Urologic complications among women with advanced cervical cancer at a tertiary referral hospital in Uganda.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the prevalence of and factors associated with urologic complications among women with advanced cervical cancer before treatment in Uganda.

METHODS

In total, 283 women with histologically confirmed stage IIB-IVB cervical cancer who were admitted to Mulago Hospital over a 6-month period were studied. Abdominopelvic scan was carried out to check for hydronephrosis and hydroureter and to measure the tumor volume. Serum creatinine and urea levels were measured, and the presence of anuria and vesicovaginal fistula (VVF) was ascertained from self-reporting and clinical records.

RESULTS

Urologic complications were present in 138 (48.8%) women. Hydronephrosis, VVF, hydroureter, and anuria were present in 112 (39.6%), 21 (7.4%), 11 (3.9%), and 9 (3.2%) women, respectively; serum creatinine and urea levels were elevated in 48 (17.0%) women. Stage of disease was significantly associated with urologic complications: stage IIIB odds ratio (OR) 3.36 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.57-7.20); stage IVA OR 17.10 (95% CI, 6.07-48.16); P<0.001.

CONCLUSION

There is a high prevalence of urologic complications among women with advanced cervical cancer; these complications are significantly associated with the stage of cervical cancer.