Breast cancer in Ghanaian women: what has changed?

Abstract

To evaluate breast cancer in Ghanaian women and to compare these findings with those of previous studies by using histopathologic data. A review of all breast cancer specimens from January 2005 through December 2009 in our institution was conducted. Of 4,109 female breast specimens reviewed, 1,342 (32.7%) were malignant. Mean (SD) patient age was 50.3 (13.3) years, and mean size of the primary tumors was 4.5 cm. Eighteen (1.3%) specimens were malignant phyllodes tumors. Significant positive associations were found between size of the primary tumor and histologic type (P = .01), histologic grade (P = .001), nodal involvement (P < .001), and TNM stage (P < .001). More than 3 decades after the first publication of breast cancer in Ghanaian women, patients are still presenting with large clinically and histologically advanced invasive cancers.