Assessment of Hematological Parameters Alteration and Associated Factors among Breast Cancer Patients Receiving Chemotherapy at Worabe Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Worabe, Central Ethiopia
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Date
2025-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Background: Breast cancer is the most common cancer that forms tumors in the tissues of thebreast and is the leading cause of cancer deaths in women. Chemotherapy, the most effectivetreatment for breast cancer, targets not only cancer cells but also rapidly dividing healthy cells,including the bone marrow cells. These bone marrow cell damages can reduce the quality of lifeof the patient.
Objective: To determine hematological parameter alteration and associated risk factors in breastcancer patients undergoing chemotherapy at Worabe Comprehensive Specialized Hospital fromDecember 2023 to December 2024, Worabe, Central Ethiopia.
Methods: A cohort study design with primary and secondary data was implemented in breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy at Worabe Comprehensive Specialized Hospital. Afterreceiving consent, patients who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were identified. Sociodemographicand clinical information were gathered by using a structured questionnaire and fromthe patient's file. About 3-4 ml of blood was collected and analyzed by using a Sysmex 550hematological analyzer throughout four chemotherapy cycles. The data were entered and analyzedusing SPSS version 27. The data were summarized and described by using descriptive statistics.Non-parametric tests (Friedman, Mann-Whitney U, and Kruskal-Wallis with Bonferronicorrection) were employed for statistical analysis, due to the non-normal distribution of the data.
Result: This study of 43 female breast cancer patients revealed significant decreases in medianvalues for RBC count (4.70 to 4.27 ×10⁶/μl), hemoglobin (13.60 to 12.60 g/dl), hematocrit (39.6to 36.7%), MCH (29.3 to 28.9 pg), and MCHC (34.3 to 33.3 g/dl), but the RDW and MCVsignificantly rose. While the WBC parameters, including total WBC, neutrophil, and lymphocytecounts, also decreased significantly. The platelet counts rose insignificantly. The sociodemographiclike residence and clinical factors, such as stage of cancer and age, were affect RBCcount, hemoglobin level, MCV, and MCH during chemotherapy. The total WBC and platelet countduring the treatment of chemotherapy were affected by metastasis of the cancer, occupation, andstage of the cancer, but many findings weren’t significant after Bonferroni correction.
Conclusion: This study demonstrates that breast cancer chemotherapy can significantly impactmost hematological profiles, including RBC count, hemoglobin, hematocrit, total WBC count,neutrophil count, and lymphocyte count. The platelet count shows an insignificant increment.Stage and metastasis of the cancer and residence of the patient increase the effect of chemotherapy.
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Hematological parameter Breast cancer Chemotherapy