SOME ENVIRONMENTAL AND NON-HORMONAL RISK FACTORS AND BREAST CANCER AMONG WOMEN IN PORT HARCOURT: A CASE-CONTROL STUDY
Authors: Prof. Janusz Bujnicki
DOI: 10.87349/JBUPT/28601
Page No: 1-10
Abstract
Context: The relationship between heavy metal pollutants and human cancer induction has long been established, as well as a close association between heavy metal (such as Lead and Cadmium) and breast cancer especially in the environment of crude exploration, production and distribution. Aims: The aim of this study therefore was to find out the association between these risk factors and breast cancer, among women in Port Harcourt, Rivers State Nigeria. Settings and Design: Out-patient clinics of public tertiary health care facilities in Port Harcourt. This was a case control study. Methods and Material: Cases were patients with clinically and histologically confirmed breast cancer and controls were matched and selected from the out-patient clinics of the same facilities. Statistical analysis used: SPSS vs 21 was used to analyse data, descriptive statistics, chi square and Mantel-Haenszel Chi Square tests were done, P- value was set at ≤ 0.05. Results: The mean age for the cases and controls was 44.67±13.41 and 46.11±13.76 years respectively. Exposure to crude oil spillage does not appear to be a risk factor for developing breast cancer (OR=0.84, 95% CI=0.54-1.31). Conclusions: This study showed no significant risk association between some of these environmental factors and breast cancer. Introducti
