Optimisation of the continuum of supportive and palliative care for patients with breast cancer in low-income and middle-income countries: executive summary of the Breast Health Global Initiative, 2014

Palliative care in the treatment of women with breast cancer: A scoping review

OBJECTIVES

Recent studies on the quality of life in women with breast cancer show a high prevalence of signs and symptoms that should be the focus of palliative care (PC), leading us to question the current role they play in addressing breast cancer. Therefore, the objective of this review is to map the scope of available literature on the role of PC in the treatment of women with breast cancer.

METHODS

This is a methodologically guided scoping review by the Joanna Briggs Institute and adapted to the PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) Checklist for report writing. Systematic searches were conducted in 8 databases, an electronic repository, and gray literature. The searches were conducted with the support of a librarian. The study selection was managed through the RAYYAN software in a blind and independent manner by 2 reviewers. The extracted data were analyzed using the qualitative thematic analysis technique and discussed through textual categories.

RESULTS

A total of 9,812 studies were identified, of which only 136 articles and 3 sources of gray literature are included in this review. In terms of general characteristics, the majority were published in the USA (35.7%), had a cross-sectional design (44.8%), and were abstracts presented at scientific events (19.6%). The majority of interventions focused on palliative radiotherapy (13.6%). Thematic analysis identified 14 themes and 12 subthemes.

SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS

Our findings offer a comprehensive view of the evidence on PC in the treatment of breast cancer. Although a methodological quality assessment was not conducted, these results could guide professionals interested in the topic to position themselves in the current context. Additionally, a quick synthesis of recommendations on different palliative therapies is provided, which should be critically observed. Finally, multiple knowledge gaps are highlighted, which could be used for the development of future studies in this field.

Operationalizing patient-centered cancer care in low- and middle-income countries

Rising cancer survival rates in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) necessitate a paradigm shift to holistic, patient-driven care, focusing on meaningful outcomes aligned with individual values. Data, co-creation, continuous improvement, and collaboration are key. By prioritizing patient-defined metrics and patient empowerment, LMICs can transform cancer care, fostering sustained well-being beyond disease control.

Feasibility of online managing cancer and living meaningfully (CALM) in Chinese patients with metastatic breast cancer: a pilot randomized control trial

Metastatic breast cancer could cause various psychological symptoms. Managing Cancer and Living Meaningfully (CALM) is a brief, manualized psychotherapy that has been validated for advanced cancer patients. We conducted a pilot randomized control trial (RCT) to verify the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of CALM therapy in this population. Patients who met the inclusion criteria were randomly assigned into CALM or Wait-list Control (WLC) groups. Patients in the CALM group received CALM therapy and usual care; patients in WLC group first received usual care and then underwent CALM therapy after completing all assessments. All patients were asked to complete three assessments: T0(baseline), T1(3 months), and T2(6 months). The primary outcomes was death anxiety; other outcomes were depression, distress, suicide ideation, attachment security, spiritual well-being and quality of life at the end of life. Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) and t-test were used for statistics analysis. Thirty-six patients were randomly assigned to either of the two groups, with 34 patients completing the three assessments. At six months, we found significant between group differences in suicide ideation, distress, and life completion between the CALM and WLC groups. At T2, patients in CALM group reported lower levels of depression (F = 5.016, p = 0.033, partial η2 = 0.143), distress (F = 7.969, p = 0.010, partial η2 = 0.257), attachment avoidance (F = 4.407, p = 0.044, partial η2 = 0.128), and better sense of life completion (F = 5.493, p = 0.026, partial η2 = 0.155) than patients in the WLC group. Compared with results of the T0 assessments, we found significant differences in socres for depression (T2&T0, t = - 2.689, p = 0.011, Cohen's d = 0.940) and distress (T2&T0, t = - 2.453, p = 0.022, Cohen's d = 0.965) between the two groups. CALM therapy was well received by the study population, and CALM therapy can reduce depression, distress, attachment avoidance while improving quality of life in Chinese metastatic breast cancer patients. A Phase III RCT was recommended to verify the impact of CALM therapy on psychological burden and survival in this population.Trial registration: This study is part of the "Preliminary application study for Managing Cancer and Living Meaningfully (CALM) therapy in Chinese advanced cancer patients" clinical trial, with the Trial Registration Number of ChiCTR1900023129 (13/05/2019) in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR) website. ( https://www.chictr.org.cn/index.html ).

