Three-Year Treatment Patterns and Follow-Up Challenges among Patients with Cervical Cancer at Tamale Teaching Hospital, Ghana

Emmanuella Rabi Musa; Keren-Happuch Twumasiwaa Boateng; Samuel Kwame Amoako Asirifi; Williams Kwame Boateng

doi:10.31557/RRO.2026.12.1.115

Authors

Emmanuella Rabi Musa Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Tamale Teaching Hospital, Tamale, Ghana. Midwifery and Paediatrics Division, Ghana College of Nurses and Midwives, Accra, Ghana.
Keren-Happuch Twumasiwaa Boateng Midwifery and Paediatrics Division, Ghana College of Nurses and Midwives, Accra, Ghana. Midwifery and Women’s Health Department, School of Nursing and Midwifery, University for Development Studies, Tamale, Ghana.
Samuel Kwame Amoako Asirifi Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Tamale Teaching Hospital, Tamale, Ghana. Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, School of Medicine, University for Development Studies, Tamale. Ghana.
Williams Kwame Boateng Department of Procurement and Supply Chain Management, School of Business, University for Development Studies, Tamale, Ghana.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31557/RRO.2026.12.1.115

Abstract

Introduction: Cervical cancer remains a major public health problem in sub-Saharan Africa, where late-stage presentation and limited access to comprehensive cancer treatment contribute to poor outcomes. This study evaluated three-year treatment outcomes and follow-up patterns among women with cervical cancer treated at Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH), Ghana.

Methods: This retrospective study included 630 women with histologically confirmed cervical cancer who were treated at TTH in 2020 and followed for three years through 2023. Clinical and treatment data were extracted from medical records. Qualitative information on barriers to treatment and follow-up was obtained through interviews with a subset of patients.

Results: The median age at diagnosis was 51 years (range, 24–90 years). Most patients (84.6%) presented with stage II–III disease, and squamous cell carcinoma was the predominant histological type (91.6%). External beam radiotherapy was the most commonly documented treatment modality (83.7%), whereas only 8.7% received intracavitary radiotherapy and 4.6% received chemotherapy. At three years, 21.4% of patients were documented as alive and 18.1% as deceased, while 60.5% had been lost to follow-up. The proportion of patients attending follow-up visits declined substantially over time. Qualitative findings indicated that socioeconomic difficulties and barriers to accessing cancer care contributed to treatment interruption and loss to follow-up.

Conclusion: Late-stage presentation, limited access to multimodal treatment, and substantial loss to follow-up were major challenges among women with cervical cancer treated at TTH. Strengthening early detection, improving access to comprehensive treatment, and establishing effective patient-tracking and follow-up systems may improve continuity of care and treatment outcomes.