Survival of cervix cancer patients in Kampala, Uganda: 1995–1997

Abstract

The survival experience of 261 patients with cancer of the cervix registered by the Kampala population-based cancer registry, Uganda, in 1995-1997, is described. Vital status of the subjects was established by active methods including a search of hospital records and house visits. Of the 261 cases, 82 (31.4%) were dead and 105 (40.2%) were alive at the closing date of 31 December 1999; the remaining 74 cases (28.4%) were lost during the follow-up period. Overall observed and relative survival at 3 years was 52.4 and 59.9%, respectively. Of these cases, one-quarter (63) had been treated in the radiotherapy department. These cases had better survival (82.6%) than nontreated patients (78.5%) after 1 year of follow-up, but there was no difference at 3 years. HIV status was not significantly related to prognosis. Stage is an important determinant of survival: cases with distant metastasis had a risk of death some three times that of patients with localised disease. Early detection and prompt treatment should improve overall survival from cervix cancer, in the African context.

Factors associated with management of cervical cancer patients at KCMC Hospital, Tanzania: a retrospective cross-sectional study

“…Fifty-six percent of the admitted patients presented with cervical cancer at stage III and IV, and these had poor prognosis compared to patients presented at stage I and II. These results are similar to other reports of late diagnosis due to lack of screening services (Wabinga et al, 2003;Ngwelle et al, 2001). Therefore, without access to viable programme, women from poor communities will continue to seek care only when they have developed symptoms and advanced stages of cervical cancer which is difficult to treat.…”

“…Although our findings do not represent the situation all over the country and that do not reveal the medium and long-term patient outcomes (Ngwelle et al, 2001;Kahesa et al, 2008;Wabinga et al, 2003) the study provides an indication of the burden of cervical cancer and its immediate outcomes in settings where screening do not exist. Statistics indicate that cervical cancer is preventable by effective screening programmes and considerable reductions in its incidence and death has been recorded in developed countries (Elovainio et al, 1997).…”

“…In our study, about one-third of the admitted patients were finally discharged home for terminal care and about half were referred to ORCI in Dar es Salaam for radiotherapy and or chemotherapy. Studies elsewhere have indicated that death, palliative care, referred for radiotherapy and or chemotherapy reflect diseases detection at late stage where prognosis is poor (Walker et al, 1985;Wabinga et al, 2003).…”

“…In developing countries, few study reports are available describing the magnitude of cervical cancer, disease stage, management and immediate outcome of these patients (Walker et al, 1985;Wabinga et al, 2003). Even in these few studies, it has been revealed that the outcome is poor although cancer of the cervix is one of the few cancers which are easily preventable and treatable once diagnosed earlier.…”

Efeito do tempo de espera para radioterapia na sobrevida geral em cinco anos de mulheres com câncer do colo do útero, 1995-2010

“…A resposta ao tratamento na presença de doença avançada tem se mostrado pior, com repercussão no encurtamento da sobrevida em outras coortes no país 8,21 e no mundo 22,23 . Mesmo se tratando de pacientes elegíveis unicamente para radioterapia, os atuais resultados alertaram para uma situação preocupante, visto que a sobrevida estimada nos cinco anos foi de apenas 25,3%, considerando-se a coorte como um todo.…”