A di-electrophoretic simulation procedure of iron-oxide micro-particle drug attachment system for leukemia treatment using COMSOL software: a potential treatment reference for LMICs

Background

Leukemia encompasses various subtypes, each with unique characteristics and treatment approaches. The challenge lies in developing targeted therapies that can effectively address the specific genetic mutations or abnormalities associated with each subtype. Some leukemia cases may become resistant to existing treatments over time making them less susceptible to chemotherapy or other standard therapies.

Objective

Developing new treatment strategies to overcome resistance is an ongoing challenge particularly in Low and Middle Income Countries (LMICs). Computational studies using COMSOL software could provide an economical, fast and resourceful approach to the treatment of complicated cancers like leukemia.

Methods

Using COMSOL Multiphysics software, a continuous flow microfluidic device capable of delivering anti-leukemia drugs to early-stage leukemia cells has been computationally modeled using dielectrophoresis (DEP).

Results

The cell size difference enabled the micro-particle drug attachment to the leukemia cells using hydrodynamic focusing from the dielectrophoretic force. This point of care application produced a low voltage from numerically calculated electrical field and flow speed simulations.

Conclusion

Therefore, such a dielectrophoretic low voltage application model can be used as a computational treatment reference for early-stage leukemia cells with an approximate size of 5 μm.

Unmet needs and health-related quality of life of breast cancer survivors: survey from Gaza Strip, Palestine

BACKGROUND

Cancer, especially breast cancer, remains a public health problem because of its negative consequences, which require long-term programs to alleviate its devastating effects. This study aimed to examine unmet supportive care needs and health-related quality of life of females with breast cancer.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study with a mixed-method design was employed. A simple, randomly selected sample of 352 females attending Al-Rantisi and Al-Amal hospitals was included in this study. A validated Arabic version of the Supportive Care Needs Survey (34 items) and The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life (EORTC QLQ-C15-PAL) were used. Moreover, twenty-five semi-structured interviews were performed (13 females, eight husbands, and four healthcare workers). Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive and inferential analysis, whereas thematic analysis was used for qualitative data to highlight main themes.

RESULTS

The highest unmet need reported by females with breast cancer was psychological needs (63%), followed by health-related systems and information (62%) and physical and daily life (61%). Pain and fatigue were the most reported symptoms (65.8% and 62.5%, respectively), followed by emotional distress, physical function, and physical symptoms; 55.8%, 54.3%, and 51.5%, respectively. These unmet needs and health-related quality of life-related dimensions were highlighted and elicited by qualitative data analysis. Unmet needs are high among married females, on conservative treatments, young females (< 40 years old), and females in the first year of diagnosis. The presence of chronic diseases did not increase needs. However, health-related quality of life was affected. Six themes are subtracted: availability of anticancer therapy, affordability of healthcare, family and social support, psychological support, health education, and self-image & intimate relationship.

CONCLUSION

Many needs are unmet. Caring for females with breast cancer should be comprehensive to fill gaps, including psychological care, health information and education, physical care and support, and medical care.

Determining massage dose-response to improve cancer-related symptom cluster of pain, fatigue, and sleep disturbance: A 7-arm randomized trial in palliative cancer care

BACKGROUND

The efficacy of various massage doses in palliative cancer care settings is still debated, and no specific protocol is available.

AIM

Evaluating response to various massage doses for symptom cluster of pain-fatigue-sleep.

