Risk Factors for Breast Cancer Among Patients in Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital: A Case Control Study

Abstract

Background: Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer among women in both high-resource and low-resource countries. According to WHO Global Burden of Disease, 2004, breast cancer accounts for 16% of all female cancers with majority (69%) of breast cancer deaths occurring in developing countries. Although breast cancer incidence rate is said to be increasing worldwide, little is known about the determinants of the disease in Africa and currently, there is no data available on breast cancer risk factors in Ghana. There is therefore the need to identify potential risk factors for breast cancer among Ghanaian women so as to tackle this public health burden with effective preventive strategies. Objectives: The goal of this study was to identify risk factors that contribute to breast cancer among women in Accra, Ghana; specifically to determine reproductive, hormonal and behavioural factors contribution to breast cancer among a subgroup of women in Ghana. Methods: An unmatched case control study was conducted among breast cancer patients at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital from May to July, 2010. Using a systematic random sampling, a total of 126 incident breast cancer patients were selected from the hospital attendance register at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital Breast Clinic. Controls were relatives of the cases. Open and close-ended, self-administered questionnaires were used to collect information on demographic, reproductive, hormonal, behavioural and anthropometric factors. Results: This study has contributed to new knowledge of breast cancer epidemiology in Ghanaian women. Educational status, family history of breast cancer and smoking habits were identified as the most significant risk factors among breast cancer patients. This study found no statistically significant associations between hormonal risk factors and breast cancer. Conclusions and recommendations: This study revealed that the potential risk factors for breast cancer among Ghanaian women include educational status, family history of breast cancer as well as smoking habits. Further investigations are recommended, probably a population based study, to identify and establish the true contribution of each possible risk factor that may be particularly important in the development of breast cancer in this and other populations of African origin.