A DECADE OF BREAST CANCER SURVEILLANCE IN NORTHERN NIGERIA: THE ZAMFARA STATE EXPERIENCE

Abstract

Breast cancer remains the second leading cause of death among women globally and continues to pose a significant public health challenge. This study examined the epidemiology of breast cancer in in-patients across three major hospitals in Zamfara State, Nigeria—Federal Medical Centre Gusau, General Hospital Gusau, and Yariman Bakura Specialist Hospital—over a 10-year period (2012–2021). Data were obtained from hospital cancer registries and analyzed to identify patterns in age distribution and gender prevalence. Findings revealed that breast cancer incidence was overwhelmingly higher among female patients, with the highest prevalence recorded in the 50–59 age group. Incidence was notably low in women under 30, but significantly increased with age, particularly among post-menopausal women. The study recommends targeted health education, routine breast cancer screening, and early detection efforts, especially for women in their reproductive and post-reproductive years, to reduce mortality and improve treatment outcomes