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. 2019 Sep 19;14(9):e0219519.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0219519. eCollection 2019.

Addis Ababa population-based pattern of cancer therapy, Ethiopia

Jana Feuchtner  1 , Assefa Mathewos  2 , Asmare Solomon  2 , Genebo Timotewos  2 , Abreha Aynalem  2 , Tigeneh Wondemagegnehu  2 , Amha Gebremedhin  3 , Fekadu Adugna  2 , Mirko Griesel  1 , Andreas Wienke  1 , Adamu Addissie  4 , Ahmedin Jemal  5 , Eva Johanna Kantelhardt  1   6
Affiliations

Addis Ababa population-based pattern of cancer therapy, Ethiopia

Jana Feuchtner et al. PLoS One. .

Abstract

Cancer in Sub-Saharan Africa is becoming an important challenge for health services due to rising numbers of patients. In Addis Ababa with around 3.5 million inhabitants, more than 2000 cases are diagnosed annually. In this retrospective population-based cohort study we assessed completeness of and waiting time for cancer-therapy among patients registered in the Addis Ababa City Cancer Registry (AACCR), Ethiopia. Patient hospital files were retrieved to complete the data from AACCR. A total of 588 files were found (51% of those diagnosed from January to March 2012 and 2014). We analyzed completeness and waiting time of chemotherapy and radiotherapy; with completeness defined as ≥85% therapy received according to local guidelines. Analysis was done for the five most common cancer-types commonly treated with chemotherapy (breast, colorectal, non-Hodgkin`s lymphoma, lung and ovarian) and the four most common cancer-types commonly treated with radiotherapy (breast, cervical, head and neck and rectal). In our study, half of the patients (54.1%) received adequately dosed chemotherapy and 24.5% of patients received adequately dosed radiotherapy. The median waiting time was 2.1 months (Range: 0 to 20.72) for chemotherapy and 7 months (Range: 0.17 to 21.8) for radiotherapy. This study underscores the need for health system measures to improve cancer-directed therapy in Ethiopia, especially concerning radiotherapy.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1
Completeness of chemotherapy according to local guidelines in top 5 cancer entities: (a) breast cancer stages 1–4; (b) colorectal cancer stages 3–4; (c) Non-Hodgkin`s lymphoma stages 2–4; (d) lung cancer stages 2–4; (e) ovarian cancer stages 2–4; (f) all 5 cancer entities together.
Fig 2
Fig 2
Completeness of radiotherapy according to local guidelines in top 4 cancer entities: (a) breast cancer stages 3 and 4; (b) cervical cancer stages 2–4 without single-shot; (c) head and neck cancer stages 2–4; (d) rectal cancer stages 2–4; (e) all 4 cancer entities together.
Fig 3
Fig 3
Cumulative probability of receiving chemotherapy (a) and radiotherapy (b) over time [in months].
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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