Cervical Cancer in Women Admitted at University Hospital Agostinho Neto, Cape Verde, from 2016-2020: A Cross-Sectional Study

Introduction: Cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among women in Cape Verde. Advanced-stage disease is often the initial diagnosis. This study aimed to characterize the profile of women with cervical cancer admitted to a referral hospital in Cape Verde.
Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. The clinical files of the first admission of 104 women with cervical cancer admitted to the Agostinho Neto University Hospital (HUAN) between January 2016 and December 2020 were reviewed. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data.
Results: At admission, the women’s ages ranged from 26 to 89 and approximately 47.3% of them had a low level of education. Most of the women lived on the island of Santiago (75%) and were not employed (75%). Vaginal bleeding was the main symptom reported (72.7%) and stage I disease was only observed in 28% of cases at the time of diagnosis. Squamous cell carcinoma was the most frequent histological type (67.7%) and chemotherapy was the most prescribed treatment (73.9%). The median length of stay at HUAN was 24 days and the main discharge outcome was evacuation to health centers outside the country (36.7%).
Conclusion: Enhancing women’s awareness and knowledge about cervical cancer, reducing barriers to screening and implementing strategies for timely diagnosis are critical steps in reducing the burden of the disease in Cape Verde.