Risk Factors Affecting Survival Time to First Recurrence of Breast Cancer Patients: The Case of South West Ethiopia

Background: Among the cancers, next to cervical cancer, in Ethiopia, breast cancer is the second common cancer health problem for women. This article aimed to identify the potential risk factors affecting of time-to-first-recurrence of breast cancer patients in southwest Ethiopia: Jimma Medical Center, Bedelle hospital, Mizan-Aman hospital, and Mettu hospital and Karl hospital. Methods: The data were taken from the patient’s medical record that registered from January 2012 to January 2019. The study considered a sample size of 642 breast cancer patients. Different non-parametric and parametric shared frailty survival models employed. Results: : Out of 642 breast cancer patients, about 447 (69.6 %) recovered/cured of the disease. The median cure time from breast cancer found 13 months. The lognormal parametric shared frailty survival model predicted that treatment, stage of breast cancer, smoking habit, and marital status significantly affects the time to the first recurrence of breast cancer. Conclusion: Treatment, stages of breast cancer, and marital status were improved while smoking habits worsen the time to first cure of breast cancer. To mitigate breast cancer diseases awareness should be given for the community on identified factors