title: Fear of mastectomy: the most common factor responsible for late presentation of carcinoma of the breast in Nigeria.
abstract: Of 2154 Nigerian breast cancer patients of all ages and socio-economic groups, 87% presented in Stages III or IV and only 13% in Stages I or II. All were questioned on their reasons for not attending hospital sooner. Questionnaires were used and were adequately translated to illiterate patients. The most common reason for delay (963 patients, 44.7%) was fear of mastectomy. Other reasons given include preference for prayer houses or spiritual healing homes in 291 patients (13.5%) a belief that the lesion was inflammatory in 183 (8.5%), preference for native doctors or herbalists in 497 (23.1%) and economic reasons in 220 (10.2%).
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Biology and Radiotherapy, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Nigeria.
authors.forename: A T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Ajekigbe
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery; D004522:Educational Status; D005239:Fear; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008408:Mastectomy / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009549:Nigeria; D013997:Time Factors