St. George’s University has called for more personalized breast cancer screening across Africa after highlighting research indicating that 21.9 per cent of women diagnosed with the disease in five sub-Saharan African countries were younger than 40.
The institution said screening decisions should take account of family history, inherited genetic factors, breast density and previous high-risk breast lesions rather than relying on age alone. Its appeal formed part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month activities focused on improving early detection and access to care.
Citing GLOBOCAN estimates published in 2026, the university said Africa recorded approximately 225,643 new breast cancer cases and 100,070 deaths in 2024. It also referenced a systematic review suggesting that only 13 per cent of women in sub-Saharan Africa had ever undergone a clinical breast examination.
Dr Tonia Frame of the university’s Global Health Unit said women of the same age could face very different levels of risk. She encouraged women to seek medical assessment for unexplained changes and discuss their personal and family histories with qualified clinicians.
The university said women carrying certain inherited genetic variants might need earlier assessment under specialist guidance. It also urged health systems to expand imaging, pathology, frontline training and referral capacity so suspicious findings can be investigated promptly.
Artificial intelligence may help with triage and image review where specialists are scarce, the university said, but such tools must be validated and used alongside clinical examination and diagnostic confirmation. It emphasized that an AI-generated result is not itself a medical diagnosis.
