Epidemiological profile of patients with breast cancer at the General Hospital of Palmas, Tocantins, in the period from 2004 to 2009

Abstract

To describe of this study is to describe the epidemiological profile of patients diagnosed with breast cancer treated at the Palmas Public General Hospital, in Palmas, Tocantins, Brazil, during the period of 2004–2009, and to contribute to the improvement of information and formulation of educational actions related to this public health problem. A retrospective cross-sectional study was developed at the Cancer Hospital Registry service in the HGPP. All breast cancer patients diagnosed and treated in the period from 2004 to 2009, excluding affected men, were included. Data were collected by means of the analysis of the Cancer Hospital Registry records provided by the National Cancer Institute (INCA). Data refer to 168 patients, of which 70.3% were between 41–60 years of age; 57.1% of these were from the inland Tocantins. Regarding the staging, levels II and III accounted for 74.4% of the analyzed cases. Concerning the education degree, 11.9% had higher education and 7.1% were illiterate. The main treatment strategies were: chemotherapy (71.4%), surgery (47.6%), and hormone therapy (30.4%), so that 32.5% of patients have completed the treatment with stable disease and 34.5% with complete remission of the tumor. Research results show that the most affected age group correspond to working-age women, largely in advanced stage of cancer. Most of the patients from inland received a late diagnosis. Women whose treatment was performed in the early stages of the disease have demonstrated better results.