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 spe-cific 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.treatment (surgery, medical oncology and radiotherapy).