Survival and Predictors of Mortality among Breast Cancer Patients in Ethiopia: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Background Breast cancer is a global health issue, being the most common malignancy and a leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women, particularly in Ethiopia. Despite this high burden, survival rates and predictors of mortality remain undetermined. This study aimed to assess the pooled incidence of breast cancer and identify factors influencing mortality in Ethiopia. Methods A comprehensive search was conducted using several databases, including PubMed, EMBASE, Google Scholar, Google, and Web of Science. Articles were evaluated according to predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Relevant data were extracted and analyzed using R version 4.2.3 and Stata version 17.0. Results Eight studies were included in this analysis. The pooled incidence of mortality among patients with breast cancer was 25% (95% CI: 17–33%). The results showed that late-stage at diagnosis (AOR=4.79, 95% CI: 1.76–7.81) and chemotherapy treatment (AOR=0.51, 95% CI: 0.06–0.96) were significant predictors of mortality. Conclusions This systematic review and meta-analysis estimated the pooled incidence of mortality among patients with breast cancer in Ethiopia to be 25%. These findings indicate that individuals diagnosed at late stages of breast cancer have a five-fold increased risk of dying compared to those whose cases were diagnosed early. Furthermore, the study indicated that the likelihood of death for patients receiving chemotherapy was 51% less than for those not receiving chemotherapy. These insights highlight the importance of early detection and effective treatment options for improving survival outcomes in breast cancer patients in Ethiopia.