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Epidemiological, Clinicopathological, and Therapeutic Profile of Breast Cancer in Young Women in Yaounde, Cameroon: A 10-Year Retrospective Study

Received: 10 October 2025     Accepted: 27 October 2025     Published: 3 December 2025
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Abstract

Breast cancer remains the leading cause of cancer in women worldwide, with cases in young women (under 40 years old) being more aggressive and associated with poorer outcomes. In Cameroon, data specific to this population are scarce. This study aimed to describe the epidemiological, clinicopathological, and therapeutic profile of young breast cancer patients at the Yaounde General Hospital (YGH). This 10-year retrospective descriptive study was conducted at the Yaounde General Hospital and included 32 women under 40 years with invasive breast carcinoma. Out of 204 evaluable breast cancer patients, 32 (15.7%) met the inclusion criteria, with a mean age of 34.6 ± 3.4 years and an average diagnostic delay of 9.5 ± 9.3 months A significant proportion (75%, n=24) of patients presented with locally advanced or metastatic disease (Stage III or IV). Invasive ductal carcinoma was predominant (90.6%), with SBR Grade II being the most common histological grade (46.9%). Only 21.9% (n=7) of patients underwent immunohistochemistry (IHC), revealing a predominance of the Triple-Negative subtype (42.8% of tested cases). All patients (100%) received first-line chemotherapy, with a low 5-year survival rate of 12.5% and a median survival of 2.6 years. The study concludes that breast cancer in young women in Yaounde is characterized by a late presentation, aggressive biological characteristics, and an unfavorable prognosis. These findings highlight an urgent need for targeted awareness campaigns, early screening, and access to molecular diagnostics to improve outcomes in young women with breast cancer in Cameroon.

Published in Journal of Cancer Treatment and Research (Volume 13, Issue 4)
DOI 10.11648/j.jctr.20251304.16
Page(s) 147-152
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2025. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Breast Cancer, Young Women, Profile, Yaounde, Survival, Cameroon

References
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[3] Anders CK, Peppercorn JM, Licht JD, Smith KL, Niedzwiecki D, Hartman K, et al. Breast cancer in young women. Oncology (Williston Park). 2009 Jun; 23(7): 640-6.
[4] American Cancer Society. Breast Cancer Facts & Figures 2019-2020. Atlanta: American Cancer Society; 2020.
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[7] Korde LA, Zujewski JA, Kamin L, Andersson S, Temkin S, Smith IE, et al. Treatment of breast cancer in women aged 40 years or younger. JAMA. 2010 May 5; 303(17): 1709-17.
[8] Foulkes WD, Smith IE, Reis-Filho JS. Triple-negative breast cancer. N Engl J Med. 2010 Nov 4; 363(20): 1938-48.
[9] Jedy-Agba E, Oga EA, Odutola M, Dareng EO, Adebayo OO, Olaniyan O, et al. Cancer incidence in Nigeria: a report from population-based cancer registries. Cancer Epidemiol. 2012 Oct; 36(5): e271-6.
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Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Mapoko, B. S. E., Bell, E. D., Mboua, V. B., Anaba, D., Ndi, K. C., et al. (2025). Epidemiological, Clinicopathological, and Therapeutic Profile of Breast Cancer in Young Women in Yaounde, Cameroon: A 10-Year Retrospective Study. Journal of Cancer Treatment and Research, 13(4), 147-152. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jctr.20251304.16

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    ACS Style

    Mapoko, B. S. E.; Bell, E. D.; Mboua, V. B.; Anaba, D.; Ndi, K. C., et al. Epidemiological, Clinicopathological, and Therapeutic Profile of Breast Cancer in Young Women in Yaounde, Cameroon: A 10-Year Retrospective Study. J. Cancer Treat. Res. 2025, 13(4), 147-152. doi: 10.11648/j.jctr.20251304.16

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    AMA Style

    Mapoko BSE, Bell ED, Mboua VB, Anaba D, Ndi KC, et al. Epidemiological, Clinicopathological, and Therapeutic Profile of Breast Cancer in Young Women in Yaounde, Cameroon: A 10-Year Retrospective Study. J Cancer Treat Res. 2025;13(4):147-152. doi: 10.11648/j.jctr.20251304.16

