and spread, as the patient has sought out
   other treatments, including some from ill-equipped small clinics or
   herbalists.

   Edusa says while Ghana does not see many cases of colon cancer, as
   lifestyles change, he expects to see an increase, and there need to be
   systems in place to provide detection and affordable treatment.

   "Definitely, there is going to be an increase. But don't forget that
   apart from that, you need to have a structure in place to do the
   screening," said Edusa. "So, if you don't have a national program which
   sort of pulls in the people to do the screening, you won't get it
   early. So, you will have an increase in numbers and people coming late,
   and of course, more fatalities."

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