Advances in Biological Breast Cancer Research and Cancer Care in Africa

Breast cancer remains a major cause of cancer-related mortality in Africa, where late-stage diagnosis, limited access to specialised care, and underrepresentation in biomedical research continue to impede improvements in patient outcomes. At the same time, rapid advances in tumour biology, molecular diagnostics, and precision oncology are fundamentally reshaping our understanding of breast cancer. This review examines recent developments in breast cancer research through the interconnected lenses of tumour genomics, epigenetics, the tumour microenvironment, immunometabolism, environmental influences, and systems biology, highlighting how these biological insights are driving innovations in diagnostics and targeted therapeutics. We further discuss emerging technologies, including multi-omics, liquid biopsy, artificial intelligence, and patient-derived models, and consider their potential to advance precision oncology. Importantly, we evaluate these advances within the African context, where limited molecular data, restricted access to diagnostic infrastructure, and resource constraints continue to challenge clinical implementation. We argue that improving outcomes across the continent will require more than the adoption of emerging technologies; it will depend on generating African-relevant biological evidence, expanding representation in genomic research, and integrating molecular, clinical, and environmental data to develop equitable, context-specific precision medicine strategies. Such an approach offers the potential to transform breast cancer management while reducing longstanding disparities in cancer care across Africa.