Epidemiological Description of the Socioeconomic and Demographic Factors of Breast Cancer in the State of Pará, Brazil (2015-2024)

Abstract

Background: Breast cancer is a major public health concern, and regional epidemiological descriptions are important for understanding patterns of notification, screening and access to diagnosis. Objective: This study aimed to analyse the epidemiological profile of socioeconomic and demographic factors associated with breast cancer in the State of Pará, Brazil, between 2015 and 2024. Methods: This was an ecological, epidemiological and quantitative study based on secondary data obtained from the Department of Informatics of the Unified Health System (DATASUS). Records related to breast cancer cases, diagnostic mammography, screening mammography, age group, ethnicity and mesoregion of residence were analysed descriptively for the period 2015–2024. Results: Reported cases increased over the study period, from 150 cases in 2015 to 2,007 cases in 2024, with a decline in 2020 and subsequent increases in the following years. The Metropolitan Region of Belém, Northeastern Pará and Southeastern Pará concentrated most notifications. Screening mammography was the predominant indication for mammography, with 466,162 examinations, whereas 136 diagnostic mammograms for cancer lesions were recorded. The highest proportion of cases occurred among women aged 45–49 years, followed by those aged 50–54 and 40–44 years, together representing 40.9% of cases. Records were most frequent among women classified as yellow ethnicity, followed by mixed-race and white women. Conclusion: The findings indicate increasing breast cancer notifications in Pará, with regional concentration of cases, low recorded diagnostic mammography and demographic differences that require careful interpretation and strengthened surveillance.