St. George’s University (SGU) has called for breast cancer screening strategies that account for individual risk factors, following research showing that 21.9 per cent of women diagnosed with the disease across five sub-Saharan African countries were younger than 40.

The university said relying solely on age to determine screening eligibility could leave some women at risk of late diagnosis, particularly in communities with limited access to healthcare and diagnostic services.

The call was made as part of activities marking Breast Cancer Awareness Month, with the institution urging improved access to clinical breast examinations, diagnostic imaging and specialist medical care.

Estimates from the International Agency for Research on Cancer’s GLOBOCAN 2024, published in 2026, indicate that Africa recorded approximately 225,643 new breast cancer cases and 100,070 deaths from the disease in 2024.

Breast cancer remains the most frequently diagnosed cancer among women on the continent and the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among them.

Dr Tonia Frame, Assistant Professor and Director of the Global Health Unit in the Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine at SGU in Grenada, said breast cancer risk differs among individuals and should not be assessed by age alone.

Frame explained that women of the same age could have significantly different risk profiles, making personalised assessments important when determining appropriate screening schedules.

She encouraged women to become familiar with the normal appearance and feel of their breasts and seek prompt medical attention if they notice unexplained changes.

Frame added that early detection strategies in Africa needed to account for the relatively young age at which some women develop breast cancer, as well as unequal access to advanced diagnostic equipment.

SGU identified family history of breast or ovarian cancer, inherited genetic variations, breast density and previous high-risk breast lesions as factors that could influence screening recommendations.

Women with BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene variants, the university noted, may need to begin screening earlier than those at average risk, potentially from age 25, depending on clinical guidance.

The institution also cited a 2026 systematic review and meta-analysis which found that only 13 per cent of women in sub-Saharan Africa had ever undergone a clinical breast examination.

It attributed low screening uptake partly to disparities in education, household income, health insurance coverage and access to medical services.

To address these gaps, SGU called for investment in diagnostic infrastructure, additional training for frontline healthcare workers, wider access to imaging and pathology services, and stronger referral systems to ensure women with suspicious findings receive timely care.

The university also highlighted the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) to improve breast cancer detection by supporting patient triage, interpreting medical images, prioritising clinical workloads and estimating individual risk, particularly in areas with shortages of specialists.

However, it warned that AI-assisted screening tools must undergo appropriate validation, quality assurance and continuous monitoring to ensure reliable results across different populations. Findings generated by such systems, it stressed, must also be confirmed through appropriate clinical assessments and diagnostic procedures.

Frame said integrating community health workers, portable AI technologies and digital referral systems into primary healthcare could help extend early detection services to women facing geographical, financial and health-system barriers.

She emphasised that effective screening depended on a complete care process, from public awareness and initial assessment to referral, diagnostic confirmation and treatment, rather than technology alone.

Frame further cautioned that AI-generated results should not be treated as a definitive diagnosis but interpreted alongside a patient’s medical history, risk factors, physical examination and appropriate imaging.

SGU said personalised screening should help identify women who would benefit from earlier or additional assessments while limiting unnecessary investigations among those unlikely to benefit.

The university urged women to discuss their family medical history, potential need for genetic counselling, breast density, previous symptoms and biopsy results with healthcare professionals when determining appropriate screening and follow-up plans.

It added that early detection efforts must be matched by timely diagnosis and treatment, warning that delays in evaluating suspicious symptoms and confirming abnormal findings remained major challenges across Africa.