Metastatic breast cancer in a Nigerian tertiary hospital.
Afr Health Sci
; 11(2): 279-84, 2011 Jun.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-21857862
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Late presentation of breast carcinoma is common in resource-limited countries with attendant poor outcome.OBJECTIVE:
To describe the pattern of clinical presentation and challenges of treating patients presenting with metastatic breast carcinoma in a Nigerian hospital.METHOD:
Clinical records of all patients who presented with metastatic breast carcinoma between January 1991 and December 2005 at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ile-Ife, Nigeria were reviewed.RESULTS:
More than half of all histologically confirmed breast cancer patients seen within the study period presented with metastatic disease. Their ages ranged between 20-81 years with a mean age of 45.9 years. Only 3% (6 of 202) were males. Two-thirds had more than one secondary site on initial evaluation and the commonest sites were liver (63%), lung parenchyma (51%), pleura (26%) and contralateral breast in 25%. On immunohistochemistry, basal like tumours were found in 46.1%. Mastectomy was done in 37 patients with fungating breast masses while only one third of those referred to a nearby center for radiotherapy had it done. One year survival rate was 27%.CONCLUSION:
Metastatic disease is common in Nigeria and treatment is limited due to resource limitations. Improved awareness of the disease is advocated to reduce late presentation.Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Breast Neoplasms
/
Neoplasms, Basal Cell
/
Combined Modality Therapy
Type of study:
Diagnostic_studies
/
Observational_studies
/
Prognostic_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Limits:
Adult
/
Aged
/
Aged80
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
Country/Region as subject:
Africa
Language:
En
Journal:
Afr Health Sci
Journal subject:
MEDICINA
/
SERVICOS DE SAUDE
Year:
2011
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Nigeria