DESIGN

A 7-arm randomized-controlled trial with weekly massage for 4 weeks depending on the prescribed dose (15-, 30-, or 60-min; 2× or 3×/week) and a 4-week follow-up. The intensities of pain, fatigue, and sleep disturbance were measured using a 0-10 scale at nine-timepoint; baseline, weekly during the intervention, and the follow-up period. Then, the mean scores of the three symptoms were calculated as the symptom cluster intensity at each timepoint. IRCT.ir IRCT20150302021307N5.

SETTING/PARTICIPANTS

Adults with cancer (n = 273) who reported all three symptoms at three oncology centers in Iran.

RESULTS

The odds of clinical improvement (at least 30% reduction in symptom cluster intensity from baseline) increased with dose-escalation significantly [(OR = 17.37; 95% CI = 3.87-77.90 for 60-min doses); (OR = 11.71; 95% CI = 2.60-52.69, for 30-min doses); (OR = 4.36; 95% CI = 0.94-20.32, for 15-min doses)]. The effect durability was significantly shorter at 15-min doses compared to 30- and 60-min doses. The odds of improvement for doses 3×/week was not significant compared to doses 2×/week (OR = 12.27 vs OR = 8.34); however, the effect durability for doses 3×/week was significantly higher.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings indicated that dose-escalation increases the efficacy of massage for the pain-fatigue-sleep symptom cluster. Although the 60-min doses were found to be more effective, the 30-min doses can be considered more practical because they are less costly and time-consuming. Our findings can be helpful to develop massage guidelines in palliative care settings.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials, IRCT20150302021307N5.

Coping strategy among the women with metastatic breast cancer attending a palliative care unit of a tertiary care hospital of Bangladesh

BACKGROUND

Breast cancer is one of the leading cancers among the Bangladeshi women. Coping helps these patients to adjust with this life-changing disease. Each individual has unique and different coping mechanism. But we know a little regarding their coping strategies. This study aims to explore the different coping strategies adopted by the women with metastatic (stage IV) breast cancer attending the palliative care unit and their relationship with the common mental health issues like anxiety and depression.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study was conducted among 95 patients with metastatic (stage IV) breast cancer attending the Department of Palliative Medicine, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Bangladesh from April 2021 to September 2021. Data was collected by face-to-face interview using a structured questionnaire adapted from Hospital Depression and Anxiety Scale (HADS), Brief COPE inventory and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance scale. Pearson correlation test was used to find the relationships between various domains of coping strategies and psychological variables. Correlation matrix was done to observe the internal correlation among different coping strategies. Kruskal-Wallis H test was done to find the relationship between different coping strategies and ECOG performance status.

RESULT

The mean age of the respondents was 48.9 ± 9.9 years. Most of them were married (94.7%), Muslim (92.6%) and homemakers (82.1%). Commonly used coping strategies by the patients were: acceptance (median 10; IQR 10), religion (median 9; IQR 8-10) and instrumental support (median 9; IQR 6-10). Significantly strong positive correlation was found between emotional and instrumental support (R = 0.7; p = 0.01), planning, acceptance and active coping (R = 0.7; p = 0.01); behavioral disengagement, self distraction and denial (R = 0.5; p = 0.01). Significantly fair negative correlation was observed between active coping and depression (R = -0.4, p <0.001). Patients with better performance status on ECOG scale (Grade 0-2) leaned more on the positive coping strategies like instrumental support, emotional support, positive reframing and venting.

CONCLUSION

Different coping strategies, especially positive coping helps the patients to adapt with their disease over time. All women suffering from breast cancer should be routinely screened and assessed for psychological distress and ensure early intervention and management to promote a better quality of life.

Depression, anxiety, and performance status among the women with metastatic breast cancer receiving palliative care in Bangladesh: A cross sectional study

Background and Aims

Advanced breast cancer patients suffer from various psychological issues including depression and anxiety. This study aims to explore these psychological issues and their relationship with the performance status.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was conducted among 95 patients with metastatic breast cancer attending the Department of Palliative Medicine, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Bangladesh from April 2021 to September 2021. Data was collected by face-to-face interview using a structured questionnaire along with Hospital Depression and Anxiety Scale. The performance status of the patients was determined by the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance scale. The association between different variables were assessed by χ 2 test and Fisher Exact test.

