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The Burden of Comorbidities in Cancer Patients in Southwestern Nigeria

Background: Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) in sub-Saharan Africa are a major cause of morbidity and mortality. There is especially a paucity of data on the burden of hypertension, diabetes mellitus and other NCDs coexisting with cancer in Nigerian cancer patients. Comorbidities influence the survival of patients with cancer; lead to presentation at advanced disease stages; and result in increased risk of treatment complications, higher rates of postoperative mortality, and a greater consumption of medical resources. Aim: To determine the magnitude and pattern of comorbidities in Nigerian cancer patients. Methods: This is a retrospective study, for which data were extracted from hospital records of patients presenting for oncology care between January 2015 and December 2016 in the Departments of Radiotherapy and Oncology of two tertiary health facilities in Lagos, Nigeria. Comorbidities were identified, ranked and weighted using the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI). Results: Eight hundred and forty-eight (848) cancer cases were identified, with breast (50.1%) and cervical (11.1%) cancers being the most prevalent. Comorbidities were present in 228 (26.9%) patients, and the most common comorbidities were hypertension (75.9%), diabetes (25.0%), and peptic ulcer disease (7.9%). Patients with prostate (41.5%), colorectal (34.0%), cervical (25.5%), nasopharyngeal (25.0%), and breast (24.0%) cancers are most likely to have comorbidities. The mean ages of patients with comorbidities and without was 60.1 ± 11.8 years and 52.5 ± 13.7 years respectively ( P < 0.0001). Hypertension-augmented CCI scores were 0 (15.6%), 1-3 (62.1%), 4-6 (21.7%), and ≥ 7 (0.6%). Patients with lower mean CCI scores were more likely to receive chemotherapy (2.2 ± 1.6 vs. 2.5 ± 1.9; P < 0.05) and/or surgery (2.1 ± 1.5 vs. 2.4 ± 1.7; P < 0.05). Conclusion: Comorbidities occur in at least one in four Nigerian cancer patients, and significantly influence the treatment outcome and prognosis of these patients. There is a need for a high index of suspicion and routine evaluation of cancer patients for comorbidities, with the aim of instituting appropriate and immediate multidisciplinary management measures where necessary.