Descriptive study of breast cancer in Missan (South of Iraq)‎

Abstract EN

Breast cancer, is the most common cancer and most common cause of death in middle aged women.

This was a descriptive study conducted over period of four years, from July 2005 to July 2009, in surgical unit, Al-Sadder general hospital, Missan, south of Iraq.

A total 144 patients were included in this study, 143 female and 1 male patient.

The most common age group was above 50 years with 54 cases (37.5 %) followed by40-49 years age group with 43 cases (29.9 %), 15 patients ( 10.5) % have family history of malignant disease.

Ten patient have history of breast cancer, while the other 5 (3.5) % have positive family history of other malignancy.

128 were married (119 have history of pregnancy and 9 patients were nulliparous).

15 of cases were single.

83 patients (57.6) % were living in the urban while 61 (43.4 %) were living in the rural area, statistically there was no significant difference between these groups (p > 0.05).

Most of our patients were of low socio-economic state, with low level of education.

Breast lump is the common presenting symptom of breast cancer (84 %), Infiltrating ductal carcinoma was the commonest pathological type, found in 123 patients (91.6 %).

70 % of the patients were in stage III &IV..