Result

Mean age of the respondents was 48.9 ± 9.9 years. Most of them were married (94.7%), muslim (92.6%) and homemakers (82.1%). More than half (52.6%) of the patients were evaluated having ECOG performance status grade II. Four out of ten  (44.2%) patients had moderate to severely anxiety, and almost one-third (36.9%) patients were suffering from moderate to severe depression. The patients with high educational status were found to have less depression. In addition, patients faring better on ECOG performance scale (Grade 0 to I) had significantly (p < 0.05) less depression and anxiety.

Conclusion

Depression and anxiety are one of the major psychological sufferings among the women with metastatic breast cancers. All women suffering from breast cancer should be routinely screened and assessed for phychological distress and ensure early intervention.

Supportive care interventions for cancer patients in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs): a scoping review

PURPOSE

In high-income countries (HICs), supportive care is often used to assist cancer patients as they seek treatment and beyond. However, in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs), where more than 70% of all cancer-related deaths occur [1], the provision of supportive care has not been assessed. The purpose of this scoping review is to assess the type of supportive care interventions for cancer patients across the cancer care continuum in LMICs.

METHODS

We examined published articles reporting on supportive care interventions in LMICs. Following PRISMA guidelines, we performed a systematic search of PubMed, ERIC, CINAHL, and PsycINFO. We limited the scope to original research studies focused on LMICs, studies concerning any type of supportive care intervention for adult cancer patients, from diagnosis, treatment, and post-treatment.

RESULTS

Thirty-five studies met the criteria for inclusion in the scoping review. The majority were randomized clinical trials (RCT) or used a quasi-experimental design. The highest number of studies (n = 23) was implemented in the WHO Eastern-Mediterranean region, followed by South-East Asia (n = 6), Africa (n = 4), and Western-Pacific Regions (n = 2). Most studies focused on women's cancers and included interventions for psychosocial support, symptom management, health literacy/education, and patient navigation.

CONCLUSIONS

Although we found only a small number of interventions being conducted in these settings, our results suggest that providing different types of supportive services in less-resourced settings, even when health systems are fragmented and fragile, can improve mental health, physical health, and the quality of life (QoL) of cancer patients.

Self-reported arm and shoulder problems in breast cancer survivors in Sub-Saharan Africa: the African Breast Cancer-Disparities in Outcomes cohort study

Background

Arm and shoulder problems (ASP), including lymphedema, were common among women with breast cancer in high-income countries before sentinel lymph node biopsy became the standard of care. Although ASP impair quality of life, as they affect daily life activities, their frequency and determinants in Sub-Saharan Africa remain unclear.

Methods

All women newly diagnosed with breast cancer at the Namibian, Ugandan, Nigerian, and Zambian sites of the African Breast Cancer-Disparities in Outcomes (ABC-DO) cohort study were included. At each 3-month follow-up interview, women answered the EORTC-QLQ-Br23 questionnaire, including three ASP items: shoulder/arm pain, arm stiffness, and arm/hand swelling. We estimated the cumulative incidence of first self-reported ASP, overall and stratified by study and treatment status, with deaths treated as competing events. To identify determinants of ASP, we estimated cause-specific hazard ratios using Cox models stratified by study site.

Results

Among 1476 women, up to 4 years after diagnosis, 43% (95% CI 40–46), 36% (33–38) and 23% (20–25), respectively, self-reported having experienced arm/shoulder pain, stiffness and arm/hand swelling at least once. Although risks of self-reported ASP differed between sites, a more advanced breast cancer stage at diagnosis, having a lower socioeconomic position and receiving treatment increased the risk of reporting an ASP.

Conclusion

ASP are very common in breast cancer survivors in Sub-Saharan Africa. They are influenced by different factors than those observed in high-income countries. There is a need to raise awareness and improve management of ASP within the African setting.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13058-021-01486-9.

