Risk Factors for Breast Cancer in the City of Douala: A Case Control Study

Abstract

Background: The breast cancer is an abnormal proliferation of mammary gland cells. This condition as well as other cancers is globally increasing in the world. It is the most frequent malignancy of women in the world and is a public health problem. Generally in Africa and central Africa in particular, few studies have been realized in search of risk factors of breast cancer. It’s all in this optical we began the study to determine the risk factors of this disease in the city of Douala. Patients and Methods: We conducted a case-control study, gave retrospectives collect on five years and prospectives collect on seven months. The studied population was all women aged 18 years and above with breast cancer diagnostic on histological plan for cases; and women from 18 years or more with normal physical examination and mammography. We have done our research in three reference hospitals of the city of Douala and two laboratories of pathological anatomy. The data were collected at the search files and the patients where interviewed. The parameters studied were: socio-demographic profile, clinic and Para clinic parameters, and the histological type. Results: At the end of this study, breast cancer is predominantly on young women in the city of Douala with a middle age of 44.08 ± 2.6 years. The most significant risk factors were age, age of the first birth ≥ 30 years, age of the first sexual act ≤ 18 years, low economic level, tobacco, hormonal contraceptive, parity. Conclusion: Finally, the malignancy of the breast takes a primordial place within the feminine population of Douala with many risk factors likes causes.