Journal of Clinical & Experimental Pathology
Open Access

Abstract

Statement of the Problem: Breast cancer is the most frequent malignant lesion in women, and the first cause of death by cancer in most developed countries. Cuba, though a developing country is not an exception to this negative trend, due to a high number of risk factors. Addiction to cigarette, and other illegal drugs is a major world-wide risk factor and health concern for breast cancer development. Cuba, one of the world�s largest producer�s tobacco has registered a significant increase in breast cancer cases in the last decade, due to tourism and the false perception of expressing friendship and recreation through the smoking of tobacco and other illegal drugs. In spite of efforts of reducing mortality rates through the use of modern methods that complement breast cancer diagnosis once the lesion is detected, results have not been that satisfactory, which prompted the organization of a national sub-program for pre-clinic and early breast cancer diagnosis. Findings: An analytical study of cases and controls was realized in the province of Camaguey in Cuba, between January and September 2017, with the objective of identifying some of its risk factors. By establishing certain parameters the case and control groups were constituted by 90 women, who were selected at random. It was realized after the survey that the case group women had certain risk factors that are associated with a high possibility of developing breast cancer such as, family and personal history of breast cancer, toxic habits such as the smoking of cigarettes, age (50 to 65 years), early menarche and late menopause, first child birth after 30 years of age. It can be seen from the table 1. that 65(72.2%) of the case group women were addicted to the toxic habit of smoking cigarettes, compared to 21(23.3%) of the control group women, which signifies that, the practice of this toxic habit increases 8 times the possibility of developing the disease. Conclusion & Significance: Health measures should geared towards preventing the modifiable risk factors of the disease, through education and health programs. Self-breast examination should be encouraged amongst women which can play a role in early diagnosis, thereby helping decrease significantly the rate of breast cancer in Cuba and the world as a whole.

Biography

Priscilla Akua Agyapong is a focused Ghanaian young lady, with the passion of improving health and wellbeing within and outside Africa. She is currently a 5th year medical student at the University Of Medical Sciences Of Havana. “Manuel Fajardo Faculty”. Havana, Cuba. Before her current medical degree which is scholarship program, sponsored by the government of Ghana, she was pursuing her nursing degree at the Valley View University College, Accra, Ghana. pris.

E-mail: maameakua@gmail.com