The magnitude and associated factors of childhood cancer treatment abandonment at the university of Gondar comprehensive specialized hospital, Ethiopia

There were no pediatric oncology centers in Northwest Ethiopia before 2019. This retrospective cross-sectional study aims to describe the magnitude and associated factors of childhood cancer treatment abandonment at the University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, the first pediatric oncology unit in Northwest Ethiopia. Survival rates of childhood cancer in low and middle-income countries are as low as 30%. Treatment abandonment is the main reason for low childhood cancer survival rates. Multivariate complementary log-log regression analysis was used to determine factors associated with childhood cancer treatment abandonment. The statistical association between dependent and. independent variables were declared at a p-value of ≤ 0.05. The magnitude of treatment abandonment was 39.2%. The disbelief cancer is incurable (AOR = 2.33), child looked cure (AOR = 4.22), the occurrence of treatment-related toxicities (AOR) = 1.77 ), any of cancer relapse or cancer progression or stable diseases (AOR) = 2.74), being in active treatment phase (AOR) = 15.37), having health insurance (AOR = 0.46), and primary caregivers have a job (AOR = 0.34 ) were significantly associated with childhood treatment abandonment. The study result showed that the magnitude of childhood cancer treatment abandonment was a significant problem at the UOGCSH. Having health insurance and employed primary caregivers were associated with reduced treatment abandonment.