Abstract:
A thorough grasp of epidemiology and screening techniques is required due
to the increasing incidence of breast cancer in Sri Lanka. This review aims to
study breast cancer epidemiology, health literacy and screening methods in
Sri Lanka. A systematic search was conducted in Medline, Embase,
PUBMED, and AMED databases with studies conducted in Sri Lanka up to
2024. Two independent researchers identified 149 studies, from which data
were extracted from 27 eligible studies by the PRISMA guidelines. The quality
of the studies was evaluated using the quality assessment tools in the
National Institute of Health. The available epidemiological data on breast
cancer in Sri Lanka are limited. Contributing factors to the high mortality rate
include low health literacy, barriers to care, and delays in diagnosis and
treatment. The awareness about breast cancer is low, especially regarding
diagnosis and breast self-examination (BSE). The practice of BSE is rare.
Health education appears to improve health literacy. Notable breast cancer
risk factors are menopause, abortions, passive smoking, age (>45), early
menarche (<12 years), late menopause (>55 years), no children, oral
contraceptives, alcohol and tobacco use, diabetes, family history, radiation,
obesity, and prolonged breastfeeding. The screening and diagnosis tests are
mammography, breast self-examination, clinical breast examination,
molecular detection, and histology. The limited resources allocated for
screening and diagnostic services in Sri Lanka present a significant challenge
for early detection and management of diseases. The future paths for the
diagnosis are considering genetic variations with advanced molecular
methods. Considering the high incidence and limited awareness, the
adoption of highly accurate screening and diagnosis techniques, with
nationally accessible educational programs about breast cancer awareness
is necessary.
