Risk Factors For Breast Cancer Among Women In Freetown, Sierra Leone

Abstract

Background: Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed malignancy and an important cause of cancer death among females worldwide, it accounted for 25% (1.67 million) of the total new cancer cases diagnosed and the fifth cause of overall cancer deaths. Approximately half the breast cancer cases and 14.3% (324,000) of the deaths from cancer are attributed to breast cancer and are expected to occur in poor developing countries of the world (Ferlay et al., 2015). The main aim of this study was to assess risk factors associated with breast cancer among women screened for breast cancer in Freetown Sierra Leone. Methods: This case control study, involved 116 Histopathologically confirmed breast cancer cases and 116 controls were recruited from women participating in breast cancer screening program at Well Woman and Thinking Pink Clinics in Freetown. Information on Socio-demographic, Reproductive and behavioral risk factors were collected from the two groups using a well-structured questionnaire. Analysis was carried using logistic regression to assess the associations between breast cancer and the risk factors. Results: In the final multiple logistic regression, Educational level, (OR 0.09, 0.03-0.26, p= 0.001) Physical activity for more than 30 minutes per week (OR 0.52 (1.9-16.7, p=0.001) Cigarette smoking (OR 4.4, 1.2-18.5, p=0.023) and Family history of breast cancer (OR 9.9, 2.7-36.45, p=0.040) were identified as the most significant risk factors for breast cancer. This study did not find any statistically significant associations between reproductive risk factors and breast cancer. Conclusion: This study showed that the possible risk factors for breast cancer among women in Sierra Leone include Educational level, Physical activity, cigarette smoking and Family history of breast cancer. This study therefore demonstrates that breast cancer in Sierra Leone is associated with a number of but not all of the established risk factors in other regions of the world.