Ovarian cancer: Pattern of care in a tertiary health centre in sub-saharan Africa

• Main Authors: U A Umar, I A Yakasai, N Adamou
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2016-01-01
• Series: Tropical Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
• Subjects: Chemotherapy; ovarian cancer; pattern of care.
• Online Access: http://www.tjogonline.com/article.asp?issn=0189-5117;year=2016;volume=33;issue=3;spage=288;epage=291;aulast=Umar

Objective: The aim of this study was to study the pattern of care offered to patients with ovarian cancer, as well as to evaluate patients' compliance to chemotherapy in our centre. Materials and Methods: Theatre records and case files of patients who underwent surgery for ovarian cancer from January 2011 to December 2014 at our hospital were retrieved and analyzed. Results: During the study period, 68 patients were admitted with malignant ovarian tumors. Sixty-five percent of the patients presented with advanced stages (either stage III or IV). Complete surgical staging was done in 48 (66%) patients. Only 18 (25.5%) had optimal cytoreduction during surgery. Compliance to chemotherapy was poor, as out of the 58 patients that were recommended to have chemotherapy, only 28 had it; giving a compliance rate of 48.3%. Conclusion: Management of malignant ovarian tumor is still not optimal at our centre due to late presentation and poor compliance to chemotherapy. Training of gynaecologic oncologist and creation of Gynaecologic Oncology centres in our hospitals as well as provision of subsidized chemotherapy drugs will improve management and survival.