Contribution of surgical oncology to the surgical volume of tertiary hospitals in Benin

Cancer burden is rising in sub-Saharan Africa, where late presentation is common. Surgical oncology is pivotal for diagnosis, curative-intent management, and palliation, yet its contribution to hospital surgical activity in Benin remains undocumented. This study aimed to assess the contribution of surgical oncology to the overall surgical workload in tertiary hospitals in the Littoral Department of Benin and to describe the epidemiological profile, case distribution, and early outcomes of operated patients. We conducted a retrospective, hospital-based cross-sectional study across three tertiary referral hospitals. Retrospective data were extracted from operative logs, anesthesia records, and surgical ward files for all surgical procedures performed from January 1 to December 31, 2023.Cancer-related operations were identified and analyzed. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the characteristics of the patients and surgeries performed. Additionally, 30-day postoperative survival was estimated using Kaplan–Meier methods. Of the 7,902 surgical procedures performed in 2023, 155 were cancer-related, accounting for 1.96% of the overall surgical volume. The most common cancer sites were breast (n = 36; 23.2%), prostate (n = 24; 15.5%), stomach (n = 16; 10.3%), colon (n = 16; 10.3%), and rectum (n = 10; 6.5%). Most patients presented with advanced disease, with 53.5% diagnosed at stage III–IV (stage III: n = 47; 30.3%; stage IV: n = 36; 23.2%). Open surgery was the predominant surgical approach (n = 125; 80.6%). Postoperative complications occurred in 23 patients (19.7% of the 117 patients with available data). Among the 114 patients with follow-up data suitable for survival analysis, seven patients had died, corresponding to a crude postoperative mortality rate of 6.1% (n = 7). At 30 days postoperatively, the estimated 30-day survival probability was 94% (95% CI: 89–99%). In 2023, oncologic surgeries represented a small fraction of surgical operations performed in the three tertiary hospitals located in the Littoral Department of Benin. Most surgical cases corresponded to advanced-stage tumors, reflecting the severity of disease among patients reaching surgical management.