Factors affecting survival of cervical cancer patients: A case study of Uganda Cancer Institute

Abstract

Cancer is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide, with an estimated 12.7 million new cases and 7.6 million deaths in 2008 With over 7 million new cases- often detected at a later stage- and 4.8 million deaths, the developing world is bearing over half of this burden but is the least equipped to cope with this situation. Due to the increase in the global population and as an effect of ageing, it is predicted that by 2030 the number of new cancer cases will increase to more than 21 million, and deaths to 13 million in the absence of cancer planning and control interventions, around 70% of the global cancer burden will arise in the developing world. The burden of cancer is increasing in developing countries as a result of population aging and growth as well as increasingly, an adoption of cancer-associated lifestyle choices including smoking, physical inactivity, and ‘‘westernized’’ diets. (