Cancer Research Journal

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A Survey of the Cardiology Care Delivered to Cancer Patients in Nigeria

Received: Nov. 21, 2019    Accepted: Dec. 09, 2019    Published: Jan. 17, 2020
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Abstract

BACKGROUND: The incidence of cardiovascular disease is on the rise and this is no less so amongst the population of individuals who are affected by cancer as improvement over the years in cancer treatment options have brought about improved outcomes in terms of overall patient survival and outcomes but has additionally also illuminated the side effects of these cancer treatment as patients live longer to manifest them thereby increasing morbidity and mortality. In Nigeria, there is paucity of data on cardio-oncology and this study will be the first documented study assessing the level of knowledge and the activity of cardiology care provided to oncology patients who develop cardiovascular disease in Nigeria and will therefore serve as a template towards the development of cardio-oncology services in Nigeria. METHODS: The survey was questionnaire-based involving cardiologist in Nigeria. They first part assessed the demographic characteristics of participants. The second part of the questionnaire assessed participants’ self-admitted expertise in the management of cardiovascular conditions complicating cancer treatment. RESULTS: There were more male (57.14%) than female (42.86%) respondents. More than two-thirds of respondents (71.4%, n=55) were aged 30-44 year. Cumulatively, the South-south and South-western regions accounted for over two-thirds of responses (72.43%, n=55). Over three-thirds of respondents (83.12%, n=) worked at teaching hospitals. Majority (89.5%, n=68) of ambulatory cancer patients in need of cardiology care received this service in a general cardiology clinic with only 10.5% (n=8) receiving care at a cardio-oncology centre. Majority of respondents (67.1%, n=51) dId not receive referrals from general practitioners or other specialists to evaluate cardiac problems in patients who had received cancer treatment. 80.5% of participants (n=62) said that they either did not know about the ESC position paper or knew about it but did not apply its suggestions to their practice. CONCLUSION: Most cancer patients requiring cardiovascular care are seen in the general cardiology clinic of Government owned hospitals in Nigeria. Although the knowledge of cardiologists in the management of cardiovascular complications of cancer patients is adequate, referral from General Practitioners is low. The ESC position paper on cardio-oncology is poorly known and utilized by cardiologist in the care of cancer patients with cardiovascular complications with the field of cardio-oncology generally regarded as a new topic in cardiology requiring more information on its dissemination and acceptance. This survey therefore makes obvious the dearth of knowledge regarding cardio-oncology that is prevalent in Nigeria. It is hoped that this will ignite a change in this aspect. There is therefore an urgent need to for all stakeholders to join force together towards the development of cardio-oncology skills and services in Nigeria.

DOI 10.11648/j.crj.20200801.12
Published in Cancer Research Journal ( Volume 8, Issue 1, March 2020 )
Page(s) 8-12
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Cardiology Care, Delivered, Cancer Patients, Nigeria

References
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[7] Fallah-Rad N, Walker JR, Wassef A, Lytwyn M, Bohonis S, Fang T et al. The utility of cardiac biomarkers, tissue velocity and strain imaging, and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging in predicting early left ventricular dysfunction in patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor II-positive breast cancer treated with adjuvant trastuzumab therapy. J Am Coll Cardiol 2011; 57: 2263–70.
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[13] European Partnership Action Against Cancer consensus group, Borras JM, Albreht T, Audisio R, Briers E, Casali P, Esperou H, Grube B, Hamoir M, Henning G, Kelly J, Knox S, Nabal M, Pierotti M, Lombardo C, van Harten W, Poston G, Prades J, Sant M, Travado L, Valentini V, van de Velde C, van den Bogaert S, van den Bulcke M, van Hoof E, van den Neucker I, Wilson R. Policy statement on multidisciplinary cancer care. Eur J Cancer. 2014; 50: 475-80.
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    Alikor Chizindu Akubudike, Weje Chituru Chioma. (2020). A Survey of the Cardiology Care Delivered to Cancer Patients in Nigeria. Cancer Research Journal, 8(1), 8-12. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.crj.20200801.12

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    ACS Style

    Alikor Chizindu Akubudike; Weje Chituru Chioma. A Survey of the Cardiology Care Delivered to Cancer Patients in Nigeria. Cancer Res. J. 2020, 8(1), 8-12. doi: 10.11648/j.crj.20200801.12

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    AMA Style

    Alikor Chizindu Akubudike, Weje Chituru Chioma. A Survey of the Cardiology Care Delivered to Cancer Patients in Nigeria. Cancer Res J. 2020;8(1):8-12. doi: 10.11648/j.crj.20200801.12

