Global Breast Cancer Risk Factors and Their Relevance to the Pakistani Population

Samina Asghar Abbasi; Rashida Khan; Nafeesa Kainat; Maryam Hanif; Syeda Qanitah Ayesha; Kainat Abbasi; Isha Rubab; Alya Nazir; Ammar Umer; Muhammad Asad Shafique; Ruqia Mehmood Baig

doi:10.70749/ijbr.v3i9.2357

Authors

Samina Asghar Abbasi Department of Zoology, Wildlife & Fisheries, PMAS-Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan, Shamsabad, Murree Road, Rawalpindi, Punjab, Pakistan.
Rashida Khan Institute of Biomedical and Genetic Engineering (IBGE), 24 Mauve area G-9/1, Islamabad, Pakistan.
Nafeesa Kainat Department of Zoology, Wildlife & Fisheries, PMAS-Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan, Shamsabad, Murree Road, Rawalpindi, Punjab, Pakistan.
Maryam Hanif Department of Zoology, Wildlife & Fisheries, PMAS-Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan, Shamsabad, Murree Road, Rawalpindi, Punjab, Pakistan.
Syeda Qanitah Ayesha Department of Zoology, Wildlife & Fisheries, PMAS-Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan, Shamsabad, Murree Road, Rawalpindi, Punjab, Pakistan.
Kainat Abbasi Department of Zoology, Wildlife & Fisheries, PMAS-Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan, Shamsabad, Murree Road, Rawalpindi, Punjab, Pakistan.
Isha Rubab Department of Zoology, Wildlife & Fisheries, PMAS-Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan, Shamsabad, Murree Road, Rawalpindi, Punjab, Pakistan.
Alya Nazir Department of Zoology, Wildlife & Fisheries, PMAS-Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan, Shamsabad, Murree Road, Rawalpindi, Punjab, Pakistan.
Ammar Umer Department of Zoology, Wildlife & Fisheries, PMAS-Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan, Shamsabad, Murree Road, Rawalpindi, Punjab, Pakistan.
Muhammad Asad Shafique Department of Zoology, Wildlife & Fisheries, PMAS-Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan, Shamsabad, Murree Road, Rawalpindi, Punjab, Pakistan.
Ruqia Mehmood Baig Department of Zoology, Wildlife & Fisheries, PMAS-Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan, Shamsabad, Murree Road, Rawalpindi, Punjab, Pakistan.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.70749/ijbr.v3i9.2357

Keywords:

Breast Cancer, Risk Factors, Epidemiology, Pakistani Population.

Abstract

Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed malignancy among women and remains the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. In Pakistan, the increasing incidence of breast cancer is particularly concerning, yet the absence of a centralized cancer registry limits comprehensive risk assessment and effective disease monitoring. The present study was designed to explore potential risk factors for breast cancer in a Pakistani cohort by analyzing hospital-based epidemiological data in conjunction with previously published findings from the same population. Data were collected from patients at hospitals in Rawalpindi and Islamabad through a structured questionnaire covering demographic, reproductive and lifestyle variables such as age at diagnosis, age at menarche, marital status, parity, age at first childbirth, breastfeeding history, menopausal status, family history, occupation, socioeconomic background and substance use. Clinical features including stage, histological type, metastasis, obesity, receptor status, and tumor grade were also evaluated. Comparative analysis with earlier reports revealed that none of the conventionally recognized breast cancer risk factors exhibited a significant association with disease prevalence in this population, suggesting a divergence from global patterns. These findings emphasize the possibility that genetic, molecular, or population-specific determinants may contribute more substantially to breast cancer susceptibility in Pakistani women. Therefore, large-scale genetic and molecular investigations are urgently needed to clarify the underlying causes of this rising trend and to inform more effective strategies for prevention, early detection, and management.

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