LAGOS, Nigeria / AfricaWire.IO / – St. George’s University has called for risk-based breast cancer screening across Africa after a study found that 21.9% of women diagnosed with the disease in five sub-Saharan African countries were under the age of 40. The university urged healthcare providers to weigh individual risk factors alongside age when deciding who needs screening. It warned that an age-only approach could limit early detection, particularly in underserved communities.
SGU made the call during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, highlighting the need for wider access to breast examinations, diagnostic imaging and specialist care. Estimates from the International Agency for Research on Cancer‘s GLOBOCAN 2024 data, published in 2026, show Africa recorded about 225,643 new breast cancer cases and 100,070 deaths in 2024. Breast cancer remains the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women on the continent and their leading cause of cancer deaths.
Dr. Tonia Frame, Assistant Professor and Director of the Global Health Unit in SGU’s Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine in Grenada, said risk varies from person to person. “Breast cancer risk does not suddenly begin at a particular birthday, and two women of the same age may have very different risk profiles,” she said. Frame urged women to know how their breasts normally look and feel and to seek prompt medical evaluation for unexplained changes.
Family history and genetics shape screening needs
Frame said that in Africa, breast cancer often appears at a comparatively younger age and access to high-quality imaging is uneven. The university identified family history of breast or ovarian cancer, inherited genetic factors, breast density and previous high-risk breast lesions as factors that could shape individual screening plans. Women carrying BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene variants may need screening earlier than the average-risk population, potentially from age 25, depending on clinical guidance.
SGU also cited a 2026 systematic review and meta-analysis that found only 13% of women in sub-Saharan Africa had ever had a clinical breast examination. The university linked gaps in screening to differences in education, household wealth, health insurance coverage and access to care. It called for better diagnostic infrastructure, more training for frontline health workers and wider access to imaging and pathology services. Stronger referral systems are also needed so that women with abnormal findings receive timely care.
AI could support detection where specialists are scarce
The university said artificial intelligence could support detection through patient triage, image interpretation, workflow prioritisation and risk estimation, especially where specialist capacity is limited. However, it cautioned that AI tools need proper validation, quality assurance, diagnostic confirmation and continuous monitoring across different populations. “AI output is not a diagnosis,” Frame said. She added that results must be read alongside a patient’s clinical history, risk factors, examination findings and appropriate imaging.
Frame said community health workers, portable AI technology and digital referral pathways could be integrated into primary healthcare to reach women facing geographical, financial and health-system barriers. SGU encouraged women to discuss family history, possible genetic counselling, breast density and previous symptoms or biopsy results with their doctors. The university stressed that earlier detection must be matched by timely diagnosis and treatment, as delays in confirming abnormal findings remain a major challenge across Africa.