EPIDEMIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND RISK FACTORS OF BREAST CANCER IN WOMEN DIAGNOSED AT PUBLIC HOSPITALS IN QUETTA, BALOCHISTAN, PAKISTAN

Abstract

Breast cancer remains a major global health challenge and a leading cause of cancer-related death among women. The purpose of this research was to examine the epidemiological characteristics and associated risk factors of breast cancer in women patients from Quetta region, Balochistan. The study was conducted in the Center for Nuclear Medicine and Radiotherapy (CENAR) Hospital, and Bolan Medical Complex Hospital, Quetta. In this study, 386 female patients of different age groups were enrolled from January 2021 to December 2022. Data was collected on a structured questionnaire, along with laboratory reports and histopathology findings. Breast cancer was observed to affect the younger age groups than the older age groups and mostly the married patients (61%). Affected breast cancer patients’s ethnicities were (21.76%) Pashtoon, (12.43%) Baloch,  (6.99 %) Hazara,  (26.16 %) Punjabi and (2.59 %) Sindhi. Only 49 had a family history of the disease and breastfeeding their children were observed in (62.95%) patients. Breast cancer on the left breast was the most common. Most affected patients (37%) belong to poor class and only 27 % patients had some knowledge and awareness about breast cancer. The NOS type of breast cancer was the most prevalent than other types. Most patient were in grade 0 followed by grade 1. Similarly, most patients were in stage 0 and 1. Common breast cancer symptoms were include; lump on breast, variation in breast size, swilling, redness and rashes on breast. It was concluded that breast cancer affecting the people of all ethnicities and age groups. Public hospitals are the primary cancer health care units in Balochistan. There is very lack of knowledge and awareness of about the breast cancer disease and its early signs and symptoms.