• A O Adisa, O A Arowolo, A A Akinkuolie, N A Titiloye, O I Alatise, O O Lawal, and A R K Adesunkanmi.
• Department of Surgery, College of Health Sciences, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. wadisc@yahoo.com
• Afr Health Sci. 2011 Jun 1; 11 (2): 279-84.

BackgroundLate presentation of breast carcinoma is common in resource-limited countries with attendant poor outcome.ObjectiveTo describe the pattern of clinical presentation and challenges of treating patients presenting with metastatic breast carcinoma in a Nigerian hospital.MethodClinical records of all patients who presented with metastatic breast carcinoma between January 1991 and December 2005 at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ile-Ife, Nigeria were reviewed.ResultsMore than half of all histologically confirmed breast cancer patients seen within the study period presented with metastatic disease. Their ages ranged between 20-81 years with a mean age of 45.9 years. Only 3% (6 of 202) were males. Two-thirds had more than one secondary site on initial evaluation and the commonest sites were liver (63%), lung parenchyma (51%), pleura (26%) and contralateral breast in 25%. On immunohistochemistry, basal like tumours were found in 46.1%. Mastectomy was done in 37 patients with fungating breast masses while only one third of those referred to a nearby center for radiotherapy had it done. One year survival rate was 27%.ConclusionMetastatic disease is common in Nigeria and treatment is limited due to resource limitations. Improved awareness of the disease is advocated to reduce late presentation.

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