Pattern of histological types of breast cancer among various age groups in the Niger delta.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: With breast cancer being a most common scourge in the country, there is need to define the epidemiological pattern of breast cancer patients in the Niger delta;
assessing their age distribution and histological types towards improved health care planning.
OBJECTIVE: To determine the pattern of histological types of breast cancer among various age groups in two major hospitals in the Niger Delta.
DESIGN: Descriptive study.
SETTING: Central hospital Warri, Delta state and University of Benin Teaching Hospital,Edo state.
SUBJECTS: The biodata and histological type of 216 breast cancer patients seen at both hospitals between 2000 and 2010 were extracted from hospital records, collated and analysed using simple descriptive statistics.
RESULTS: The age range was 20- 92years. Fifty six percent of cases occurred between 30- 50 years. Mean age was 48.12 years_+14.33, median age 48 years and modal age range 36- 40 years. Invasive ductal carcinoma was the commonest histological type at 87.0%. Intraductal carcinoma was very minimal at 4.4%. The right breast was involved in 49.1% and left breast, 50.1% of cases. One case of bilateral breast cancer was noted.
CONCLUSION: Breast cancer in the Niger Delta commonly occurs at premenopausal ages. A majority occurring between the third to fifth decade of life. Invasive ductal carcinoma is the commonest histological type.