Factors associated with late presentation of breast cancer in a Teaching Hospital in Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Most breast cancer patients in developing countries are known to present late with advanced diseases. Patient and system delays have  been described with a period longer than 12 weeks considered as prolonged delay. The reasons for delayed presentation/diagnosis are myriad, and  some have been reported outside the African setting. The aim of this study was to investigate the socio-demographic and clinical factors associated with  late presentation of breast cancer in Surgery Department of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, from July 2016 to June 2019.

Method: A five-year retrospective review of data from breast cancer patients was carried out. A minimum sample size of 60 was deemed adequate based  on alpha level of 0.05, breast cancer prevalence of 25.7% in Nigeria and precision level ±5%. Data were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social  Sciences (SPSS) version 20.0. Bivariate analysis employed Chi square/Fisher’s exact statistics in determining significant relationship between the  dependent and independent variables.

Results: Forty-two (68.8%) out of 61 breast cancer patients presented with late stage disease. There was  significant association between age category, attainment of menopause, history of breast feeding, and late presentation of breast cancer.

Conclusion:  Our study showed that some socio-demographic and clinical factors are found among patients who presented with breast cancer, and most of them are  multiparous. Breast cancer occur among patients with relatively younger age than their western counterpart, and most of them were multiparous.