Abstract

Background: Breast cancer is a malignant growth in any part of the breast (Siu et al., 2016). Cancer is ultimately the result of cells that grow uncontrollably and do not die (Kara et al., 2013). breast cancer is the most commonly seen type of cancer in woman (Kara et al., 2013).

Objective: The objective of this study was to assess female’s knowledge on the risk factors and preventive measures against breast cancer in Batoke community.

Method: A cross- sectional study design was used, the population made up of females’ age 15 years and above in the Batoke community, a convenient non probability sample techniques with a census approach was employed in the study well-structured questionnaires were used to obtain data. Data were analyzed after data collection using micro soft excel 2016 and data were presented on frequency tables, bar chart and pie chart quantitative variables were expressed as proportion and percentage.

Results: Results: According to the results of the one which is knowledge on breast cancer, majority, 210(56.5%) of respondents strongly agreed that breast cancer defined as an abnormal growth of tissues that occurs in any part of the breast, based on preventive measures of breast cancer, 90(24.2%) strongly agreed that breast self-examination and proper dieting is a means of early detection and prevention of breast cancer.

Conclusion: Based on specific objective two, it could be concluded that majority of the respondents were not knowledgeable on the risk factors of breast cancer. With regards to specific objective three, it could be concluded that the respondents were not knowledgeable on preventive measures to put in place to eradicate breast cancer.

Recommendation: It was recommended that seminar should be organized by health authorities to educate females on preventive measures against breast cancer in our societies.

CHAPTER ONE

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background

Breast cancer is a malignant growth in any part of the breast (Siu et al., 2016). Cancer is ultimately the result of cells that grow uncontrollably and do not die (Kara et al., 2013). Studies confirm that the majority of women with BC in most LMICs (50–80%) report with metastatic disease due to several factors such as inadequate knowledge on BC and socio-cultural influence on BC resulting in increasing death rate in these communities. As such, the impact of BC on women, their families, the economy and its resources are detrimental, calling for an immediate control and prevention interventions is necessary (Obrist et al., 2014).

Health is wealth goes the saying. Health is an essential factor for a happy contended life, according to Newman’s system model, health is a condition in which the parts and sub-parts of the whole person are in harmony. Based on the Alma-Ata declaration, much emphasis is being placed on promotion and preventive healthcare rather than curative. Encouraging people to adopt healthy life style and appropriate coping strategies are the key aim in the health promotion (WHO, 2012). The International Cancer Agency reported that there were around 2,088,849 new cases and 626,679 deaths due to breast cancer worldwide in 2018 (GLOBOCAN, 2018). The incidence of breast cancer is higher in developed countries than in developing countries, but the numbers of deaths due to breast cancer are lower in developed countries than in developing countries. (Naivar et al., 2016)

In the World, breast cancer is the most commonly seen type of cancer in woman (Kara et al., 2013). Normal cells in the body follow an orderly path of growth, division & death. Programmed cell death is called “apoptosis” and when this process breaks down, cancer begins to form. Unlike regular cells, cancer cells do not experience programmatic death &instead continue to grow and divide. This leads to a mass of abnormal cells that grows out of control (Kara et al ., 2013).

Breast cancer is the most common cancer that women may face in their lifetime. It can occur at any age, but it is much more likely after age 30, and the risk goes up as women get older (Hadayat et al., 2012). Breast self-examination (BSE) is a recommended screening method for early detection of breast cancer, so it is essential to educate women about BSE as an early detection method for this fatal disease (Hadayat et al., 2012).  From history, the female breast has always been a symbol of beauty, fertility and femininity. Breast cancer is among the most well-known and researched cancers in the medical world.

A diagnosis of breast cancer in the 21st century, is no longer the death sentence it was years ago (breast cancer.org 2012).The first mention of cancer of any kind was a case of breast cancer documented in Egypt around 1600 BC. The Edwin Smith Papyrus, an ancient text found in 1860 in an Egyptian tomb, described eight cases of tumors or ulcers of the breast. The first doctors attempting to treat breast cancer wrote of the mysterious disease: “There is no treatment!” Cases of breast cancer in ancient times were often attributed to what Hippocrates called “the wandering womb.” This particular explanation hinged on the belief that a woman’s uterus could move throughout the body leaving health problems of every kind. French surgeon Jean Louis Petit and later Scottish surgeon Benjamin Bell were the first to surgically remove lymph nodes, breast tissue, and chest muscle as a treatment for the disease.

