Background
In sub‐Saharan countries (SSAs), the advanced stage at diagnosis and the limited surgical interventions of female breast cancer (FBC) lead to poor outcomes. This study assessed current modalities of FBC surgeries.
Methods
Six literature databases (Medline, Embase, African Journal Online, Google Scholar, Web of Science, Cochrane Library) were searched, plus a manual search, in 2011–2021. We included primary data studies with any setting and presurgeries or postsurgeries treatments, we excluded non‐English language studies, editorials, and grey literature.
Results
The search yielded 21 observational studies (16 retrospective, 3 prospective, and 2 case reports). Of the total 6900 patients, 4121 (60%) patients underwent FBC surgical excision only, and 751/2779 (27%) conservative surgery (BCS) or therapy (BCT). All studies reported similar use of mastectomy (>60%), the FBC surgical excision/reconstruction studies displayed more neoadjuvant chemotherapy (536/2779, 19% vs. 215/4121, 5%), and radiotherapy or adjuvant radiotherapy (1461/2779, 52% vs. 411/3921, 4%). Patients' age, histological classification, staging, and follow‐up data were often missing.
Conclusions
The FBC complexity requires structured management by general and plastic surgeons, radiotherapy specialists, and obstetrician‐gynecologists through shared guidelines, protocols, and specific programs of public health. In SSAs, FBC surgical strategies should point at decreasing radical mastectomy and increasing BCS/BCT.
