The epidemiology of cancer in Angola—results from the cancer registry of the national oncology centre of Luanda, Angola

Abstract

Knowledge of the epidemiological profile of cancer is a key step in planning national cancer policy. The main objective of this study was to characterize the epidemiological profile of cancer in Angola based on cases of cancer registered at the National Oncology Centre (NOC) of Luanda, the only Angolan hospital to specialize in cancer treatment and diagnosis. The study consisted of a cross-sectional historical review of cases treated at the NOC between 2007 and 2011. The following variables were analysed: tumour location, diagnostic basis, and source of referral, as well as patient age, sex, place of residence, and the stage of the disease. The NOC registered a total of 4,791 patients throughout the study period, at an annual average of 958 cases. The most commonly diagnosed cancers were breast (20.5%), cervical (16.5%), and head and neck cancer (10.6%), followed by lymphoma (7.2%), Kaposi sarcoma (6.1%), and prostate cancer (4%). A total of 76% of patients were under 60 years old, and 10% were less than 15 years old. Of the total number of patients with cancer treated at the NOC, 77.3% lived in the Luanda province. Staging data were only available for patients with breast or cervical cancer, and an analysis of this variable showed that most of these individuals were in advanced stages of the disease. In the absence of a population-based cancer registry, this study constitutes a reasonable assessment of the epidemiological profile of cancer in Angola.

Breast cancer in Angola, molecular subtypes: a first glance

“…In Angola, a country with 3600 doctors, 33,000 nurses, 510 pharmacists and close to 3000 health facilities serving a total population of 25.7 million (65% less than 24-year old and a life expectancy at birth for women of 63 years according to the National Statistics Institute), a similar trend is observed [ 6 ]. In Angola, most BC cases are also diagnosed at advanced stages, at a young age and present low survival rates [ 7 , 8 ]. In these stages, management of BC requires an extensive and urgent approach combining actions such as surgery, timely access to cost-effective chemotherapy (cytotoxic, hormone, and target therapies) and/or radiation therapy [ 9 ].…”

Oncology pharmacy units: a safety policy for handling hazardous drugs and related waste in low- and middle-income African countries—Angolan experience

“…High rates of late-stage cancers at the time of first diagnosis have been well documented in low- and middle-income countries such as Angola [4]. …”

A study of skin disease spectrum occurring in Angola phototype V–VI population in Luanda

“…In our Unit, we diagnosed HIV infection in two adult patients carrying MC on the face, a teenager with herpes zoster, and an adult male with KS. Furthermore, Armando et al . reported that KS was the fifth most common cancer registered in Luanda from 2007 to 2011 and that all cases were HIV‐related, reporting a high prevalence in male patients.…”

“…Besides KS, skin cancer is rare in Angolans; nevertheless, the proportion of acral lentiginous melanoma (ALM) among all malignant melanoma (MM) is the greatest in the Black population . Vieira Lopez et al .…”