Breast Cancer Trend: A Case Study of a Tertiary Health Institution in Nigeria

Background: Breast cancer is a major global health problem in women from both developing and developed countries. As the leading cause of death among women, breast cancer has contributed 19.5% to the mortality rate among women in Nigeria. This study investigated the trend of breast cancer among women who attended Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido-Ekiti, Nigeria. Methods: This retrospective study examined the trend of breast cancer over a period of eight years and determined the most affected age group. Participants consisted of patients registered in the cancer registry who had histologically confirmed breast cancer. Data of 362 patients were examined between March and April 2016. Data were analyzed and presented using descriptive (frequency, charts, and percentages) and inferential statistics (Fisher’s exact) for hypothesis testing. Results: Findings of this study revealed that the mean age of the participants was 45.04±16.94 years and all patients involved were females. The age group 20-39 years was most affected by breast cancer with a proportion of 41.7%. This study revealed a relationship between breast cancer classification and age of patients (P=0.011). Almost all (94.3%) cases seen within this time period were malignant. Conclusion: Healthcare professionals should place more emphasis on prevention of breast cancer across all age groups, especially young adults. These young adults constitute the larger percentage of the adult population. An increase in mortality rate in this age group will reduce the labor force and affect the nation’s economy.