Epidemiology of breast cancer among the female patients in Bangladesh

Abstract

Breast cancer was the commonest cancer among the female patients who attended Institute of Cancer Research & Hospital (NICRH), Dhaka, Bangladesh, which formed the second most common cancer worldwide. An expressive cross-sectional study was conceded out in NICRH. By convenience sampling, 322 female patients were selected. A design and well formatted pre-tested questionnaire was used to ask questions among the breast cancer patients. The objectives of the study was to investigate the distribution and determinants of breast cancer among the female patients admitted in NICRH. The period of the study was during July 2010 to June 2011. Majority (71 %) of the patients was in the age between 34 to 53 years and they were coming from rural areas. About 77 % respondents had experienced first menstruation in the age between 12 to 13 years. It was found that 42 % respondents gave their first child birth in between 21 to 25 years age and among all the respondent 64 % became pregnant up to 3 times. It also noted that 89 % respondents had practice to use oral contraceptives. While trying to get their history of contraceptive use; it was found that 42 % used contraception in between 4 to 6 years. In this study we found that 90 % of the respondent’s had the practice to breast fed their baby. But 24 % of the respondent’s have used HRT and among them 69 % had used it by ≤3 years. Around 56 % respondents had the parenchymal pattern of breast in mammography. Forty two percent respondent’s had the history of disease on breast cancer and 25 % had the history of benign breast cancer and also 2 % had the experiences to use radiation. This study explored the overall scenario of breast cancer among the patients admitted to NICRH in Bangladesh context; understanding the different type of determinants, risk factors to developing breast cancer and the distribution of patients in different area which will help to build up the national awareness. Measure should be taken immediately to detect the factors that were associated with breast cancer. This study was a very little one in respect of the national situation in our country and the result reflected only a fraction of the original condition. Broad based study in large population with sound methodology is required to find out real situation about this matter in Bangladesh.