Breast cancer in Nigeria: Study reveals profound social, emotional toll on women

2026-02-03 - 13:18

By Chioma Obinna As the world mark this years’s World Cancer Day today, a recent study published in Cancer Reports had revealed breast cancer not only presents physical challenges to Nigerian women but also profoundly affects their sense of self, social standing, and emotional well-being. The researchers said that breast cancer remains the most prevalent cancer among women in Nigeria, accounting for 25 per cent of all cases, yet access to early detection and treatment remains limited. The study, conducted by researchers from the Federal University Lokoja, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, and Teesside University, examined the self-identities of 22 women living with breast cancer across different age groups and stages of the disease. Using a qualitative grounded theory approach, the researchers identified a pattern of evolving self-identity across three phases: before diagnosis, during treatment, and post-treatment. Before diagnosis, women generally held a “valued self-identity”, experiencing themselves as physically whole and socially integrated in their roles as mothers, wives, and professionals. With diagnosis and treatment, women entered a transitional phase, developing either a dependent self-identity, often associated with younger women relying on family support, or a self-determined identity, more common among older women with greater economic and emotional agency.