Levels of Awareness / Non-Awareness on the Incidences of Breast Cancer Among Patients Attending Oncology Clinic at the National Hospital Abuja FCT, Nigeria

Abstract

Introduction: Screening for breast cancer was conducted among patients attending Histology and Oncology departments at the National Hospital Abuja Nigeria. Our aim principally was to determine the incidence of breast cancer among female patients aged forty years and above. At least to gain a fair insight into breast cancer cases responding positively to clinical interventions in terms of Chemotherapeutics.

Methods: Study design- This is a longitudinal and prospective study in which breast samples were collected and processed from a cohort of female patients aged forty years and above attending histology and oncology departments at the National Hospital Abuja FCT.

Results: Histologically processed Breast samples that were cancerous far outnumbered those that were not cancerous among the female patients aged 40 years and above attending oncology clinic at the National Hospital Abuja, Nigeria. (P< 0.05). Likewise Level of non awareness of knowledge on breast cancer is significantly higher than awareness level among patients attending oncology clinics at 95% confidence limits. ( P< 0.05)

Conclusion: This clearly showed that Breast cancer incidence cases among female attendee oncology patients aged 40 years and above is on alarming and geometric increase. Although the work is limited by the fact that it was hospital based research! Despite the unavoidable bias the study corroborated other qualitative global breast cancer reports from other studies examined. (1,2,3, 7 refs.e.t.c). The fact remains that the global increase in breast cancer cases and the unaffordable cost of medication and treatment are becoming very worrisome!!. lack of some core basic knowledge of the disease among the affected patients needs to be reversed.