Exploring Unmet Needs from an Online Metastatic Breast Cancer Support Group: A Qualitative Study

Background and Objective: Despite the increasing treatment options for patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC), unmet needs remain common, especially in low and middle-income countries where resources are limited and MBC patients face many challenges. They often join support groups to cope with their unmet needs. Currently, many MBC patients connect with each other via online support group in view of the constant availability of support and rapid information exchange. The objective of this study is to determine the unmet needs of women with MBC from an online support group. Material and Methods: Messages in an online support group of twenty-two MBC patients over a period of three years from August 2016 till August 2019 were thematically analyzed. Results: Three themes were generated, (1) unmet information needs (2) unmet financial needs (3) unmet support needs. Women needed information on side effects of treatment, new treatment options and availability of clinical trials. Although Malaysia has universal health care coverage, access to treatment remains a major challenge. When treatment was not available in the public hospitals, or waiting lists were too long, women were forced to seek treatment in private hospitals, incurring financial catastrophe. Insufficient private insurance and inadequate social security payments force many women to consider stopping treatment. Women felt that they were not getting support from their clinicians in the public sector, who were quick to stop active treatment and advise palliation. On the other hand, clinicians in the private sector advise expensive treatment beyond the financial capability of the patients. Women with families also face the challenge of managing their family and household in addition to coping with their illness. Conclusions: There is a need for healthcare professionals, policy makers, and civil society to better address the needs of MBC patients through patient-centered, multidisciplinary and multi-organizational collaboration.

Breast cancer treatment: A phased approach to implementation

Optimal treatment outcomes for breast cancer are dependent on a timely diagnosis followed by an organized, multidisciplinary approach to care. However, in many low- and middle-income countries, effective care management pathways can be difficult to follow because of financial constraints, a lack of resources, an insufficiently trained workforce, and/or poor infrastructure. On the basis of prior work by the Breast Health Global Initiative, this article proposes a phased implementation strategy for developing sustainable approaches to enhancing patient care in limited-resource settings by creating roadmaps that are individualized and adapted to the baseline environment. This strategy proposes that, after a situational analysis, implementation phases begin with bolstering palliative care capacity, especially in settings where a late-stage diagnosis is common. This is followed by strengthening the patient pathway, with consideration given to a dynamic balance between centralization of services into centers of excellence to achieve better quality and decentralization of services to increase patient access. The use of resource checklists ensures that comprehensive therapy or palliative care can be delivered safely and effectively. Episodic or continuous monitoring with established process and quality metrics facilitates ongoing assessment, which should drive continual process improvements. A series of case studies provides a snapshot of country experiences with enhancing patient care, including the implementation of national cancer control plans in Kenya, palliative care in Romania, the introduction of a 1-stop clinic for diagnosis in Brazil, the surgical management of breast cancer in India, and the establishment of a women's cancer center in Ghana.

Breast cancer early detection and diagnostic capacity in Uganda

BACKGROUND

Greater than 80% of women presenting for breast cancer treatment in Uganda have late-stage disease, which is attributable to a dysfunctional referral system and a lack of recognition of the early signs and symptoms among primary health care providers, and compounded by the poor infrastructure and inadequate human capacity. Improving the breast health care system requires a systemic approach beginning with situational analysis to identify systematic gaps that prevent sustainable improvements in outcome.

METHODS

The authors performed a situational analysis of the breast health care system using methods developed by the Breast Health Global Initiative. Based on their findings, they developed a series of recommendations for strengthening the health system for the early diagnosis of breast cancer based on clinical detection, referral, tissue sampling, and diagnosis.

RESULTS

Deficits in the recognition of breast cancer signs and symptoms, the underuse of clinical breast examination as a diagnostic and/or screening tool, the centralization of diagnostic tests (radiology and pathology), reliance on excisional biopsies rather than needle biopsies, and a lack of trained professionals and knowledge of the referral system all contribute to significant health system delays.

