ArticleJCO global oncology2021
Patterns of Palliative Radiotherapy Utilization for Patients With Metastatic Breast Cancer in Harare, Zimbabwe.
Article in JCO global oncology, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Stage at Diagnosis and Molecular Subtype Distribution of Breast Cancer in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Systematic Review.Cancer reports (Hoboken, N.J.) · 2026Pooled it
- Access to Radiation Therapy and Related Clinical Outcomes in Patients With Cervical and Breast Cancer Across Sub-Saharan Africa: A Systematic Review.JCO global oncology · 2023Pooled it
- Radiation Therapy for Breast Cancer in Africa.Advances in radiation oncology · 2024Review
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Authors and funding
12 authors.
Funding
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Abstract
purposeIn sub-Saharan Africa, radiotherapy (RT) utilization and delivery patterns have not been extensively studied in patients with metastatic breast cancer.
methodsA retrospective cohort study of female patients with metastatic breast cancer seen at Parirenyatwa Radiotherapy Centre in Zimbabwe from 2014 to 2018 was conducted. Demographics, pathology, staging, and treatment data were abstracted through chart review. Fisher's exact test and chi-squared test of independence were used to compare proportions, and independent two-sample
resultsOf 351 patients with breast cancer, 152 (43%) had metastatic disease, median age 51 years (interquartile range: 43-61 years). Of those with metastatic disease, 30 patients (20%) received radiation to various metastatic sites: 16 spine; three nonspine bone metastases; six whole brain; and five chest wall or supraclavicular. Patients who received radiation were younger (46
conclusionA minority of patients with metastatic breast cancer received RT (20%), and these were likely to be younger, with advanced tumor stage, and resided in provinces where RT is available. Conventional courses were generally prescribed. There is a need to strongly consider palliative RT as an option for patients with metastatic breast cancer and use of hypofractionated courses (e.g. 8 Gy in one fraction) may support this goal.
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