Abstract:

Background: Cancer treatment such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy are extremely intense, potentially toxic to human cells and known to compromise the immune status of the patients due to toxicity, therefore increasing the risk of opportunistic infections. However, the association of cancer chemotherapy with virulent Candida spp. has not been evaluated. This proposed study investigated the association between cancer chemotherapy and virulent Candida albicans colonizing cancer patients attending Oncology unit at Bugando medical centre (BMC), Mwanza-Tanzania.

Methodology: This experimental Laboratory-based study conducted from January to July 2019. Archived (minus 40’C) Candida albicans isolated from colonizing cancer patients at different cycle of chemotherapy have been retrieved and sub-cultured onto Sabourauds dextrose agar (SDA) plates and then incubated at 37’C for 24 hours. Virulence factors; biofilm formation, germ tube and coagulase were then examined. The result was recorded in log book then transferred to Microsoft excel spreadsheet for cleaning and coding then will be analyzed by using STATA version 13. Categorical results were presented into percentages/fractions while continuous data presented into mean (+/- SD) or median (IQR). Chi-square was used to show the association between cancer patients with chemotherapy and virulence of Candida albicans.