Socio-demographic, pattern of presentation and management outcome of breast cancer in a semi-urban tertiary health institution

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in females worldwide and a major cause of cancer-related deaths in both developing and developed countries. The objective of this study was to determine the socio-demographics, pattern of presentation and management outcome of breast cancer patients. METHODS: Clinical records of confirmed breast cancer patients between January 2011 and December 2015 at the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria were reviewed. RESULTS: Eighty two breast cancer patients were seen. Their ages ranged from 26-95 years (mean 48.9±14.9 years, median 47.5 years). Eighty one (98.8%) were females and the majority (65.4%) were premenopausal. The peak age of incidence was in the 4th decade. All patients presented with breast lump with mean duration of 9.49±6.1 months and size ranging from 2 to 16cm (mean 7.9±3.4 cm). Ten (12.2%) patients presented early, 61 (74.4%) were locally advanced while 11 (13.4%) had distant metastases. Fifty one (62.2%) patients had mastectomy. Only 38 (46.3%) patients completed six courses of chemotherapy. None had immunohistochemistry but they all routinely took tamoxifen. Only 4 (4.9%) had radiotherapy. Nineteen (23.2%) died within a year of presentation. The follow-up period ranged between 1 and 44 months (mean, 10.3 months). Thirty one (37.8%), 19 (23.2%) and 8 (9.8%) patients were seen during the first, second and third year of follow up respectively. CONCLUSION: Breast cancer mostly affects young premenopausal women presenting in advanced stage in our setting. The generally poor outcome is not unconnected with late presentation and inadequate diagnostic and treatment facilities.

Keywords

• breast cancer
• clinical presentation
• socio-demographics
• treatment outcome