Histopathological patterns of breast cancer at diagnosis among patients in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja: Findings from the Network for Oncology Research in Sub-Saharan Africa (NORA) study.

Abstract

e24095 Background: Breast cancer is the most diagnosed malignancy among women in Nigeria. Histopathological characteristics at diagnosis-such as tumor size, stage, grade, and histological subtype-are critical for guiding treatment decisions and prognostication. However, data describing these features remain limited in many low- and middle-income settings, including Nigeria. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study among 94 consenting women aged ≥18 years with histologically confirmed breast cancer, recruited between 2023 and 2024 from two tertiary hospitals in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The hospitals were purposively selected based on the availability of oncology and pathology services, and eligible patients receiving care during the study period were consecutively enrolled. Sociodemographic and clinical information was collected using a semi-structured questionnaire, while histopathological characteristics were abstracted from medical records. Data were managed using REDCap and analyzed descriptively. Results: The mean age at diagnosis was 48.3 ± 11.4 years. Invasive ductal carcinoma was the predominant histological subtype, accounting for 91.0% of cases. Tumors were frequently large at presentation, with 60.6% classified as T3 ( > 5 cm) and 5.3% as T4, while only 2.1% were T1 ( < 2 cm). Stage at diagnosis was documented for 90 patients, among whom 63.3% were classified as Stage I–II and 36.7% as Stage III–IV. Histological grade was reported in fewer than half of cases: 4.5% were well differentiated, 20.2% moderately differentiated, and 20.2% poorly differentiated; 55.1% had no recorded tumor grade. Conclusions: Among breast cancer patients receiving care in Abuja, invasive ductal carcinoma and large tumor sizes at diagnosis were common. The high proportion of missing histological grade information highlights gaps in pathology documentation. Strengthening the completeness and standardization of histopathological reporting may improve clinical decision-making and support cancer research in this setting.