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Clinicopathological Profile, Treatment Patterns and Documented Clinical Outcomes of Women with Breast Cancer at Shendi Hospital, Sudan: A Retrospective, Single-Center, Hospital-Based Cross-Sectional Study

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Background: Breast cancer is the most common cancer in Sudan, yet hospital-based data from outside Khartoum are scarce. We described the clinicopathological profile, treatment and documented outcomes of women with breast cancer at Shendi Hospital and explored factors associated with recurrence, distant metastasis and global well-being. Methods: In this retrospective, single-center, cross-sectional review, we abstracted records of 100 women with histologically confirmed invasive breast cancer managed in 2021-2025. Distant metastasis was defined as documented extranodal disease, and global well-being as a single good/fair/poor rating recorded in clinical notes. Associations were examined with exact tests and three pre-specified Firth penalized logistic regression models (four covariates each) with bootstrap validation; all inferential analyses were exploratory. Results: Median age was 50 years (IQR 44-55). Stage III/IV disease was recorded in 72%, tumors >2 cm in 97% and nodal involvement in 73%. Receptor status was undocumented in 69%; all 31 documented results were hormone-receptor-negative (18 triple-negative, 13 HER2-positive), yet 16 of these women had recorded hormonal therapy. Mastectomy was performed in 65%; chemotherapy, radiotherapy and hormonal therapy were recorded in 99%, 48% and 45%. Recurrence was documented in 19/98 women (19%) and extranodal metastasis in 30/93 (32%); no deaths were recorded and follow-up duration was unknown. Tumors >5 cm were associated with recurrence (adjusted odds ratio 3.81, 95% CI 1.28-11.61), and extranodal metastasis with a fair well-being rating (5.64, 2.01-17.20); nodal status, economic status and age were not associated with any outcome after adjustment. Recorded treatment co-occurred with recurrence, but treatment timing was undocumented, precluding causal interpretation. Conclusion: Women at this center presented with advanced disease, and receptor documentation was largely absent and internally inconsistent. These exploratory associations need confirmation in prospective studies with complete receptor testing, dated treatment records and active follow-up.

Source: Breast Cancer Targets and Therapy

DOI: 10.2147/bctt.s650507