Retrospective analysis of patients with cancer of the cervix attending a radiotherapy outpatient department: experience from a university-based hospital in eastern Uttar Pradesh, India

Abstract

Objective: A retrospective analysis of all patients with cancer of the cervix attending a radiotherapy outpatients department in a single unit from January 2005 to December 2006 was carried out to study their epidemiology, stage and status of presentation, compliance with treatment and follow-up, as well as response and complication rates. Design: This was a retrospective study. Setting and subjects: Four hundred and ninety-five consecutively registered patients with cancer of the cervix were included in the study, which was carried out between January 2007 and December 2008. Outcome measures: The epidemiology, stage and status of presentation, compliance with treatment and follow-up, as well as the response and complication rates of the treated patients were the outcome measures. Results: Most of the patients hailed from the various districts of Uttar Pradesh (58\%) and Bihar (32\%), India. The majority (> 50\%) were aged 40-59 years. Stage information was available for 70\% of the patients, of which stage 1 comprised 5\%, stage 2, 36\%; stage 3, 56\%; and stage 4, 3\%. Squamous cell carcinoma was the most common reported histopathology (similar to 90\%). A significant proportion of the women defaulted after registration, or after undergoing investigations (34\%). Of the 65\% cases planned for treatment, 50\% initiated it, but only 35\% completed it, according to protocol. Radical radiotherapy was planned for the majority of women (>90\%) with or without chemotherapy. Compliance with follow-up was poor (26\%). At the time of the analysis, 63\% patients had a complete response, 12\% residual disease, 16\% progressive disease and 7\% locoregional recurrence. Recorded late complications were mostly grade I and II bladder and rectal toxicity.. Conclusion: The outcome of this study will significantly help us to define region-specific strategies needed for the management of cervical cancer in eastern Uttar Pradesh, India. (P) Peer reviewed. (Submitted: 2014-11-02. Accepted: 2015-03-13.)(C) SASGO