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  • @article{10.11648/j.crj.20200801.12,
      author = {Alikor Chizindu Akubudike and Weje Chituru Chioma},
      title = {A Survey of the Cardiology Care Delivered to Cancer Patients in Nigeria},
      journal = {Cancer Research Journal},
      volume = {8},
      number = {1},
      pages = {8-12},
      doi = {10.11648/j.crj.20200801.12},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.crj.20200801.12},
      eprint = {https://download.sciencepg.com/pdf/10.11648.j.crj.20200801.12},
      abstract = {BACKGROUND: The incidence of cardiovascular disease is on the rise and this is no less so amongst the population of individuals who are affected by cancer as improvement over the years in cancer treatment options have brought about improved outcomes in terms of overall patient survival and outcomes but has additionally also illuminated the side effects of these cancer treatment as patients live longer to manifest them thereby increasing morbidity and mortality. In Nigeria, there is paucity of data on cardio-oncology and this study will be the first documented study assessing the level of knowledge and the activity of cardiology care provided to oncology patients who develop cardiovascular disease in Nigeria and will therefore serve as a template towards the development of cardio-oncology services in Nigeria. METHODS: The survey was questionnaire-based involving cardiologist in Nigeria. They first part assessed the demographic characteristics of participants. The second part of the questionnaire assessed participants’ self-admitted expertise in the management of cardiovascular conditions complicating cancer treatment. RESULTS: There were more male (57.14%) than female (42.86%) respondents. More than two-thirds of respondents (71.4%, n=55) were aged 30-44 year. Cumulatively, the South-south and South-western regions accounted for over two-thirds of responses (72.43%, n=55). Over three-thirds of respondents (83.12%, n=) worked at teaching hospitals. Majority (89.5%, n=68) of ambulatory cancer patients in need of cardiology care received this service in a general cardiology clinic with only 10.5% (n=8) receiving care at a cardio-oncology centre. Majority of respondents (67.1%, n=51) dId not receive referrals from general practitioners or other specialists to evaluate cardiac problems in patients who had received cancer treatment. 80.5% of participants (n=62) said that they either did not know about the ESC position paper or knew about it but did not apply its suggestions to their practice. CONCLUSION: Most cancer patients requiring cardiovascular care are seen in the general cardiology clinic of Government owned hospitals in Nigeria. Although the knowledge of cardiologists in the management of cardiovascular complications of cancer patients is adequate, referral from General Practitioners is low. The ESC position paper on cardio-oncology is poorly known and utilized by cardiologist in the care of cancer patients with cardiovascular complications with the field of cardio-oncology generally regarded as a new topic in cardiology requiring more information on its dissemination and acceptance. This survey therefore makes obvious the dearth of knowledge regarding cardio-oncology that is prevalent in Nigeria. It is hoped that this will ignite a change in this aspect. There is therefore an urgent need to for all stakeholders to join force together towards the development of cardio-oncology skills and services in Nigeria.},
     year = {2020}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - A Survey of the Cardiology Care Delivered to Cancer Patients in Nigeria
    AU  - Alikor Chizindu Akubudike
    AU  - Weje Chituru Chioma
    Y1  - 2020/01/17
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    DO  - 10.11648/j.crj.20200801.12
    T2  - Cancer Research Journal
    JF  - Cancer Research Journal
    JO  - Cancer Research Journal
    SP  - 8
    EP  - 12
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2330-8214
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.crj.20200801.12
    AB  - BACKGROUND: The incidence of cardiovascular disease is on the rise and this is no less so amongst the population of individuals who are affected by cancer as improvement over the years in cancer treatment options have brought about improved outcomes in terms of overall patient survival and outcomes but has additionally also illuminated the side effects of these cancer treatment as patients live longer to manifest them thereby increasing morbidity and mortality. In Nigeria, there is paucity of data on cardio-oncology and this study will be the first documented study assessing the level of knowledge and the activity of cardiology care provided to oncology patients who develop cardiovascular disease in Nigeria and will therefore serve as a template towards the development of cardio-oncology services in Nigeria. METHODS: The survey was questionnaire-based involving cardiologist in Nigeria. They first part assessed the demographic characteristics of participants. The second part of the questionnaire assessed participants’ self-admitted expertise in the management of cardiovascular conditions complicating cancer treatment. RESULTS: There were more male (57.14%) than female (42.86%) respondents. More than two-thirds of respondents (71.4%, n=55) were aged 30-44 year. Cumulatively, the South-south and South-western regions accounted for over two-thirds of responses (72.43%, n=55). Over three-thirds of respondents (83.12%, n=) worked at teaching hospitals. Majority (89.5%, n=68) of ambulatory cancer patients in need of cardiology care received this service in a general cardiology clinic with only 10.5% (n=8) receiving care at a cardio-oncology centre. Majority of respondents (67.1%, n=51) dId not receive referrals from general practitioners or other specialists to evaluate cardiac problems in patients who had received cancer treatment. 80.5% of participants (n=62) said that they either did not know about the ESC position paper or knew about it but did not apply its suggestions to their practice. CONCLUSION: Most cancer patients requiring cardiovascular care are seen in the general cardiology clinic of Government owned hospitals in Nigeria. Although the knowledge of cardiologists in the management of cardiovascular complications of cancer patients is adequate, referral from General Practitioners is low. The ESC position paper on cardio-oncology is poorly known and utilized by cardiologist in the care of cancer patients with cardiovascular complications with the field of cardio-oncology generally regarded as a new topic in cardiology requiring more information on its dissemination and acceptance. This survey therefore makes obvious the dearth of knowledge regarding cardio-oncology that is prevalent in Nigeria. It is hoped that this will ignite a change in this aspect. There is therefore an urgent need to for all stakeholders to join force together towards the development of cardio-oncology skills and services in Nigeria.
    VL  - 8
    IS  - 1
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • Department of Medicine, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt, Nigeria

  • Department of Medicine, University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt, Nigeria

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