Men suckling women’s breasts doesn’t prevent breast cancer – UCI

The Uganda Cancer Institute (UCI) has dismissed widespread claims that men suckling women’s breasts can help prevent breast cancer, describing the belief as false and misleading.

Addressing journalists at the Uganda Media Centre in Kampala during the commemoration of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Dr Naghib Bogere, an oncologist at UCI, said there is no scientific evidence supporting the claim.

Such misconceptions can discourage women from seeking timely breast cancer screening, Bogere warned.

“We know that breastfeeding is one of the preventive measures of breast cancer, the longer you breastfeed, the lower thelikelihood of breast cancer, and usually the benefit is recorded when you breastfeed for at least a year.”

He explained that during breastfeeding, breast cells mature and fully develop, reducing the likelihood of abnormal growths.

“These changes cannot happen simply because a husband is suckling the breasts,” he emphasized.

Bogere, however, encouraged men to play a supportive role by reminding their partners to perform monthly breast self-examinations and to seek medical attention immediately if they detect any unusual changes.

He noted that breast cancer is 90 per cent curable when detected early. The UCI also reminded the public that breast cancer affects men too, though at a much lower rate. He said about one in every 25 breast cancer patients at UCI is male.

“If we examine 100 patients, it means we’ll get 4 men with breast cancer,” Bogere asserted. “The challenge we have with men is that they think breasts are female organs and don’t know they can get the disease. So, the message is: men also have breasts, men can also get breast cancer. Men should screen their breasts for any changes, examine themselves for lumps, and visit the cancer institute if they notice anything unusual.”

Dr Alfred Jatho revealed that UCI will conduct a series of awareness activities throughout October, including community health camps, surgical outreaches, and free screenings at health facilities across the country.

Meanwhile, UCI executive director Dr Jackson Orem noted that breast cancer remains the leading cancer among women in Uganda, accounting for a large share of all female cancer cases treated at the institute.

Uganda records over 4,000 new breast cancer cases annually, most of which are diagnosed at advanced stages, he said. With early detection and timely treatment, however, up to 90 per cent of breast cancers are curable.

The institute further observed that more Ugandan women are being diagnosed with breast cancer between the ages of 30 and 50, underscoring the need for regular screening and public awareness.