Overview
Breast cancer incidence is increasing in sub-Saharan Africa with scant molecular epidemiology studies performed. To combat the increasing incidence and low survival of breast cancer in Ghana, multidisciplinary research studies are needed. Population-based health surveys and epidemiological studies are critical to understand the factors contributing to the increasing incidence rates of breast cancer in Ghana. For example, the Ghana Breast Health Study (GBHS) is an epidemiological study of breast cancer conducted from 2013-2015 aimed at understanding risk factors for breast cancer in Ghanaian women, as well as potential factors associated with delays in diagnosis.
This NCI-sponsored symposium aims to:
- Bring together experts, collaborators, and advocates to review the current landscape and identify gaps of breast cancer epidemiology in Ghana
- Build new collaborative networks that can facilitate improved understanding of breast cancer risk factors to improve prevention
- Increase knowledge exchange and opportunities for early-career researchers interested in breast cancer epidemiology and public health in Ghana (and Africa more broadly).
Planning Committee
Mustapha Abubakar, MD, PhD, National Cancer Institute (NCI), Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics (DCEG), Bethesda, MD
Ernest Adjei, MD, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), Kumasi, Ghana (KATH)
Thomas Ahearn, PhD, MPH, NCI, DCEG, Bethesda, MD
Daniel Ansong, MD, PhD, KATH and Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, Ghana (KATH)
Baffour Awuah, MD, Ghana Ministry of Health, Accra, Ghana
Jonine Figueroa, PhD, MPH, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
Montserrat Garcia-Closas, MD, PhD, NCI, DCEG, Bethesda, MD
Naomi O. Ohene Oti, OCN, MPH, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH), Accra, Ghana
Lily Paemka, MPhil, PhD, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
Nicolas Titiloye, MD, KNUST and KATH, Kumasi, Ghana
Verna Vanderpuye, MD, KBTH, Accra, Ghana
Beatrice Wiafe-Addai, MD, PhD, Peace and Love Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana
Seth Wiafe, PhD, MPH, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA
Contact for Questions
Questions about the workshop may be submitted via e-mail to the Planning Committee at email: BrCaEpiGhanaSymposium@nih.gov