XXXX outcome at a single institution in South Africa.

@entity2093 @entity1 @entity1442 @entity995
INTRODUCTION: @entity995 ( @entity995 ) is the most common @entity2093 in @entity1 . Early detection is necessary for cure. OBJECTIVE: To compare stage and outcome of @entity1 with @entity995 treated at Kalafong Hospital, Pretoria, South Africa (SA), during two time periods (1993 - 2000 and 2001 - 2008, after outreach interventions in 2000 and introduction of compulsory community service for doctors in 1998). METHODS: Data collected included demography (age, gender, date of birth), stage and treatment received. The main outcome measure was disease-free survival and the study end-point was 60 months after diagnosis. RESULTS: There were 51 @entity1 during the time period 1993 - 2000 (group 1) and 73 during 2001 - 2008 (group 2), with median ages of 32 and 26 months, respectively (marginally significantly younger in group 2; p = 0.046). In group 1, the majority (57%) presented with @entity1442 (stages III and IV), with a decline in this proportion in group 2 (40%) indicating a downward but not significant trend (p = 0.075). Bilateral disease was diagnosed in 22% of @entity1 in group 1 and 33% in group 2. Overall survival was 33% and 43% for groups 1 and 2, respectively. Excluding absconding @entity1 , event-free survival was 50% in group 1, improving to 68% in group 2 (not statistically significant; p = 0.18). Fewer @entity1 needed radiotherapy during the second period (statistically significant; p = 0.04), probably because of @entity1442 . CONCLUSION: Poor outcome is probably a result of late diagnosis. It is important to implement a strategy that will ensure early diagnosis and optimal management of @entity995 in SA.
