Prescription of Cancer Treatment Modalities in Developing Countries: Results from a Multi-Centre Observational Study

Abstract

Background: Treatment is an important component of a comprehensive cancer control approach and its outcomes strongly depend on infrastructure, equipment, human and financial resources available. Therefore it is imperative to generate evidence-based tools to assist health policy makers from low resourced countries in planning efficient and equitable treatment services for a defined population based on what it is feasible to these settings. Methods: The intended cancer specific treatment planned and written in the patients' medical record (treatment prescription) of untreated adult cancer cases (≥18 years of age), excluding non-melanoma skin cancer, was recorded in a chronological way from 1 January 2012 onwards in a group of eight comprehensive cancer centres located in middle income countries and offering the main modalities of cancer * Affiliations are as of 1 March 2014. # Corresponding author. R. Camacho et al.990 treatment (surgery, medical oncology and radiotherapy). Results: A total of 17,713 medical records were reviewed, of which 7106 (54.2%) met the eligibility criteria. Prescription of main cancer treatment modalities were distributed as follows: 57.6% for chemotherapy (n = 4093), 56.8% for surgery (n = 4038), and 46.8% for radiotherapy (n = 3327). There was a predominance of plans consisting of combined treatment modalities over monotherapy (55.2% versus 44.8%). At the time of diagnosis 54.3% of the cancer cases had disease that had spread beyond the primary site, 41.2% were considered as having local disease and in 4.5% of the cases the information on disease extension was unknown. Conclusions: The results obtained should be seen as an approximation of cancer treatment service demand based on what it is currently practiced and therefore feasible in developing countries, particularly in middle income countries.

Radiotherapy utilization in developing countries: An IAEA study

“…The proportion of patients who need RT and who actually receive it, best measures accessibility of radiotherapy in a country. Radiotherapy is prescribed to approximately 47% of new cancer patients in middle-income countries, while in 55.2% of patients the prescription is for combined modality therapy [10]. The oRTU rates represent an ideal scenario where all patients who need RT have access to it.…”

Incidence and Determinants of Chemotherapy Associated Thromboembolic Events among Ethiopian Patients Treated for Solid Malignancy: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study

“…They can be given alone or in combination, either with the curative or palliative purpose. 2,3 However, in addition to other risk factors, most cancer treatment options have been shown to increase the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) despite the reported incidence (ranged from 6.6% to 21%) varies widely between studies. [4][5][6][7][8] Other risk factors include prolonged hospitalization, central venous catheters (CVC), type of malignancy, cancer stage and supportive therapies such as blood transfusion.…”