This method was the first successful treatment of breast cancer. Surgeon William Stewart Halsted began performing and perfecting mastectomies around 1882. Halsted’s mastectomies were invasive, requiring the removal of both breasts, lymph nodes, and underlying muscle. The radical procedure was deemed necessary to prevent the cancer from recurring, but often left patients with long-term pain and disability.

Doctors first used radiation to shrink cancerous tumors of all kinds around the turn of the 20th century. Chemotherapy became an option after World War II. It is used to shrink cancerous tumors before surgery, prevent recurrences after surgery, and treat cancer that has spread to other parts of the body. This approach to cancer treatments and research continues today (Breast cancer.org 2012).

In Africa, studies have shown that cultural and religious beliefs, competing health needs, and low socioeconomic position (SEP) are associated with low breast cancer knowledge and poor help-seeking behaviors (Anderson et al., 2010). Global policies and guidelines suggest prevention as the important priority and the cost-effective approach to check the world’s burden of BC, especially, in LMICs where inadequate trained oncology health personnel, poor infrastructure, and economical and geographical barriers to BC treatment exist (WHO 2014). World Health Organization recommends screening and early detection as the two main components of cancer prevention/control for countries with high prevalence and mortality rates of cancer as well as late presentation of most curable cancers (WHO 2007).

The use of active interventions such as breast cancer education (BCE), breast self-examination (BSE), and clinical breast examination (CBE) has shown to decrease the incidence, late presentation, and death rates of BC among women (Smith et al., 2006). Hence, BCE, BSE, and CBE seem the effective prevention/control and early detection measures for BC in limited resource countries (Bosu et al., 2013).

In Cameroon, the crude annual incident of breast cancer is estimated at pier 19.3 per 100,000 women with mortality of 10.7 per 100,000 women (Cancer incidence, mortality and prevalence rate, 2008). As a result, most cases of breast cancer necessitate the need for early detection because this would increase the treatment options available to affected women and thereby improve survival rates.

According to a study in Cameroon titled Breast cancer awareness and screening practice amongst health personnel and general population of the littoral region of Cameroon by Mohamadou Halmata in 2021, participants included in this study were health practitioners and women randomly selected and enrolled in six health facilities in the city of Douala, Littoral Region, Cameroon. Our findings show lack of awareness and low practice of breast cancer screening amongst women in Douala and highlight the need to raise awareness and provide the right information to the public for early detection of breast cancer.

1.2 Statement of Problem

Statistics indicate that about 15000 new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed annually and a prevalence of about 25000 throughout the national territory thus breast cancer is being recognized as a public health problem in Cameroon (Orock et al 2012).

Despite this sharp increase, women do not practice BSE which is due to lack of knowledge on early detection approaches to BC (Stillman et al., 2012). Although breast self-examination is a simple, quick and cost-free procedure in the detection of breast cancer, its practice is low. A lack of BSE practice can now lead to late detection of breast cancer when cancer cells have spread leading to mastectomy and possible death.

While on internship in Batoke community, the researcher came across several women who had one or no breast and when she tried to inquire, this was because they had undergone mastectomy due to breast cancer. In the cause of her discussion with these women, she realized most of them were not knowledgeable about breast cancer, it risk factors and preventive measures that is ways it can be detected at it early stage. Also, hearing from a friend that she had breast cancer, but I taught it was still in stage 0 not knowing that it was at the stage of mastectomy, so I was curious to find out what really happen.

Again, being a woman, and knowing how it feels being deformed as a result of the mastectomy, being unable to breastfeed one’s own child and being stigmatized by the population in the community, I deemed it necessary to assess females knowledge on the risk factors and preventive measures against breast cancer in Batoke community in order to know where I have to start sensitization of breast cancer to prevent further morbidity and mortality in Batoke community hence Cameroon at large.

1.3 Objectives

1.3.1 General objective

To assess female’s knowledge on the risk factors and preventive measures against breast cancer in Batoke community.

1.3.2 Specific objectives

1. To evaluate females’ knowledge of breast cancer in the Batoke community.
2. To investigate females’ knowledge of the risk factors of breast cancer in the Batoke community.
3. To identify preventive measures against breast cancer in the Batoke community.

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