Prevalence of the known risk factors in women diagnosed with breast cancer at Queen II Hospital, Maseru

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Date
2011-11
Authors
Lehlasoa, 'Mamotlatsi Rose
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Publisher
University of the Free State
Abstract
English: Breast cancer is the leading cancer in the world among women, both in industrialised and developing countries. While the USA has the highest prevalence and mortality rates of the disease, with middle prevalence rates in Eastern Europe; Africa and Asia have low rates. In South Africa breast cancer is the most common cancer and is being diagnosed with increasing prevalence among the black population. No literature is, however, currently available regarding the prevalence of breast cancer, the prevalence of the risk factors for breast cancer, or the associated mortality rates for breast cancer in Lesotho. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of the known risk factors for breast cancer among adult women who were diagnosed with the disease at the Queen Elizabeth II hospital, Maseru. A descriptive survey was conducted on 52 adult breast cancer patients seen at the Queen II hospital in Maseru, who gave informed consent. A trained researcher performed anthropometric measurements and administered a questionnaire on usual dietary intake and non-modifiable and modifiable risk factors for breast cancer, during structured interviews. Reliability was ensured by repeating the same questionnaire with 10% of the sample a month after conducting the main study. Regarding the non-modifiable risk factors for breast cancer, the majority of the Basotho women in this study were diagnosed with breast cancer at 46 years and older (78.7%), experienced menarche at 12 years and older, (93.9%), had reached natural menopause, did not use hormone replacement therapy, and had reached menopause before the age of 55 years (96.8%). Regarding the modifiable risk factors for breast cancer, the Basotho women had a low risk profile with low levels of education (80.8% had only primary or high school educations), low incomes (59.6%), low oral contraceptive use (65.4% had never used), and were mostly non-drinking (48.1%) and low-drinking (36.5%). Most were also, or had been, married at the time of the study (82.7%), had children (80.8%), and had breastfed for ≥12 months (86.8%). However, these Basotho women were very inactive (82.6%), with high body mass indexes (21.1% overweight; 63.5% obese), waist circumferences, and waist to hip ratios putting them at high risk for breast cancer and other chronic diseases of lifestyle. Their self-reported median total energy and macronutrient intakes were 5414.5 kJ, 49g protein (0.63 g/kg/day), 210g carbohydrate, and 21.5g fat. Dietary intakes were evaluated according to the recommendations of the USDA Food Guide Pyramid and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010. Although they had low intakes of meat, particularly red meat, drank tea regularly, and used cooking methods that did not produce cancer promoting agents, all of which protect against breast cancer development; their low intakes of fruits, and low variety of plant foods put them at risk of breast cancer and other diseases due to low supply of protective antioxidants and phytochemicals. Particularly vegetables were mostly only consumed as green leafy types (moroho), while other vegetables were only consumed occasionally and by small percentages. This study is the first to report on the known risk factors of breast cancer among women in Lesotho. In summary, these Basotho patients were found to have a low risk profile for breast cancer with regard to non-modifiable risk factors, reproductive history and socio-demographic factors. The main risk factors for breast cancer were inactivity and obesity, combined with a diet low in variety of protective plant foods. Intervention programmes should thus focus on addressing these modifiable risk factors.
