There is little information on breast cancer (BC) survival in Ethiopia and other parts of sub-Saharan Africa. Our study estimated cumulative probabilities of distant metastasis-free survival (MFS) in patients at Addis Ababa (AA) University Radiotherapy Center, the only public oncologic institution in Ethiopia. We analyzed 1,070 females with BC stage 1-3 seen in [2005][2006][2007][2008][2009][2010]. Patients underwent regular follow-up; estrogen receptor-positive and -unknown patients received free endocrine treatment (an independent project funded by AstraZeneca Ltd. and facilitated by the Axios Foundation). The primary endpoint was distant metastasis. Sensitivity analysis (worst-case scenario) assumed that patients with incomplete follow-up had events 3 months after the last appointment. The median age was 43.0 (20-88) years. The median tumor size was 4.96 cm [standard deviation (SD) 2.81 cm; n 5 709 information available]. Stages 1, 2 and 3 represented 4, 25 and 71%, respectively (n 5 644). Ductal carcinoma predominated (79.2%, n 5 1,070) as well as grade 2 tumors (57%, n 5 509). Median follow-up was 23.1 (0-65.6) months, during which 285 women developed metastases. MFS after 2 years was 74% (69-79%), declining to 59% (53-64%) in the worst-case scenario. Patients with early stage (1-2) showed better MFS than patients with stage 3 (85 and 66%, respectively). The 5-year MFS was 72% for stages 1 and 2 and 33% for stage 3. We present a first overview on MFS in a large cohort of female BC patients (1,070 patients) from sub-Saharan Africa. Young age and advanced stage were associated with poor outcome.

Background. Almost 500,000 women are newly diagnosed with cervical cancer (CC) every year, the majority from developing countries. There is little information on the survival of these patients. Our primary objective was to evaluate consecutive CC patients presenting over 4 years at the only radiotherapy center in Ethiopia. Methods. All patients with CC from September 2008 to September 2012 who received radiotherapy and/or surgery were included (without brachytherapy). Vital status was obtained through telephone contact or patient cards. Results. Of 2,300 CC patients, 1,059 patients with standardized treatment were included. At the end of the study, 249 patients had died; surviving patients had a median follow‐up of 16.5 months; the 10% and 90% percentiles were 3.0 and 32.7 months, respectively. Mean age was 49 years (21–91 years). The majority of patients presented with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage IIb–IIIa (46.7%). Because of progression during the waiting time (median 3.8 months), this proportion declined to 19.3% at the beginning of radiotherapy. The 1‐ and 2‐year overall survival probabilities were 90.4% and 73.6%. If assuming a worst‐case scenario (i.e., if all patients not available for follow‐up after 6 months had died), the 2‐year survival probability would be 45.4%. Conclusion. This study gives a thorough 4‐year overview of treated patients with CC in Ethiopia. Given the limited treatment availability, a relatively high proportion of patients survived 2 years. More prevention and early detection at all levels of the health care system are needed. Increasing the capacity for external‐beam radiation as well as options for brachytherapy would facilitate treatment with curative intention.

BackgroundIn contrast with breast cancers (BCs) in other parts of the world, most previous studies reported that the majority of BCs in sub-Saharan Africa are estrogen-receptor (ER) negative. However, a recent study using the US SEER database showed that the proportion of ER-negative BC is comparable between US-born blacks and West-African born blacks but substantially lower in East African-born blacks, with over 74% of patients Ethiopians or Eritreans. In this paper, we provide the first report on the proportion of ER-negative BC in Ethiopia, and the relation to progesterone-receptor (PgR) status.MethodsWe analysed 352 female patients with ER results available out of 1208 consecutive female BC patients treated at Addis Ababa-University Hospital, Ethiopia, from June 2005 through December 2010. The influences of age, stage, and histology on the probability of ER-negative tumours were assessed by a log-linear regression model.ResultsOf the 352 patients, only 35% were ER-negative. The proportion of ER-negative tumours decreased with advancing age at diagnosis and was not affected by histology or stage. For age, the proportion decreased by 6% for each additional 5 years (stage-adjusted prevalence ratio PR = 0.94, 95% CI: 0.89–1.00). About 31% were ER- and PgR-negative, and 69% were ER- and/or PgR-positive.ConclusionsContrary to most previous reports in other parts of sub-Saharan Africa, the majority of patients in Ethiopia are ER-positive rather than ER-negative. These findings are in line with low proportions of ER-negative BCs from East African immigrants within the SEER database, and they have clinical implications for management of BC patients in Ethiopia and other parts of sub-Saharan Africa where ER-status is not ascertained as part of routine management of the disease. Since the majority of patients showed ER-positive BC, Tamoxifen-therapy should be given to all patients even with unknown ER status.

This study provides the first representative estimate of the prevalence of renal failure in Germany. The condition is highly dependent on age but less prevalent than previously assumed on the basis of American prevalence figures.

BackgroundIn 2012 the age-standardized acute myocardial infarction (AMI) mortality rate was in the federal state Saxony-Anhalt 67 deaths per 100.000 whereas in Germany the AMI-rate was 47 deaths per 100.000. The rate in Saxony-Anhalt was therefore 43 % above the national average. Many factors may explain this above-average AMI mortality rate:First, the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors (e.g. arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus, smoking) in Saxony-Anhalt is the highest among all the Federal States of Germany. Second, structural health care for patients with AMI is potentially deficient (e.g. insufficient number of percutaneous coronary intervention-centers or deficits in the pre-hospital logistics of care). Third, the pre- and in-hospital process quality of health care for patients with AMI is possibly insufficient (e.g. time to reperfusion therapy).In July 2013 we established the regional myocardial infarction registry of Saxony-Anhalt (Regionales Herzinfarktregister in Sachsen-Anhalt, RHESA). RHESA is a population-based registry in the eastern part of Germany.Aims of RHESA are to calculate the AMI morbidity and mortality rates. Furthermore we study the factors that may potentially influence these rates in Saxony-Anhalt.MethodsRHESA is a population-based registry of patients with fatal or non-fatal AMI that was established in July 2013. The registry population comprises inhabitants aged 25 years or more of the city of Halle (Saale) (n = 179.000) and inhabitants of the rural district Altmark (n = 165.000) in the federal state Saxony-Anhalt, Germany.DiscussionThe main objectives of RHESA are to provide detailed estimates of the burden of AMI in Saxony-Anhalt which is the federal state with the highest AMI mortality rate in Germany and to investigate factors that influence morbidity and mortality rates due to AMI. Data collected in RHESA enable us to assess different levels of quality of health care of patients with AMI (structural, process and outcome). RHESA provides for the first time estimates of the burden of AMI in Saxony-Anhalt, and therefore contributes considerably to an improvement of the German Health Monitoring that strives for a more valid extrapolation of the nationwide morbidity and mortality rates of AMI.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12872-015-0040-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.