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Submitted
May 27, 2025
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November 22, 2025
Published
December 29, 2025
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Abstract

Background: Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Future doctors who are key players in prevention and health education must be adequately trained in this pathology. This study aimed to assess the views of final-year medical students in Guinea about breast cancer.


Methodology: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at a referral university hospital using a self-administered questionnaire containing items on students’ knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions.


Results: Among the 400 students included, 82.7% had poor knowledge, and 75.0% supported promoting breast self-examination. Knowledge varied significantly by study level (p < 0.001): 75.8% of sixth-year students had poor knowledge, compared with 90.5% of seventh-year students. Finally, 8.0% believed it was the result of a curse, 4.0% directly associated it with death, and 1.0% considered it divine punishment.


Conclusion: Graduating medical students in Guinea lack essential knowledge about breast cancer. These findings emphasize the need to improve breast cancer education during medical training in Guinea.

Keywords

Breast cancer medical students Guinea

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Copyright (c) 2025 Ibrahima Kalil Condé, Kalil Cissé, Malick Bah, Mamady Keïta, Petiori Laurence Touré, Saran Camara, Bangaly Traoré

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Author Biographies

Ibrahima Kalil Condé, Felix Houphouët Boigny University, Abidjan, Ivory Coast

Ibrahima Kalil Condé, MD, is a resident in medical oncology at the Félix Houphouët-Boigny University in Abidjan. He is actively involved in clinical care and research in medical oncology, with a particular focus on breast and gynecological cancers. His work centers on diagnostic and therapeutic strategies adapted to African settings, as well as improving access to cancer screening and oncology services.

Kalil Cissé, Gamal Abdel Nasser University, Conakry, Guinea

Dr. Kalil Cissé is a medical oncologist at Gamal Abdel Nasser University of Conakry. With ten years of experience in cancer management in Guinea, he plays a key role in both clinical practice and medical training. His research focuses primarily on breast cancer, with an emphasis on improving early detection, optimizing therapeutic strategies, and strengthening oncology services in low-resource settings.

Malick Bah, Gamal Abdel Nasser University, Conakry, Guinea

Dr. Malick Bah is a surgical oncologist and Assistant Professor of CAMES at Gamal Abdel Nasser University of Conakry. With more than ten years of experience in cancer management, he is actively involved in clinical practice, academic teaching, and specialized surgical oncology training. His research interests include cancer surgery, oncoplastic techniques, and the development of context-appropriate surgical approaches to improve patient outcomes in low-resource settings.

Mamady Keïta, Gamal Abdel Nasser University, Conakry, Guinea

Dr. Mamady Keïta is a radiation oncologist and Assistant Professor of CAMES at Gamal Abdel Nasser University of Conakry. As the only practicing radiation oncologist in Guinea, he has over fifteen years of experience in cancer care, contributing significantly to the development and delivery of radiotherapy services in the country. His research focuses on radiotherapy, with an emphasis on improving access to treatment, optimizing protocols in resource-limited settings, and strengthening national oncology capacity.

Petiori Laurence Touré, Felix Houphouët Boigny University, Abidjan, Ivory Coast

Dr. Pétiori Touré is a psychiatrist and Assistant Chief of the Clinic of Medical Oncology at Félix Houphouët-Boigny University in Abidjan. She is actively engaged in the psychosocial care of cancer patients, integrating mental health support into oncology practice. Her work also encompasses palliative care and clinical oncology, with a focus on improving patients' quality of life and on holistic management throughout the cancer continuum.

Saran Camara, Kofi Annan University of Guinea

Dr. Saran Camara, MD, is a hospital-based oncology practitioner affiliated with Kofi Annan University of Guinea. She has several years of experience in cancer care, with a strong commitment to training and supervising medical students and trainees in chemotherapy administration. Her work focuses on strengthening clinical oncology practice, improving the safety and quality of chemotherapy delivery.

Bangaly Traoré, Gamal Abdel Nasser University, Conakry, Guinea

Bangaly Traoré, MD, is a Professor of Surgical Oncology and Chair of the Oncology Department at Gamal Abdel Nasser University of Conakry. He also serves as the National Coordinator of Guinea’s Cancer Control Program. With more than twenty-five years of experience in oncology, he plays a central role in advancing cancer care, training specialists, and shaping national strategies for cancer prevention and treatment. His leadership and expertise have been instrumental in strengthening oncology services and capacity building across the country.

How to Cite
Condé, I. K., Cissé, K., Bah, M., Keïta, M., Touré, P. G. L., Camara, S., & Traoré, B. (2025). Graduating Medical Students’ Views on Breast Cancer in Guinea: A Cross-Sectional Study. Pan-African Journal of Health and Environmental Science, 4(2), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.56893/ajhes2025v04i02.01
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