A Study on Breast Cancer Patients survival in Dibrugarh District, Assam, India: Breast Cancer Survival
Main Article Content
Abstract
Aim: Breast cancer remains a significant health issue globally, particularly in developing countries. This study investigates the survival rates of breast cancer patients in the Dibrugarh district, Assam, India, focusing on socio-demographic, clinical, and treatment factors.
Method: A retrospective cohort study was conducted among patients with histopathologically confirmed breast cancer who were treated between 2017 and 2022 at a tertiary care center in Dibrugarh, Assam. Data were extracted from hospital records, including demographic, reproductive, clinical, and treatment variables of the patients. Survival time was measured from the date of diagnosis to death or the last follow-up. Kaplan–Meier curves, log-rank tests, and Cox proportional hazards regression were applied to identify significant predictors of mortality.
Results: The mean age of participants was 46.27 29.37 years with 78 deaths occurred. The median survival time was 167.0 [139.0, 195.0] weeks. The study found that breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women in the region, with a high prevalence in older age groups. Risk factors influencing survival include illiteracy (HR:1.684, 95% CI :1.042-2.712, p<0.05), older age (HR= 2.354, 95% CI: 1.201-4.613, p<0.05), Late Stages (HR=2.367, 95% CI: 1.017-5.502, p<0.05) and lack of treatment (HR: 5.063, 95% CI:1.831-14.051, p<0.05). The survival rates vary significantly with the stage at diagnosis, with early-stage detection showing a substantially higher survival rate compared to late-stage diagnosis.
Conclusion: The study highlights the urgent need for improved awareness, early detection, and accessible treatment options to enhance survival rates. It also underscores the importance of addressing socio-demographic and lifestyle factors to improve patient outcomes. The findings are intended to inform healthcare policy and targeted interventions to reduce the breast cancer burden in this region.