Cancer treatment by radiotherapy in Western Nepal: A hospital-based study

Objective: The aim of this study was to describe utilization of radiotherapy and treatment compliance in the context of Nepal. Methods: A retrospective study was carried out on data collected from the radiotherapy treatment records of patients treated at Manipal Teaching Hospital (MTH), Pokhara, between 28 September 2000 and 30 May 2008. Results: In the 944 patients, the gender distribution showed a slight female preponderance (53.7 vs. 46.3%). Curative treatment was given to 62.8% (n=593) and palliative to the remaining 37.2% (n=351). Patients older than 50 years were more likely to receive palliative radiotherapy (p=0.001). The commonest cancers treated were head & neck at 23.7% (n=224), followed by lung at 21.3% (n=201) and cervix at 16.1% (n=152). The majority of patients were between 50-70 years of age (n=564). Nineteen percent (n=179) did not complete the prescribed dose of radiation. Unplanned treatment interruptions were found in 35.6% (n=336) and this was not affected by age (p=0.1) or gender (p=0.1). The most frequent treatment interruption compromising optimal effectiveness of cancer treatment was observed for head and neck cancers, constituting 43% (n=96) of patients in the group. Conclusion: Head and neck in both sexes and cervix in females were the most common cancers treated with a curative intent. Lung cancer, the second most common in both genders, was treated with palliative intent in a large number of cases. This indicates the need for early diagnosis for a possible curative treatment.