Health experts have warned about the growing burden of breast cancer in Nigeria, estimating that one in 11 Nigerian women is at risk of developing the disease, while between 70 and 80 per cent of patients present at advanced stages.
The warning came during the 2026 Go Pink Day awareness campaign organised by the Pink Africa Foundation in Calabar, Cross River State, where hundreds of people benefited from free screening for breast, cervical and prostate cancers, as well as eye care, blood donation and first aid services.
The event, themed “Turn Up the Fight in Breast Cancer Care,” focused on improving access to cancer prevention, early detection and treatment, particularly among women in underserved communities.
Executive Director of the Pink Africa Foundation, Glory Enoh Egrinya, said the organisation was combining awareness campaigns with practical interventions to address gaps in cancer care.
“We are not just creating awareness. We are backing it up with action,” she said.
Egrinya identified late presentation and inadequate awareness as major factors contributing to cancer-related deaths. She urged women to examine their breasts regularly and seek medical attention immediately when they notice unusual changes or lumps.
She, however, clarified that not every breast lump is cancerous.
According to her, the foundation has supported several mastectomies and chemotherapy treatments, with a number of patients surviving after early diagnosis and intervention.
Egrinya disclosed that more than 50 cases had been reported at the foundation’s centre since January, but lamented that some patients could not afford transportation, diagnostic tests and other basic medical expenses.
She called on the government to subsidise cancer treatment, provide additional radiotherapy equipment and recruit more oncologists to improve access to specialised care in Cross River State.
She noted that existing facilities, including the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, were struggling to meet the growing demand for cancer services.
“Women in rural areas like Ikom don’t have access,” she said, urging authorities to address the financial difficulties forcing patients to choose between healthcare and feeding their families.
Also speaking, Executive Director of Asi Ukpo Hospitals and Asi Ukpo Comprehensive Cancer Centre, Calabar, Yegwa Ukpo, said Nigeria records approximately 144,000 new cancer cases annually.
He identified breast cancer as the leading cancer among women, followed by cervical cancer, while prostate cancer remains a major concern among men.
Ukpo said between 60 per cent of patients visiting his hospital were breast cancer patients, adding that 70 to 80 per cent of those diagnosed with the disease arrived at advanced stages.
He stressed that men could also develop breast cancer and encouraged both sexes to seek appropriate medical checks.
Ukpo urged Nigerians to undergo regular medical examinations, noting that some cancers could develop without obvious symptoms in their early stages.
He also called for greater efforts to make cancer treatment affordable, disclosing that his hospital was discussing with the National Health Insurance Authority the inclusion of cancer care in health insurance coverage.
The Director General of the Cross River State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Vivian Mesembe Otu, described breast cancer as a major cause of cancer-related deaths among women in Nigeria and Africa.
She attributed late diagnosis to poor awareness, ignorance and cultural beliefs, urging women to seek medical help rather than suffer in silence.
Otu identified family history, obesity, physical inactivity and smoking among factors associated with breast cancer risk. She also raised concerns about limited healthcare resources and counterfeit medicines.
She said the Medical Women’s Association of Nigeria, Cross River Chapter, provides free breast and cervical cancer screening on the second Wednesday of every month at its facility on Barracks Road, Calabar.
According to her, the government is also promoting wider enrolment in national and State health insurance schemes, while the Pink Africa Foundation offers free mastectomy for confirmed cases at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital.
She added that awareness campaigns were being extended to rural communities through radio jingles, social mobilisation officers across local government areas and social media.
President of the association’s Cross River branch, Dr Funke Ebughe, reiterated the estimate that one in 11 women faces a risk of breast cancer, adding that men account for between 0.5 and one per cent of cases.
Ebughe explained that risk factors could be divided into non-modifiable factors, such as being female, increasing age, family history and certain genetic mutations, and modifiable factors, including alcohol consumption, tobacco exposure and a sedentary lifestyle.
She listed warning signs to watch for as breast lumps, skin changes resembling orange peel, dimpling and unusual nipple discharge, including clear, coloured or bloody fluid outside breastfeeding.
Ebughe urged Nigerians to share accurate information, reject cancer-related myths and support efforts to improve early detection, warning that the growing burden of the disease required collective action beyond healthcare professionals.
She called on individuals, communities and government institutions to strengthen prevention, screening and treatment initiatives to reduce avoidable deaths from breast cancer.
- Media Report