CONCLUSIONS

To strengthen referral networks and improve the early diagnosis of breast cancer in Uganda, national referral hospitals should provide educational programs to primary health care providers in community health centers (CHCs), at which the majority of women first present with symptoms. At secondary district-level facilities in which imaging and tissue sampling can be performed, the capacity for diagnostic testing could be increased through task shifting of basic interpretation (abnormal vs normal) from specialists to nonspecialists using networking technology to facilitate remote oversight from specialists at the national referral hospitals.

Resource-Stratified Guideline-Based Cancer Care Should Be a Priority: Historical Context and Examples of Success

Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are shouldering most of the burden of the rapidly increasing cancer incidence and mortality worldwide, and this situation is projected to worsen in coming decades. Studies estimate that more than one million deaths could be prevented annually if all patients received high-quality care, but most LMICs lack the resources and infrastructure to adopt U.S. or European clinical oncology practice guidelines. Several organizations have developed resource-stratified guidelines (RSGs) to provide graduated and/or region-specific strategies for cancer diagnosis and treatment. The birth of these efforts traces to 2002, when the World Health Organization (WHO) called for tailoring cancer treatments to the level of available resources by country; the Breast Health Global Initiative (BHGI) formalized the first stratified guidelines for breast cancer shortly thereafter. Since then, multiple organizations including ASCO and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) have created guidelines customized for various cancer subtypes and regions. These RSGs offer roadmaps for policy makers, clinicians, and health care administrators in LMICs to design projects in implementation science that can gradually and strategically raise the quality of cancer care in their nation or region. Although the same resource limitations that complicate cancer care in these areas also pose barriers to data gathering and research, some countries have met the challenge and are improving cancer care using RSGs as a metric for success.

J, Gyawali B, McCormack V, de Anderson MM, Mehrotra R, Mohar A, Murillo R, Pace LE, Paskett ED, Romanoff A, Rositch AF, Scheel J, Schneidman M, Unger-Saldana K, Vanderpuye V, Wu TY, Yuma S, Dvaladze A, Duggan C, Anderson BO. Breast cancer early detection: A phased approach to implementation

When breast cancer is detected and treated early, the chances of survival are very high. However, women in many settings face complex barriers to early detection, including social, economic, geographic, and other interrelated factors, which can limit their access to timely, affordable, and effective breast health care services. Previously, the Breast Health Global Initiative (BHGI) developed resource-stratified guidelines for the early detection and diagnosis of breast cancer. In this consensus article from the sixth BHGI Global Summit held in October 2018, the authors describe phases of early detection program development, beginning with management strategies required for the diagnosis of clinically detectable disease based on awareness education and technical training, history and physical examination, and accurate tissue diagnosis. The core issues address include finance and governance, which pertain to successful planning, implementation, and the iterative process of program improvement and are needed for a breast cancer early detection program to succeed in any resource setting. Examples are presented of implementation, process, and clinical outcome metrics that assist in program implementation monitoring. Country case examples are presented to highlight the challenges and opportunities of implementing successful breast cancer early detection programs, and the complex interplay of barriers and facilitators to achieving early detection for breast cancer in real-world settings are considered.

The Breast Health Global Initiative 2018 Global Summit on Improving Breast Healthcare Through Resource-Stratified Phased Implementation: Methods and overview

BACKGROUND

The Breast Health Global Initiative (BHGI) established a series of resource-stratified, evidence-based guidelines to address breast cancer control in the context of available resources. Here, the authors describe methodologies and health system prerequisites to support the translation and implementation of these guidelines into practice.

METHODS

In October 2018, the BHGI convened the Sixth Global Summit on Improving Breast Healthcare Through Resource-Stratified Phased Implementation. The purpose of the summit was to define a stepwise methodology (phased implementation) for guiding the translation of resource-appropriate breast cancer control guidelines into real-world practice. Three expert consensus panels developed stepwise, resource-appropriate recommendations for implementing these guidelines in low-income and middle-income countries as well as underserved communities in high-income countries. Each panel focused on 1 of 3 specific aspects of breast cancer care: 1) early detection, 2) treatment, and 3) health system strengthening.

