LAGOS, Nigeria / AfricaWire.IO / – According to a recent study highlighted by St. George’s University, over 21.9% of women diagnosed with breast cancer in five sub-Saharan African nations are under the age of 40. This statistic has prompted SGU to advocate for risk-based screening strategies across the continent. The university emphasized that healthcare providers should evaluate individual risk factors alongside age when determining screening protocols. Relying solely on age might hinder early detection efforts in underserved populations, it warned.
This call to action was part of SGU’s initiatives for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The institution stressed the importance of expanding access to breast exams, diagnostic imaging, and specialist treatment. Based on estimates from GLOBOCAN 2024, published in 2026 by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, Africa saw approximately 225,643 new breast cancer cases and 100,070 deaths in 2024. Breast cancer remains the most common cancer diagnosis among women in Africa and the leading cause of cancer-related mortality in this demographic.
Dr. Tonia Frame, who oversees the Global Health Unit within SGU’s Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine in Grenada, stated that age should not be the sole factor in assessing risk. “Breast cancer risk does not suddenly begin at a particular birthday,” she explained, noting that two women of the same age can have significantly different risk profiles. She advised women to become familiar with the normal look and feel of their breasts and to seek medical advice promptly if any unexplained changes occur.
Screening deficiencies leave many women unexamined
A systematic review and meta-analysis from 2026, cited by SGU, revealed that only 13% of women in sub-Saharan Africa have ever undergone a clinical breast examination. The university attributed this gap partly to disparities in educational levels, household income, health insurance coverage, and access to healthcare services. Frame pointed out that breast cancer in Africa often presents at a younger age, while access to high-quality imaging remains inconsistent across regions.
SGU highlighted factors such as family history of breast or ovarian cancer, inherited genetic mutations, breast density, and prior high-risk lesions as critical considerations for shaping screening strategies. Women carrying BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene variants may require earlier screening, possibly starting at age 25, depending on clinical guidance. The university urged women to discuss these factors, including genetic counseling and previous biopsy results, with their healthcare providers.
The need for AI-driven solutions to bridge diagnosis and treatment gaps
SGU also pointed to artificial intelligence as a valuable tool for triage, imaging analysis, workflow prioritization, and risk assessment, especially in regions with limited specialist availability. However, it cautioned that such technologies must undergo validation, quality checks, diagnostic confirmation, and continuous monitoring across different populations. “The most important feature is not the algorithm alone, but the complete pathway linking awareness, initial assessment, referral, diagnostic confirmation and treatment,” Frame emphasized.
She suggested that community health workers, portable AI devices, and digital referral pathways could enhance primary healthcare efforts to reach women facing geographical, financial, and systemic barriers. SGU called for improved diagnostic infrastructure, additional training for frontline health workers, and more efficient referral systems. The university stressed that personalized screening programs should identify women who require earlier assessment without subjecting others to unnecessary procedures. It concluded that early detection improvements must be paired with timely diagnosis and treatment.