Kumasi, Dec. 11, GNA - Dr Baawuah Osei-Bonsu, Head of the Oncology Directorate of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), in Kumasi, has advised Ghanaians to change their lifestyles and cultivate healthy living, to avoid getting cancer and other related diseases.

He said most Ghanaians are being affected by the disease due to careless and unhealthy lifestyles and mentioned drinking, smoking, lack of exercises and not eating enough fruits and vegetables, as some of the bad habits. Dr Osei-Bonsu was addressing a section of the public, who had converged at the Central Police Church in Kumasi, after the 5th Annual Breast Cancer Awareness walk, organized by the Oncology Directorate of KATH. This year's celebration is dubbed "Healthy breast for the future, seek early treatment."

He expressed concern about the late report of cancer cases and said that has contributed to the high mortality rate, caused by the disease in the country.

Dr Osei-Bonsu charged women, who are mostly affected by the disease to report as soon as they detect the symptoms, adding that, it is curable when reported early.

He mentioned some of the symptoms of the disease as lump in the breast of women between age 30 and above, nipple discharge and lymph in the armpit and swollen nipple, which is painless. Dr Baffour Awuah, Medical Director of KATH said though the cause of the disease is not known, family history must be studied to find out whether the disease is hereditary and guard against it especially, when they are 50 years and above.

He called on the media to help educate the public on breast cancer to enable them to be abreast with the disease. Dr Eric Addison, Medical Physicist of the Oncology Directorate called on women to do regular self checks, use the Monographic method and visit the health facilities frequently to check their health. 11 Dec. 10