Author(s)

Felix Essiben^1,2*, Pascal Foumane^1,3, Esther Ngo Um Meka^1,3, Patience Signing Soh⁴, Julius Dohbit Sama¹, Eyongoben Osogo¹, Emile Telesphore Mboudou^1,2

¹Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (FMBS), University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé,Cameroon.
²Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Yaounde Central Hospital, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
³Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Yaounde Gyneco-Obstetric and Pediatric Hospital, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
⁴Higher Institute of Health, Université des Montagnes, Bagangte, Cameroon.

Introduction: Breast cancer is the most common cancer and the first cause of cancer-related deaths among women in Cameroon. The aim of the study was to investigate its risk factors for breast cancer at two University Teaching Hospitals in Yaoundé. Methodology: A case-control study was conducted for 5 months, from February 25th to July 25th 2015, at the Gynecology unit of the Yaoundé Gyneco-Obstetric and Pediatric Hospital (YGOPH) and the Medical Oncology unit of the Yaoundé General Hospital (YGH). One hundred and five patients with breast cancer (cases) were compared to 210 women who did not have breast cancer (controls). SPSS Version 18.0.0 software was used to analyze the data with a statistical significance considered at P-value < 0.05. Results: After univariate analysis, risk factors associated with breast cancer were: patient age > 50 years (P < 0.00; OR = 4.16; CI = [2.50 - 7.14]); widowhood (P = 0.001; OR = 3.45; CI = [1.7 - 6.9]), monthly income < 86 US dollars (P = 0.002; OR = 2.19; CI = [1, 31 - 3.65]), primary level of education (P = 0.005; OR = 2.11; CI = [1.25 - 3.56]), consumption of red meat > three times per week (P = 0.002; OR = 2.14; CI = [1.33 - 3.45]), palm oil consumption > two times per week (P = 0.001; OR = 2.38; CI = [1.4 - 4.1]). After multivariate analysis, age > 50 years (aOR = 41.48; CI = [2.46 - 69.9]) and consumption of red meat > three times per week [aOR = 7.33; (1.49 - 36)] were the risk factors considered significant for breast cancer. Conclusion: Age > 50 years and red meat consumption are independent risk factors for breast cancer at the Yaoundé General Hospital and at the Yaoundé Gyneco-Obstetric and Pediatric Hospital.

Risk Factors, Breast Cancer, Red Meat, Cameroon

Essiben, F. , Foumane, P. , Meka, E. , Soh, P. , Sama, J. , Osogo, E. and Mboudou, E. (2016) Risk Factors for Breast Cancer: A Case-Control Study of 315 Women Followed in the Gynecology and Oncology Departments of Two University Teaching Hospitals in Yaounde, Cameroon. Open Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 6, 676-688. doi: 10.4236/ojog.2016.612085.