Breastfeeding and breast cancer risk reduction in Sub-Saharan Africa: a look at the evidence.

Abstract

Although the association between breast feeding and breast cancer has been investigated in high income countries, only a few studies have been conducted in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The aim of this study was to critically review the available evidence with an implicit aim of encouraging more studies in SSA. A literature search in Medline, Scopus, PubMed, Google Scholar, and reference list of published studies was conducted. Key studies published between 2000-2022 were selected for detailed review based on sample size, geographical distributions and relevance of the findings. The findings were summarized using tables and forest plots based on R statistical software version 3.4.0 (2017). Twenty-two (22) case-control studies and 6 cohort studies across five regions of the world- North America, Europe, Asia South America, and Africa were reviewed. A reduced risk of breast cancer (especially oestrogen receptor negative breast cancer) associated with having a breastfeeding experience or a longer lifetime duration of breastfeeding was observed in most studies. Nevertheless, studies in sub-Saharan Africa were few and most of them were limited in sample size and external validity.