article · Western Journal of Medical and Biomedical Sciences
Breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer and a major cause of cancer deaths in women worldwide, with rates increasing across sub-Saharan Africa. While early detection is vital for patient outcomes, access to modern diagnostics remains unequal. Recent developments between 2020 and 2025 demonstrate notable improvements in diagnostic accuracy through tools such as digital mammography, contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging, elastography, and artificial intelligence-assisted imaging. Simultaneously, molecular innovations including liquid biopsy techniques, circulating tumour DNA, and exosomal assays are refining early detection, disease monitoring, and therapy selection. Combining imaging with molecular insights into hybrid pathways presents opportunities for personalised, minimally invasive care. Addressing persistent regional disparities requires expanded infrastructure, local workforce development, and the adoption of integrated diagnostic solutions suited to low- and middle-income healthcare environments.
Breast cancer remains a leading cause of death among women globally, yet survival depends heavily on catching the disease early. Advanced imaging and molecular tests offer faster, more accurate, and less invasive diagnoses. Understanding these technological shifts helps health systems direct resources effectively, closing the diagnostic gap for women in lower-income and underserved regions.
The review highlights diagnostic applications such as artificial intelligence-assisted imaging, liquid biopsy platforms, and hybrid data systems. Healthcare providers and diagnostic laboratories in low- and middle-income regions could deploy these technologies to improve early detection and patient stratification. Because the work synthesises broader literature, the technologies described span various development stages, from emerging molecular assays to commercially applied imaging tools, though local adoption remains limited by infrastructure constraints.
AI-generated from the published abstract. Always read the original work before citing.
ABSTRACT Breast cancer remains the most prevalent malignancy and a leading cause of cancer mortality among women globally, with rising incidence across sub-Saharan Africa. Early and accurate diagnosis is critical for improving outcomes, yet access to advanced diagnostic tools remains uneven. This review synthesizes recent advances in breast cancer diagnostic modalities, emphasizing innovations from 2020 to 2025 and their potential application in low- and middle-income settings. A comprehensive literature search was conducted using PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science for recent studies on imaging, molecular diagnostics, biomarkers, and artificial intelligence in breast cancer detection and characterization. Emphasis was placed on comparative findings from global, regional (sub-Saharan African), and Nigerian studies. Emerging diagnostic tools such as digital mammography, contrast-enhanced MRI, elastography, and AI-assisted imaging have significantly improved sensitivity and specificity. Molecular biomarkers and liquid biopsy technologies, including circulating tumor DNA and exosomal assays, are enhancing early detection, disease monitoring, and treatment stratification. Hybrid diagnostic pathways integrating imaging and molecular data show promise for personalized, minimally invasive diagnostics. Modern advances are revolutionizing breast cancer diagnosis, but regional disparities persist. Strengthening infrastructure, capacity building, and the integration of hybrid diagnostic approaches are essential to achieve equitable breast cancer detection and management, particularly in resource-limited regions.
This page summarises published work. The authoritative version sits with the publisher.
DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.18112439
Is something wrong with this record? Report it or request removal.
Discussion
Have you built on this work, tried to replicate it, or seen it applied in practice? Share what you know. Verified researchers and MARATTO™ domain experts can open a discussion, and any member can reply. Contributions are reviewed before they appear.
No discussion yet. Open the first thread.
New to MARATTO™? Create a free account.
