Breast cancer is the abnormal growth of cells in the breast (CDC, 2022). In the year 2020, about 2.26 million cases of breast cancer were recorded, and that same year, it was also the 5th leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide (685,000 deaths) (WHO, 2021).
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2021, breast cancer accounted for 12% of all new annual cancer cases worldwide. It’s the most common cancer among women both in developed and developing countries, and a major cause for public health concern (WHO, 2021).
In the case of Nigerian women, advanced stage distribution characterized the presentation of breast cancer, with more than 70% of the cases presenting at stage III or IV compared to ≤ 46% in Europe (Abdulrahman(Jnr) & Rahman, 2012., Zheng Y et al., 2018). This is one of the major reasons why awareness needs to be raised, to educate people on the various signs and symptoms associated with breast cancer. This will in turn lead to a reduced risk of developing the disease. Read more on the effects of breast cancer on Nigerian women here.
Some of the risk factors associated with breast cancer include age, gender, obesity, family history, etc. what other risk factors do you know? How will you help raise awareness? What are the ways you can raise awareness? Tell us in the comments below.