Risk Factors Associated with Breast Cancer among Women in Iraq: A Case-Control Study

Breast cancer is the most common malignant among females in Al-Najf, Iraq, the aim of the study was to identify risk factors associated with breast cancer.

A hospital-based case-control study was conducted by enrolled 100 women with breast cancer and 200 non-malignant women selected randomly by using purposive sampling methods in the National Hospital for Cancer Therapy in AL-Najaf Province. Data was collected by questionnaire form through direct interview, which consisted of four parts (sociodemographic variables, clinical variables, reproductive variables, behavior and lifestyle variables). Questionnaire form was reviewed by a panel of experts from different specialists for checking validity, while reliability was checked by Cronbach's alpha, and the result was (0.8). Risk factors were estimated descriptively using percentages and odd ratios with their correlated 95% confidence interval (CI). The predictors of the occurrence of breast cancer were determined using logistic regression to estimate unadjusted association and adjusted association.

Breast cancer risk was found to be increased in women with age after 40 years and elderly especially ≥60 years (OR: 10.18, 95% CI: 4.1388,25.048), illiterate women (OR: 2.24, 95% CI: 1.06, 4.73), living in low economic status (OR: 2.87, 95% CI: 1.31,6.27), smoking (2.634, 95% CI: 1.021,6.792), women who bottle-feed their children (OR: 2.16, 95% CI: 1.01,4.61), eating backed and processed food (P: <0.001), overweight and obese women (OR: 1.875, 95% CI: 0.208, 16.88) and (OR: 4.062, 95%CI: 0.463, 35.64), previous abortion (OR: 1.08, 95% CI: 0.64,1.83), women who didn't perform routine self-examination (P: 0.05), women who didn't have information about it (P: 0.041), women who didn't visit health facilities for breast examination (P: <0.001).

The majority of participants had at least one risk factor for Breast cancer and had low knowledge; consequently, emphasize the role of breast cancer early detection program in healthcare facilities, regular training of doctors and healthcare professionals who work in the program with respects of updates. Elevating women's awareness regarding Breast cancer risk factors, lifestyle modification, importance of early detection, self-examination, and regular visits to healthcare facilities for routine breast examinations through educational campaigns, sharing health messages by using social media and healthcare professionals, also by sharing educational materials like posters. Community campaigns for detecting women at high risk for Breast cancer to give them special attention according to their risk profile. Further high-quality research in genetic concern, environmental factors, and our daily diet.