Abstract 78: The Clinicopathological and Psychosocial Profile of A Cohort of Nigerian Breast Cancer Survivors

Abstract Purpose: Breast cancer survivors are a distinct category of patients with peculiar characteristics and needs. The population of survivors is expected to increase given the rising incidence of breast cancer in Nigeria, and the improvements in breast cancer outcomes. This study evaluated the clinicopathologic characteristics and the psychosocial experiences of a cohort of Nigerian breast cancer survivors. Methods: From an institutional breast cancer database, patients managed between January 2010 and December 2016 were evaluated. Clinico-pathological characteristics, treatment details, and survival estimates were assessed. These were compared to non-survivors managed during the same period. Survivors were defined as those who have been alive for at least 5 years from the date of presentation. Qualitatively, a purposive sample of 20 survivors was evaluated using one-on-one in-depth interviews to assess their experiences and coping mechanisms following treatment. Results: Of the 355 patients in the database during the study period, there were 163 survivors (45.9%), while 192 (54.1%) died. Age, stage at presentation, tumor size, and receipt of multiple treatment modalities were significantly associated with survival. Six themes were identified in qualitative analysis: Initial reaction to diagnosis, Disclosures, Experiences during treatment, Social support, Coping strategies, and Advocacy. Strong family support and spirituality were prominent coping strategies identified in this cohort. Conclusion: Despite obvious infrastructural and man power limitations, Nigerian patients who present early and receive multimodal therapy and different breast cancer treatments have better odds of survival. Survivors have some unmet psychosocial and physical needs requiring intervention. Citation Format: Funmiola Wuraola, Olalekan Olasehinde, Matteo Di Bernardo, Victoria Mango, T Peter Kingham, Adewale Adisa, Olusegun Alatise. The Clinicopathological and Psychosocial Profile of A Cohort of Nigerian Breast Cancer Survivors [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 11th Annual Symposium on Global Cancer Research; Closing the Research-to-Implementation Gap; 2023 Apr 4-6. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2023;32(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 78.