Wilms tumour treatment in Sudan: A 10‐year single‐centre experience

BACKGROUND: In Sudan, the survival of Wilms tumour was reported as 11% in a 2008 study. The impact of establishing paediatric oncology service on survival is studied, and the obstacles of treating Wilms tumour patients were identified. AIM: This study investigates Wilms tumour treatment outcomes over 10 years at Khartoum Oncology Hospital (KOH). METHODS: All Wilms tumour patients from 2005 to 2014 were analysed retrospectively. Patients received treatment based on the NWTS IV protocol. Patients were analysed for overall survival, and event‐free survival and these outcomes were correlated with age, sex, stage at presentation, and histology. RESULTS: We analysed 143 files of Wilms tumour patients. The male to female ratio is 1.75. The mean age of patients at diagnosis is 3.5 years. The follow‐up period is 5 years. Most patients (83%) had advanced disease stage 3, and 4. There is a very high abandonment rate 61 (42.6%). The event‐free survival among patients who completed treatment is 75.6%, and is 43.4% for all the (143) patients. CONCLUSIONS: “After initiation of the paediatric oncology service, the survival of Wilms tumour in Sudan is 43%. Abandonment of treatment remains high. Opportunity remains to reduce abandonment and establish a surgical paediatric oncology service to improve outcomes further.”