Afrikaans: Borskanker is die mees algemene vorm van kanker wat onder vroue in die wêreld voorkom – beide in ontwikkelde en in ontwikkelende lande. Die VSA het die hoogste voorkoms en mortaliteit van borskanker, met gemiddelde voorkomssyfers in ontwikkelende lande in Oos-Europa, Afrika en Asië. In Suid-Africa is borskanker die mees algemene vorm van kanker onder vroue en word met toenemende frekwensie onder swart vroue gediagnoseer. Geen literatuur is egter huidiglik beskikbaar wat die voorkoms van borskanker, die risikofaktore vir borskanker, of die gassosieerde mortaliteitssyfers, in Lesotho beskryf nie. Die doel van hierdie studie was om die voorkoms van die bekende risikofaktore vir borskanker onder volwasse Basotho vroue wat met die siekte by die Queen Elizabeth II hospitaal, Maseru, gediagnoseer is, te bepaal. „n Beskrywende studie is op 52 volwasse borskankerpasiente uitgevoer wat by die Queen II hospitaal in Maseru gesien is, en wat ingeligte toestemming gegee het. „n Opgeleide navorser het antropometriese meetings uitgevoer en „n gestruktureerde vraelys oor gewoontlike dieetinnames en die modifieerbare en nie-modifieerbare risiko‟s vir borskanker, tydens „n gestruktureerde onderhoud ingevul. Betroubaarheid is verseker deur dieselfde vraelys met 10% van die steekproef „n maand na die hoofstudie te herhaal. Met betrekking tot die nie-modifieerbare risikofaktore vir borskanker, is die meerderheid van die Basotho-vroue in die studie in met borskanker op 46 jaar of ouer (78.7%) gediagnoseer, het vroeë menarche op 12 jaar of ouer (93.9%) beleef, het natuurlike menopause bereik, het nie hormoonvervangingsterapie gebruik nie, en het menopouse voor 55 jaar bereik (96.8%). Met betrekking tot die modifieerbare risikofaktore vir borskanker, het die Basotho-vroue „n lae risiko vir borskanker getoon, met lae vlakke van opleiding (80.8% het primêre- en hoërskoolopleiding gehad), lae inkomstes (59.6%), lae gebruik van orale kontrasepsie (65.4% het dit nooit gebruik nie), en was oorwegend nie-drinkers (48.1%) and lae vlak-drinkers (36.5%) was. Die meeste was ook ten tye van die studie, of voorheen, getroud (82.7%), het al kinders gehad (80.8%), en het vir ≥12 maande geborsvoed (86.8%). Daarteenoor was hierdie Basotho-vroue egter baie onaktief (82.6%), met hoë massa-lengte-indekse (21.1% oormassa; 63.5% vetsugtig), middelomtrekke en middel-tot-heupverhoudings wat hulle in „n hoë risikokategorie vir borskanker en ander chroniese leefstylsiektes plaas. Hul selfgrapporteerde totale energie- en makrovoedingstofinnames was 5414.5 kJ, 49 g proteïen (0.63 g/kg/dag), 210 g koolhidrate, en 21.5 g vet. Dieetinnames is volgens die aanbevelings van die “USDA Food Guide Pyramid” en die „Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010” geëvalueer. Alhoewel hulle min vleis, veral rooivleis, ingeneem het, gereeld tee gedrink het, en gaarmaakmetodes gebruik het wat nie kankerbevorderende substanse produseer nie (alles faktore wat teen die ontwikkeling van borskanker beskerm), hou die lae innames van vrugte en die klein verskeidenheid van plantvoedsels in hul dieet, „n risiko vir borskanker en ander chroniese leefstylsiektes in weens die lae gepaardgaande inname van beskermende antioksidante en plantchemikalieë. Veral groente is meesal net as groen blaargroente (moroho) ingeneem, terwyl ander groentesoorte net per geleentheid en deur klein persentasies ingeneem is. Hierdie is die eerste studie wat data met betrekking tot die voorkoms van die bekende risikofaktore vir borskanker in Lesotho rapporteer. Ter samevatting het hierdie Basotho-pasiënte „n lae risikoprofiel vir borskanker met betrekking tot nie-modifieerbare risikofaktore, reproduksiegeskiedenis en sosio-demografiese faktore getoon. Die hoofrisikofaktore vir borskanker in hierdie vroue was egter onaktiwiteit en vetsug, gekombineer met „n dieet wat „n klein verskeidenheid van beskermende plantvoedsels insluit. Intervensieprogramme behoort dus daarop te fokus om hierdie modifieerbare risikofaktore aan te spreek.
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Keywords
Basotho women, Modifiable, Non-modifiable, Risk factors, Prevalence, Dissertation (M.Sc. (Nutrition and Dietetics))--University of the Free State, 2011, Breast -- Cancer diagnosis -- Lesotho -- Maseru
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