CHANGES IN THE AETIOLOGICAL FACTORS PATTERN ‎OF BREAST CANCER IN BASRAH; A PROSPECTIVE ‎STUDY

Abstract

This is a prospective case control study conducted over a period of two years to evaluate the risk ‎factors of breast cancer in Basrah.‎ ‎ One hundred and ten female patients with carcinoma of breast were admitted to the general surgical ‎department in three main referral hospitals in Basrah and those attended to Basrah breast clinic, ‎compared with (140) women who had no breast cancer from the population as a control group were ‎included in the study. The patients were diagnosed to have breast cancer according to the results of fine ‎needle aspiration cytology biopsy and the results of histopathological examination of excisional biopsy ‎taken from the primary growth in the breast.‎ ‎ The study involved history, physical examination, laboratory & radiological investigations, ultrasonic ‎study and the results of fine needle aspiration cytology biopsy and histopathological examination.‎ ‎ The data showed that the range of age of the group affected was (41-50 years); the patients were ‎mostly from urban areas (66.36%); the married patients were most commonly affected than single ‎patients (77.27%). Most of them (76.3%) had a history of breast feeding and (27.2%) of patients had a ‎history of contraceptive pills taking. ‎ ‎ Sixty two patients had acceptable range of body mass index, and seven patients only had a family ‎history of breast cancer.‎ ‎ The study showed that the epidemiological pattern of the risk factors of breast cancer were altered to ‎some extent according to the environmental, psychological and nutritional changes that occurred in our ‎country in the last decades.‎