Retrospective analysis of the surgical management of breast cancer at the Yaoundé General Hospital
TL;DR
Breast cancer at YGH is frequently diagnosed at advanced stages, with invasive ductal carcinoma being the most common type.
Abstract
Introduction: Breast cancer is the most common female cancer worldwide. Its management has evolved overtime. This study aimed to review the surgical management of breast cancer at the Yaoundé General Hospital (YGH) from 2018 to 2023. Methodology: We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study at the YGH. We studied the records of patients who underwent breast cancer surgery from January 2018 to July 2023. Data were analysed using R version 4.2.3. Quantitative variables were represented by means or medians, and qualitative variables by proportions. The χ ² test was used to assess associations between variables. Results: We reviewed 202 surgically managed breast cancer cases. The median age was 46 years, mostly women (196/202, 96%). Most patients had a breast nodule, usually in the upper outer quadrant of the left breast. Advanced disease was common, with 95 (47%) at stage T4 and 108 (53.5%) involving lymph nodes. Invasive ductal carcinoma was the most common histologic type (161, 79.7%). Mastectomy was the predominant surgical technique (186/202, 92.08%), while 16 (7.9%) patients had conservative surgery. Tumour stage influenced surgery type. Mastectomy was mainly for stage T3 (41/186, 22%), oncoplastic procedure for T2 (5/8, 62.5%) and lumpectomies for T1 (6/8, 75%). Postoperative complications occurred in 41 (20.3%) patients, with superinfection and lymphocele being the most common. Conclusion: Breast cancer at YGH is frequently diagnosed at advanced stages, with invasive ductal carcinoma being the most common type. Radical mastectomy with axillary dissection is the most common surgical approach. Postoperative complications include superinfection and lymphocele.