Characteristics and early outcomes of cervical cancer patients at Butaro District Hospital, Rwanda: a retrospective review

Abstract

Background Cancer treatment facilities are scarce in rural areas of low-income and middle-income countries, where the highest burden of cervical cancer exists. The Butaro Cancer Center of Excellence (BCCOE), in rural Rwanda, is a Rwandan Ministry of Health facility supported by Partners In Health and Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Center. The cervical cancer programme includes diagnosis, staging, and treatment. However, because of resource limitations, only 15 patients per month could be referred for radiotherapy to the Uganda Cancer Institute. In this study, we describe cervical cancer treatment at BCCOE and early patient outcomes.

Healthcare provider challenges to early detection of cervical cancer at primary healthcare level in Rwanda

“…Currently, Rwanda has no national cervical cancer screening program. A study performed at Butaro Cancer Center in Rwanda showed that 97% of cervical cancer patients enrolled from July 2012 to June 2015 had stage II disease or above ( Davey et al, 2017 ). Delay in diagnosis is a major concern in cervical cancer control, with both patients and healthcare providers contributing to these delays ( Gyenwali et al, 2014 , Zeleke et al, 2021 , Behnamfar and Azadehrah, 2015 ).…”

“…Screening is opportunistic and typically provided per patient request. As there are no clinics dedicated solely to cervical cancer screening, most patients diagnosed with cervical cancer are evaluated because they are symptomatic, accounting for the large percentage of cervical cancer patients diagnosed at an advanced stage ( Davey et al, 2017 ).…”

Challenges to early detection of cervical cancer at primary healthcare level in Resource limited settings; a descriptive study.

“…The high mortality rate associated with cervical cancer in Rwanda is, in part, due to late diagnosis of the disease. A study done at Butaro Cancer Center in Rwanda showed that 97% of cervical cancer patients enrolled at the center from July 2012 to June 2015 had stage II disease or above (7). Delay in diagnosis is a major concern in cervical cancer prevention and treatment programs.…”