Carcinoma of the cervix at a university teaching hospital in Eastern Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Cervical cancer is a preventable disease; however, the incidence is still regrettably high in most countries of sub-Saharan Africa. Aim: To ascertain the socio-epidemiological determinants of invasive cervical cancer at the Imo State University Teaching Hospital, Orlu. Patients and Methods: A retrospective analysis of all patients with histologically confirmed cancer of the cervix at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the Imo State University Teaching Hospital, Orlu from June 1, 2004 to December 31, 2013. Results: Cervical cancer accounted for 54.0% of all histologically confirmed cancers. The ages of the patients ranged from 21 to 90 years with a mean of 51.6 ± 3.2 years. Majority of the patients were aged 35-63 years. Most of the patients, 175 (88.8%) belonged to the poor socioeconomic class and 177, (89.3%) were married. The incidence of the disease increased with increasing parity with grand multiparous patients constituting 161, (81.4%) of the cases. The commonest symptom at presentation was abnormal vaginal discharge 84, (82.4%) with 70 (35.3%) of the patients presenting within 2-5 months of the onset of symptoms. Advanced disease, stage III and above, 66 (64.7%) was the commonest stage at presentation. Conclusion: The incidence of cervical cancer is still unacceptably high at Orlu. Opportunistic Cervical cancer screening needs to be adopted as an interim measure, while awaiting an organized systematic screening with a good call and recall system.