FREQUENCY AND RISK FACTORS OF BREAST CANCER AMONG YOUNG AND MIDDLE-AGED WOMEN.

JPUMHS;2024:14:04,226-233. http://doi.org/10.46536/jpumhs/2024/14.04.582

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer related deaths worldwide and
becoming more common in Pakistan. Trend is now shifting to young and middle-aged
women. Data is limited in this regard from Pakistan. That is why this study aims to determine
the prevalence and risk factors of breast cancer among young and middle-aged women.
METHODS: A prospective observational study was conducted in the department of
Gynecology & Pathology for a period of 8 months from March 2024 to October 2024 at
Peoples University of Medical and Health Science for women, Shaheed Benazirabad. All the
suspected women of young age 18 to 35 years and middle age ≥36 to 55 years groups were
included for breast cancer frequency and associated risk factors. RESULTS: A total of 213
patients were included for final analysis. Significant proportion of patients with age more
than 35 years middle age were diagnosed with carcinoma of breast. Patients who had late
marriage 30.43±7.02 years, patients belong to middle socioeconomic background n = 164,
76.99%, patients with no children n = 8, 3.75%, patients with positive family history of breast
cancer n = 32, 15.02%, and patients who had early menstruation were more likely to have
breast cancer, p value <0.05. CONCLUSION: Breast cancer is common among middle aged
women but young women also show an increase in its frequency. Late marriages, early
menstruation, and positive family history of breast cancer are the leading causes of carcinoma
of breast observed in our study