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  • @article{10.11648/j.jctr.20251304.16,
      author = {Berthe Sabine Esson Mapoko and Esther Dina Bell and Veronique Batoum Mboua and Dominique Anaba and Kenn Chi Ndi and Etienne Atenguena and Lionel Tabola and Pelagie Douanla and Anne Sango and Ruth Mapenya and Ann Marthe Maison and Sidonie Ananga and Ambroise Ntama and Zacharie Sando and Paul Ndom},
      title = {Epidemiological, Clinicopathological, and Therapeutic Profile of Breast Cancer in Young Women in Yaounde, Cameroon: A 10-Year Retrospective Study
    },
      journal = {Journal of Cancer Treatment and Research},
      volume = {13},
      number = {4},
      pages = {147-152},
      doi = {10.11648/j.jctr.20251304.16},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jctr.20251304.16},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.jctr.20251304.16},
      abstract = {Breast cancer remains the leading cause of cancer in women worldwide, with cases in young women (under 40 years old) being more aggressive and associated with poorer outcomes. In Cameroon, data specific to this population are scarce. This study aimed to describe the epidemiological, clinicopathological, and therapeutic profile of young breast cancer patients at the Yaounde General Hospital (YGH). This 10-year retrospective descriptive study was conducted at the Yaounde General Hospital and included 32 women under 40 years with invasive breast carcinoma. Out of 204 evaluable breast cancer patients, 32 (15.7%) met the inclusion criteria, with a mean age of 34.6 ± 3.4 years and an average diagnostic delay of 9.5 ± 9.3 months A significant proportion (75%, n=24) of patients presented with locally advanced or metastatic disease (Stage III or IV). Invasive ductal carcinoma was predominant (90.6%), with SBR Grade II being the most common histological grade (46.9%). Only 21.9% (n=7) of patients underwent immunohistochemistry (IHC), revealing a predominance of the Triple-Negative subtype (42.8% of tested cases). All patients (100%) received first-line chemotherapy, with a low 5-year survival rate of 12.5% and a median survival of 2.6 years. The study concludes that breast cancer in young women in Yaounde is characterized by a late presentation, aggressive biological characteristics, and an unfavorable prognosis. These findings highlight an urgent need for targeted awareness campaigns, early screening, and access to molecular diagnostics to improve outcomes in young women with breast cancer in Cameroon.
    },
     year = {2025}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Epidemiological, Clinicopathological, and Therapeutic Profile of Breast Cancer in Young Women in Yaounde, Cameroon: A 10-Year Retrospective Study
    
    AU  - Berthe Sabine Esson Mapoko
    AU  - Esther Dina Bell
    AU  - Veronique Batoum Mboua
    AU  - Dominique Anaba
    AU  - Kenn Chi Ndi
    AU  - Etienne Atenguena
    AU  - Lionel Tabola
    AU  - Pelagie Douanla
    AU  - Anne Sango
    AU  - Ruth Mapenya
    AU  - Ann Marthe Maison
    AU  - Sidonie Ananga
    AU  - Ambroise Ntama
    AU  - Zacharie Sando
    AU  - Paul Ndom
    Y1  - 2025/12/03
    PY  - 2025
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jctr.20251304.16
    DO  - 10.11648/j.jctr.20251304.16
    T2  - Journal of Cancer Treatment and Research
    JF  - Journal of Cancer Treatment and Research
    JO  - Journal of Cancer Treatment and Research
    SP  - 147
    EP  - 152
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2376-7790
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jctr.20251304.16
    AB  - Breast cancer remains the leading cause of cancer in women worldwide, with cases in young women (under 40 years old) being more aggressive and associated with poorer outcomes. In Cameroon, data specific to this population are scarce. This study aimed to describe the epidemiological, clinicopathological, and therapeutic profile of young breast cancer patients at the Yaounde General Hospital (YGH). This 10-year retrospective descriptive study was conducted at the Yaounde General Hospital and included 32 women under 40 years with invasive breast carcinoma. Out of 204 evaluable breast cancer patients, 32 (15.7%) met the inclusion criteria, with a mean age of 34.6 ± 3.4 years and an average diagnostic delay of 9.5 ± 9.3 months A significant proportion (75%, n=24) of patients presented with locally advanced or metastatic disease (Stage III or IV). Invasive ductal carcinoma was predominant (90.6%), with SBR Grade II being the most common histological grade (46.9%). Only 21.9% (n=7) of patients underwent immunohistochemistry (IHC), revealing a predominance of the Triple-Negative subtype (42.8% of tested cases). All patients (100%) received first-line chemotherapy, with a low 5-year survival rate of 12.5% and a median survival of 2.6 years. The study concludes that breast cancer in young women in Yaounde is characterized by a late presentation, aggressive biological characteristics, and an unfavorable prognosis. These findings highlight an urgent need for targeted awareness campaigns, early screening, and access to molecular diagnostics to improve outcomes in young women with breast cancer in Cameroon.
    
    VL  - 13
    IS  - 4
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaounde I, Yaounde, Cameroon

  • Faculty of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Douala, Douala, Cameroon

  • Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaounde I, Yaounde, Cameroon

  • Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Buea, Buea, Cameroon

  • Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaounde I, Yaounde, Cameroon

  • Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaounde I, Yaounde, Cameroon

  • Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaounde I, Yaounde, Cameroon

  • Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaounde I, Yaounde, Cameroon

  • Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Buea, Buea, Cameroon

  • Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaounde I, Yaounde, Cameroon

  • Faculty of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Douala, Douala, Cameroon

  • Faculty of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Douala, Douala, Cameroon

  • Faculty of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Douala, Douala, Cameroon

  • Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaounde I, Yaounde, Cameroon

  • Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaounde I, Yaounde, Cameroon

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