A new study conducted at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi has found that a simple blood test could help detect colorectal cancer earlier in Ghana.
The research was conducted by Dr. Tonnies Abeku Buckman, an Immunology doctoral graduate from the Department of Molecular Medicine at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi (KNUST). His study examined how colorectal cancer develops among patients in Ghana and explored ways the disease can be detected earlier.
According to the research, certain signs in the blood linked to the body’s immune system can help doctors identify colorectal cancer. These blood markers could make it easier to diagnose the disease without relying only on traditional tissue biopsies, which are often invasive and expensive.
Buckman said his interest in the topic came from the growing role of the immune system in treating cancer.
“The immune system should have a unique role to play. It has been shown that immunotherapy is now a promising treatment for cancers, so I thought it was important to study how the immune system helps fight cancer,” he explained.
The study also examined how long patients with colorectal cancer survive after diagnosis. Buckman said the results show that survival rates in Ghana are still worrying.
“My study looks at the survival of colorectal cancer patients over the years. It will interest you to know that many of them die within five years of diagnosis,” he said.
According to his research, about six out of every ten people diagnosed with colorectal cancer in Ghana die within five years.
He noted that survival rates are much higher in many other countries because cancers are detected earlier.
“The survival rate in other countries is high. My research shows that six out of ten colorectal cancer patients in Ghana die within five years,” he added.
The study also found that many patients arrive at the hospital when the disease has already reached an advanced stage. Symptoms such as abdominal pain, rectal bleeding, and intestinal blockage are common signs at that stage.
Buckman warned that colorectal cancer, which used to affect mostly older adults, is now increasingly being diagnosed in younger people.
“Interestingly, the disease is moving from the elderly to the younger population,” he said.
He explained that lifestyle habits may be contributing to the rise in cases.
“High intake of red meat is one of the lifestyle factors associated with the disease,” he noted.
Buckman stressed that screening is the best way to reduce deaths from colorectal cancer.
“Screening is the best thing we can do. Colorectal cancer is taking a lot of lives,” he said.
He also believes that advances in immunotherapy could help treat some patients in the future.
“Immunotherapy is promising, especially for people in high-risk groups,” he said.
According to him, early detection and improved treatment will not only save lives but also reduce pressure on hospitals.
“It will reduce the burden on our health facilities,” he added.
Story: Emmanuel Kwasi Debrah
This article is part of the KNUST Doctoral Dialogue Series, an initiative by the School of Graduate Studies in partnership with the University Relations Office, aimed at highlighting doctoral research and its contributions to society.
