Survival Status and Predictors of Mortality amongColorectal Cancer Patients in Tikur Anbessa SpecializedHospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: A Retrospective FollowupStudy

ABSTRACT

Colorectal cancer is one of the commonest cancer types that has a great public health impact both in developed and developingcountries. However, in Ethiopia, the survival status of colorectal cancer patients was not well understood. Therefore, the aim of thisstudy was to determine the survival status and predictors of mortality among colorectal cancer patients in Tikur Anbessa SpecializedHospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in 2019. The institution-based retrospective follow-up study was conducted with 621 subjects whowere selected from patients registered between January 1, 2013 and December 30, 2017 with follow-up until December 30th, 2018.Data were collected from patient record review charts. A Kaplan–Meier analysis with a log-rank test, and bivariate and multivariableanalysis using the Cox proportional hazard model were used. Of the 621 colorectal cancer patients who were included in the analysis,202 (32.5%) died. The overall mortality rate was 20.3% per year (95% CI 17.7-23.3). The overall survival was 18.1% with mediansurvival time of 34.8 months (95% CI 30.4-36.8). Comorbidity (adjusted hazard ratio [AHR] = 1.8, 95% CI 1.3-2.5); stage (II [AHR= 3.8, 95% CI 1.3-11.1], III [AHR = 8.0, 95% CI 2.8-23.3], IV [AHR = 17.6, 95% CI 6.1-50.7]); smoking (AHR = 1.6, 95% CI 1.1-2.3); alcohol consumption (AHR = 1.5, 95% CI 1.07-2.2); age ≥ 70 (AHR = 1.7, 95% CI 1.02-2.9); and marital status (married [AHR= 2.4, 95% CI 1.5-3.8], widowed [AHR = 2.4, 95% CI 1.2-4.6], divorced [AHR = 2.0, 95% CI 1.1-3.7]) were significant predictors ofcolorectal cancer mortality. It is crucial to implement early detection and screening, giving priority to rural dweller, comorbid patientsand advanced stage diagnosed patients.