Chemotherapy and haematological toxicities: experience of the Joseph Ravoahangy Andrianavalona Hospital in Antananarivo, Madagascar

Abstract

Context and objective. Cancer chemotherapy can have adverse effects on blood cells. The aim of the present study was to describe chemotherapy-induced haematological toxicities. Methods. This was a retrospective descriptive case series of patients attending the Oncology Department of the Joseph Ravoahangy Andrianavalona Hospital in Antananarivo, Madagascar between February and May 2018. The study included adult patients treated with anticancer chemotherapy, with haematological toxicity and without known cytopenia or bone marrow pathology. Results. Of 113 patients treated with chemotherapy, 84 (74.3%) experienced haematological toxicity. The mean age of the patients was 48.4 years (±12.7), with a sex ratio of 0.3. The majority of patients (40.9%) had breast cancer. Cell lineage impairment was observed in 83% of cases. Isolated neutropenia was the most common toxicity (52.4%), followed by anaemia (31%). Only one patient experienced thrombocytopenia. The majority of toxicities were grade 1. Thirty-three percent of cases had toxicity from the first treatment. There were no clinical signs in 75 % of cases. Conclusion. Haematologic toxicities were less severe. Neutropenia was the most common, similar to literature data. Thrombocytopenia was less common.

Received: February 8^th, 2024

Accepted: July 28^th, 2024

https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/aamed.v17i4.9