Abstract 92: Clinical Care and Short-Term Survival Outcomes for Women with Breast Cancer in Gaza, Occupied Palestinian Territory

Abstract

Abstract Purpose: We aimed to provide robust breast cancer survival estimates for Palestinian women in Gaza, and to identify interventions necessary to improve care in this setting. Methods: We collected detailed clinical and treatment data from the medical records of all women diagnosed with breast cancer from Jan 1, 2017 to Dec 31, 2018 in Gaza. Semi-structured interviews with 11 healthcare providers and 20 patients diagnosed during this period were conducted to examine experiences of giving and receiving cancer care. Women were followed using clinical and death records until 31 December 2019. The one-year crude survival rate was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Results: 524 new diagnoses of breast cancer (mean age:53, range:23-100) were recorded during the study period, giving a crude annual incidence rate of 27 per 100,000 population. Key prognostic factors were available in most cases -stage (93%), ER, PR, HER2 (82%) and slightly less often for tumour grade (77%) and tumour size (70%). 51% of women underwent mastectomy. By December 31, 2019 24 (5%) of these women had died. The total estimated mean time until death was 11·7 months, and the one-year crude survival rate was 95·4%. Many women reported lack of treatment as the main barrier to effective cancer care, especially those receiving Gosorelin or radiotherapy. This issue was also cited by oncologists who described the difficulty of adhering to treatment protocols for early-stage breast cancer because of radiotherapy not being available in Gaza. Regarding diagnosis, delays were observed in the macroscopic examination of biopsies due to lack of staff, and a severe shortage of immunohistopathology staining kits hindered treatment planning. Conclusion: Lack of hospital facilities for diagnosis and treatment are barriers to effective cancer care in Gaza. Despite major challenges, Palestinian women with breast cancer have a high short-term survival. Citation Format: Shaymaa Alwaheidi, Professor Richard Sullivan, Dr Elizabeth Davies. Clinical Care and Short-Term Survival Outcomes for Women with Breast Cancer in Gaza, Occupied Palestinian Territory [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 9th Annual Symposium on Global Cancer Research; Global Cancer Research and Control: Looking Back and Charting a Path Forward; 2021 Mar 10-11. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2021;30(7 Suppl):Abstract nr 92.