TITLE:
Prevalence and Clinical Profile of Breast Cancer at Anoalite Hospital in Mungbere
AUTHORS:
Jean-Faustin Atakuru Gaga, Jeremy Likilo Osundja, Jean-Marie Demupondo Lukangi, Amos Kaghoma Sivulyamwenge, Jean-Didier Bosenge Nguma, Noel Labama Otuli, Gédéon Katenga Bosunga, Jean-Jeannot Juakali Sihalikyolo, Emmanuel Komanda Likwekwe, Antoine Modia O’yandjo
KEYWORDS:
Breast Cancer, Prevalence, Clinical, Women, Mungbere
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Biosciences and Medicines,
Vol.13 No.4,
April
8,
2025
ABSTRACT: Introduction: Breast cancer is a global threat that mainly affects women. This study was conducted to assess the prevalence and clinical profile of breast cancer at Anoalite Hospital in Mungbere. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted at the Anoalite Hospital in Mungere, in the extreme northeast of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It was a cross-sectional descriptive study with retrospective collection data carried out from 1 January 2019 to 31 December 2023, i.e. over a period of 5 years. The study population consisted of all patients who visited the hospital during our study period. We used exhaustive sampling. Data collection was retrospective and based on documentary techniques. Data were entered using Microsoft Office 365 Excel 2024 and analysed using Epi-Info CDC version 7.5.2.0. Results: The prevalence of breast cancer was 18.2%. Many patients were overweight (45.6%) and 26.3% were obese. Most of our patients discovered their breast cancer during medical consultations (92.6%); almost all had a breast nodule/mass and mastodynia (95.9 and 96.8%); 75.1% had an ulceration; 94.5% had an orange peel; 13.4% had an ecchymosis; 3.7% had an eczematous Paget’s lesion. About the characteristics of breast discharge, we observed that 22.6% of patients had a lactescent and colostral discharge. As for nipple abnormalities, 75.6% of patients had breast retraction. For most patients, the manoeuvre Tillaux was positive in 97.2% of cases; most patients were at TNM clinical stage III in 94% of cases. Conclusion: The prevalence of breast cancer is high in our community. Several measures are needed to make early detection more accessible.