ORIGINAL: Waiting Times in Prostate Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment: A Ten-Year Experience in A Nigerian Teaching Hospital

West African Journal of Medicine 2024 March; 41(3): 317-321 PMID: 38788158

Abstract

Introduction: Prostate cancer is still the leading male cancer and the leading cause of cancer deaths in Nigeria, and other low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) in Sub-Saharan Africa. Early diagnosis is essential to ensuring prompt treatment and reducing morbidity and mortality. Reducing the waiting times for diagnosis and treatment is therefore important.

Aims and objectives: To study prostate cancer management waiting times, to serve as a baseline in improving the quality of cancer care in the Nigerian populace.

Patients and methods: This was a ten-year retrospective study of waiting times of all histologically-confirmed prostate cancer patients seen at Alex-Ekwueme Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria. Statistical analysis was done SPSS version 26. A P-value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results: A total of 189 patients presented with prostate cancer; however, 73 patients with complete data were analysed. The mean age of the patients was 71.48±8.16 years. The median duration of symptoms before presentation was 6 months. The mean total prostate-specific antigen was 82.08±54.9ng/mL. The mean duration between the first visit to the definitive diagnosis was 6.53±11.68 months with a median of 1 month. The median duration from visit to treatment was 3 months with a mean of 9.71±13.4 months. There were no associations between occupation, highest educational level, financial constraints, and the different waiting times studied (P>0.05).

Conclusion: The waiting times for prostate cancer management were unduly prolonged in this study; patient-related factors did not influence this wait.