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Post-surgical management of patients with breast cancer at Kenyatta National Hospital
Abstract
Objective: To assess post-surgical management of patients with breast cancer at the Kenyatta National Hospital.
Design: Retrospective analysis of patients treated for breast carcinoma at Kenyatta National Hospital between January 1989 and January 2000.
Setting: Kenyatta National Hospital.
Subjects: Three hundred and seventy-four patients who had surgery or biopsy for breast cancer at the Kenyatta National Hospital.
Intervention: Chemo-hormonal therapy and/or radiotherapy for adjuvant, metastatic, or palliative purposes.
Results: Twenty-two patients received adjuvant chemotherapy, and 21 patients received chemotherapy for metastatic disease. Forty-six patients received adjuvant radiotherapy and 53 had radiotherapy for palliative purposes. One hundred and twenty-six patients were given tamoxifen for adjuvant and metastatic purposes. The median duration of follow-up was 20 months.
Conclusion: Chemotherapy is grossly underutilized in the treatment of breast cancer at the Kenyatta National Hospital, and radiotherapy is also underutilized. Follow-up durations are dismal and if this is used as a surrogate measure for survival then survival durations for breast cancer patients are also dismal at the Kenyatta National Hospital.
(East African Medical Journal: 2002 79(3): 156-162)
Design: Retrospective analysis of patients treated for breast carcinoma at Kenyatta National Hospital between January 1989 and January 2000.
Setting: Kenyatta National Hospital.
Subjects: Three hundred and seventy-four patients who had surgery or biopsy for breast cancer at the Kenyatta National Hospital.
Intervention: Chemo-hormonal therapy and/or radiotherapy for adjuvant, metastatic, or palliative purposes.
Results: Twenty-two patients received adjuvant chemotherapy, and 21 patients received chemotherapy for metastatic disease. Forty-six patients received adjuvant radiotherapy and 53 had radiotherapy for palliative purposes. One hundred and twenty-six patients were given tamoxifen for adjuvant and metastatic purposes. The median duration of follow-up was 20 months.
Conclusion: Chemotherapy is grossly underutilized in the treatment of breast cancer at the Kenyatta National Hospital, and radiotherapy is also underutilized. Follow-up durations are dismal and if this is used as a surrogate measure for survival then survival durations for breast cancer patients are also dismal at the Kenyatta National Hospital.
(East African Medical Journal: 2002 79(3): 156-162)
