Caring for patients with surgically resectable cancers: experience from a specialised centre in rural Rwanda

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Surgical Oncology
• Global Health

Background:

• The Butaro Cancer Centre of Excellence (BCCOE) in Rwanda serves as a critical hub for cancer care.
• Understanding patient characteristics and treatment outcomes is essential for improving cancer services in resource-limited settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the characteristics, management, and 6-month outcomes of adult patients with potentially surgically resectable cancers.
• To identify challenges and opportunities in providing cancer care in a rural African setting.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cohort study of adult cancer patients presenting to BCCOE between July 1 and December 31, 2012.
• Data collected on patient demographics, cancer type, treatment received (surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy), and 6-month outcomes.

Main Results:

• Out of 278 patients, 76.6% were female, and 51.4% were aged 50-74 years.
• 46% of 250 patients with treatment details underwent surgery; median time to surgery was 21 days.
• Breast cancer was most common; 99 patients received no treatment, and 6.8% died or were lost to follow-up within 6 months.

Conclusions:

• BCCOE provided surgical care to numerous referred cancer patients.
• Inadequate infrastructure, limited surgical skills, and late disease presentation pose significant challenges.
• The study highlights key opportunities and challenges for rural cancer care delivery.