Short Term Outcomes of Gastric Cancer at University Teaching Hospital of Kigali (CHUK), Rwanda.
Abstract Purpose: Gastric cancer is endemic in the so called stomach cancer region comprising Rwanda, Burundi, South Western Uganda and eastern Kivu province of Democratic Republic of Congo but its outcomes in that region are under investigated. This is the first study ever conducted in Rwanda with the purpose to describe the short term outcomes (in-hospital mortality rate, length of hospital stay, 3, 6, 12 and 24 months survival rates) in patients treated for gastric cancer. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the data collected from records of patients who consulted CHUK over a period of 10 years from September 2007 to August 2016. Patients were followed in hospital and after discharge for survival length. Descriptive statistics were used for baseline demographic data, Kaplan-Meier model and univariate cox regression were used for survival analysis. Results: Of the 199 patients enrolled in the study, 92 (46%) were males and 107 (54%) females. The mean age was 55.4 ranging between 24 and 93. The mean symptoms duration was 15 months. Most patients consulted with advanced disease, 62.3% with distant metastases. Treatment with curative intent was offered for only 19.9% of patients. The in-hospital mortality rate was 13.3%. The 3, 6, 12 and 24 months survival rate was 52%, 40.5%, 28% and 23.4% respectively. The Overall survival rate was 7 months. Conclusion: In Rwanda, patients with gastric cancer have delayed consultations and advanced disease at the time of presentation. This cancer is associated with poor outcomes in terms of hospital mortality and post discharge survival rates.