Clinical, therapeutic and prognostic characteristics of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma between 2015 and 2022 in Yaoundé (Cameroon)

Context and objective. The hepatocellular (HCC) is one of main digestive cancer in Sub-Saharan Africa countries. The study aimed to describe clinical characteristics, management and outcomes of patients with HCC in Yaoundé (Cameroon). Methods. This was a retrospective cohort study in 4 hospital centers of Yaoundé (Cameroon). Medical records of patients diagnosed with HCC between December 2015 and December 2022 were included. These records consisted of demographic characteristics, cause of disease, clinical and para clinical signs, treatment and survival status. Results. Information on 227 patients with HCC were obtained. The sex ratio was 2.4 M/F with a median age of 53 years [IQR 38-68]. Hepatitis B virus was the leading cause of HCC for 94 patients (41.4%), and hepatitis C virus for 73 patients (32,1%). Patients were mostly symptomatic, presenting with a tumoral syndrom in 148 patients (65.2%). Abdominal ultrasonography shows a multinodular HCC in 91/161 (53.1%). The management was mostly palliative 219 (96.5%), and the median survival was 93 days. Conclusion. HCC is observed in young male adults with a viral B or C hepatitis. Treatment is mostly palliative with a poor outcome. Received: March 7th, 2024 Accepted: December 24th, 2024 https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/aamed.v18i2.10