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Comparative Epidemiology of Breast Carcinoma in Swedish and Nigerian Women Under 30 Years of Age

Wilson IB Onuigbo

Background: The objective of this study was to compare histopathologic data dealing with both Swedish and Nigerian women who were under 30 years of age when breast carcinoma arose.

Methods: During 1958 through 1961, 75 cases of breast carcinoma in women aged less than 30 years were reported to the Swedish Cancer Registry and were reviewed histopathologically. For comparison, between 20th February, 1970, and 19th February, 2000, 122 surgical biopsies were collected from similarly affected women and examined by the author in a Reference Pathology Laboratory serving the Igbo ethnic group in Nigeria.

Results: The youngest patient was aged 18 years in both countries. The 25-29 age group preponderated in each series while pregnancy related cancer occurred respectively in between 7.3% and 9.3%. Adenoid cystic carcinoma occurred once in only the Nigerian cohort.

Conclusion: Concerning ethnology, the Swedes are reported to be “notably homogenous” while the Igbos of Nigeria constitutes a noted ethnic group. Therefore, since it has been postulated that ethnic differences are important variables in the study of breast cancer epidemiologically, this study contributes to the affirmation of this concept. In all probability, world-wide comparative epidemiologic investigations in this field will prove not only concrete but also contributory.