Association between Chemotherapy Regimens for Haematologic Malignancies and Delays in Treatment Initiation: Findings from a Resource-Constrained Clinical Setting

Abstract

Introduction: Chemotherapy regimens used in treating haematologic malignancies could be targeted or non-specific. Targeted-therapy requires further confirmatory testing to be done and these could occasion delays in initiation. Cost of regimens and availability of these regimens are other factors which could impact on the time to initiation of therapy for these patients. Aim: This study aimed to assess if the relationship between type of chemotherapy regimen and delays in commencement of definitive treatment. Methods: A retrospective, cross-sectional study carried out on adult patients with haematologic malignancies that received definitive treatment with chemotherapy regimens over a 10-year period at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Nigeria. Results: A total of 72 patients were enrolled into the study of which 69.4% received chemotherapy, while 30.6% did not. This study showed that 50% of adult haematologic cancer patients who receive definitive chemotherapy experience delays between diagnosis and commencement of chemotherapy. A statistically significant relationship between type of chemotherapy regimen and delays in their commencement, P =.04 was established in this study. Conclusion: Type of chemotherapy has relation to delay in initiation of treatment in patients with haematologic malignancies.