title: Pathologically confirmed breast cancer in Malawi: a descriptive study: Clinical profile of breast cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Breast cancer is the most common female cancer in Africa, yet no published studies have investigated breast cancer in Malawi. Understanding the clinical profile of breast cancer is important to develop early diagnosis efforts.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe clinical and pathological characteristics of breast specimens from a pathology laboratory at a national teaching hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Secondary analysis of pathology reports from July 2011 to September 2013.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 85 breast cancer cases, 55% were < 50 years. Median tumor size was 4 cm and 49% were grade 3. Median symptom duration was eight months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Malawian women with breast cancer commonly have long symptom durations prior to diagnosis, young age, and poorly differentiated tumors. Improved clinical and pathological characterization, including hormone receptor status, are urgently needed to better understand this disease in Malawi.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Policy and Management University of Chapel Hill at North Carolina.
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Kohler
authors.affiliation: University of North Carolina Project Malawi.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moses
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Policy and Management University of Chapel Hill at North Carolina.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Krysiak
authors.affiliation: University of North Carolina Project Malawi.
authors.forename: N G
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Liomba
authors.affiliation: University of North Carolina Project Malawi.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gopal
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001706:Biopsy; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008295:Malawi / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D060787:Neoplasm Grading; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D055815:Young Adult