Trends, clinical patterns and characteristics of patients with prostate cancer attending a tertiary facility in Abeokuta, southwest, Nigeria

Abstract

Objectives: To describe the temporal trends, clinical characteristics, and diagnostic patterns of prostate cancer patients managed at the Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta, Ogun State.Methodology: A four-year retrospective descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted using medical records of patients diagnosed with prostate cancer between 2021 and 2024. Data were extracted from the hospital's Electronic Medical Records, cleaned, and analysed using SPSS version 24.0.MajorFindings: Atotal of 382 patients were included, with a mean age of 68.3 ± 10.6 years. The highest proportion of cases occurred in 2021 (28.3%), followed by 2022 (27.0%), 2023 (24.1%), and 2024 (20.7%), indicating a gradual decline in annual presentations. The median prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level at diagnosis was 16.3 ng/mL (IQR: 92.5 ng/mL). Most patients presented with elevated PSAlevels, while digital rectal examination supported diagnosis in many cases. The mean Gleason score was 8.05 ± 1.04, and adenocarcinoma was the predominant histological subtype (72.3%).Conclusions: Prostate cancer was commonly diagnosed at advanced stages, highlighting the need for greater public awareness, strengthened screening programmes, improved healthcare infrastructure, and early detection strategies to achieve earlier diagnosis and better patient outcomes.