Hereditary breast cancer in sub-Saharan Africa

Little is known about breast cancer in Sub-Saharan Africa, where the incidence of this neoplasm is estimated to be lower than in developed countries. Yet, as a result of several factors, among which demographic structures, lifestyle, reproductive, environmental and socio-economic factors, including traditional beliefs, and access to diagnostic facilities and medical care, the majority of the patients present with locally advanced and metastatic disease and early onset breast cancer is frequent in institutional cancer series. This review reports the current knowledge on hereditary breast cancer and early onset breast cancer in Sub-Saharan Africa as emerging from the available studies, with special emphasis on those conducted in Sudan. © 2012 Bentham Science Publishers.