ArticleBMC cancer2026
Assessing predictors of brachytherapy utilization among cervical cancer patients in Nigeria: evidence from a tertiary cancer centre.
Article in BMC cancer, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
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.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
11 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundBrachytherapy is required for curative management of cervical cancer, but it is resource-intensive and technically challenging. There is limited data describing brachytherapy utilisation and its predictive factors influencing it in low- and middle-income countries, including Nigeria. This study assessed the trend of brachytherapy utilisation and its predictors among cervical cancer patients in Nigeria.
methodsWe conducted a retrospective study of patients treated for cervical cancer (stage I-IVA) at Medserve-LUTH Cancer Centre between March 2021 and June 2024. Sociodemographic, clinical, and disease-related variables were summarized using descriptive statistics. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression models were used to identify predictors of brachytherapy utilization.
resultsAmong the 343 patients, average age was 57.82 ± 11.77 years, 242 (70.55%) had stage II or III disease, and 173 (50.43%) received brachytherapy. Age, religion, disease stage, employment status, abdominopelvic pain at presentation, treatment delay, and menopausal state were significantly associated with brachytherapy utilization on univariable analysis (all p < 0.05). Women with increasing age, advanced disease, abdominopelvic pain at presentation, longer treatment delay, and who were Muslims had lower odds of brachytherapy utilization, while employed or premenopausal women had higher odds. On multivariable logistic regression, increasing age (p = 0.005, OR = 0.953, 95% CI = 0.921-0.986), religion (p = 0.003, OR = 0.346, 95% CI = 0.171-0.701), and treatment delay (p = 0.037, OR = 0.929, 95% CI = 0.868-0.996) remained independent predictors of lower brachytherapy utilization.
conclusionThis study shows disparities in brachytherapy utilization and suggests that religious beliefs and treatment delay limit access to curative treatment. These disparities may be addressed by intensifying education about early screening, early presentation, and adherence to treatment, especially in religious settings and among religious leaders. However, further studies need to be carried out on a larger population.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.