RESULTS

Key findings from the summit and subsequent article preparation included the identification of phased-implementation prerequisites that were explored during consensus debates. These core issues and concepts are key components for implementing breast health care that consider real-world resource constraints. Communication and engagement across all levels of care is vital to any effectively operating health care system, including effective communication with ministries of health and of finance, to demonstrate needs, outcomes, and cost benefits.

CONCLUSIONS

Underserved communities at all economic levels require effective strategies to deploy scarce resources to ensure access to timely, effective, and affordable health care. Systematically strategic approaches translating guidelines into practice are needed to build health system capacity to meet the current and anticipated global breast cancer burden.

Mapping evidence on women's knowledge and practice of breast self-examination in sub-Saharan Africa: a scoping review protocol

BACKGROUND

Globally, breast cancer is the most common malignant condition in women. Breast self-examination practice following correct procedure potentially can lead to early detection of breast abnormalities. We propose to systematically chart literature and examine the scope of evidence on women's knowledge and practice of breast self-examination in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).

METHODS

Our scoping review methods will be guided by the framework proposed by Arksey and O'Malley, Levac et al. and Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines. Literature searches will be conducted in the following electronic databases (from 2008 onwards): PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, CINAHL, PsycINFO and Health Sources. Grey literature will be identified through searching dissertation databases, Google Scholar and governmental databases. Two reviewers will screen all citations and full-text articles We will abstract data, organise them into themes and sub-themes, summarise them and report the results using a narrative synthesis. The study methodological quality (or bias) will be appraised using a mixed-method appraisal tool.

DISCUSSION

The findings from the scoping review will contribute to obtain an understanding of the women's knowledge and practice of breast self-examination in sub-Saharan Africa, and will likely reveal the depth of evidence helping to identify gaps for future research. Results will be published in a peer-reviewed journal. Implications for clinical practice and health policy will be discussed.

DNA Methylation Markers for Breast Cancer Detection in the Developing World

PURPOSE

An unmet need in low-resource countries is an automated breast cancer detection assay to prioritize women who should undergo core breast biopsy and pathologic review. Therefore, we sought to identify and validate a panel of methylated DNA markers to discriminate between cancer and benign breast lesions using cells obtained by fine-needle aspiration (FNA).Experimental Design: Two case-control studies were conducted comparing cancer and benign breast tissue identified from clinical repositories in the United States, China, and South Africa for marker selection/training (N = 226) and testing (N = 246). Twenty-five methylated markers were assayed by Quantitative Multiplex-Methylation-Specific PCR (QM-MSP) to select and test a cancer-specific panel. Next, a pilot study was conducted on archival FNAs (49 benign, 24 invasive) from women with mammographically suspicious lesions using a newly developed, 5-hour, quantitative, automated cartridge system. We calculated sensitivity, specificity, and area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve (AUC) compared with histopathology for the marker panel.

RESULTS

In the discovery cohort, 10 of 25 markers were selected that were highly methylated in breast cancer compared with benign tissues by QM-MSP. In the independent test cohort, this panel yielded an AUC of 0.937 (95% CI = 0.900-0.970). In the FNA pilot, we achieved an AUC of 0.960 (95% CI = 0.883-1.0) using the automated cartridge system.

CONCLUSIONS

We developed and piloted a fast and accurate methylation marker-based automated cartridge system to detect breast cancer in FNA samples. This quick ancillary test has the potential to prioritize cancer over benign tissues for expedited pathologic evaluation in poorly resourced countries.

Palliative Oncologic Care Curricula for Providers in Resource-Limited and Underserved Communities: a Systematic Review

Familiarity with principles of palliative care, supportive care, and palliative oncological treatment is essential for providers caring for cancer patients, though this may be challenging in global communities where resources are limited. Herein, we describe the scope of literature on palliative oncological care curricula for providers in resource-limited settings. A systematic literature review was conducted using PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Med Ed Portal databases, and gray literature. All available prospective cohort studies, case reports, and narratives published up to July 2017 were eligible for review. Fourteen articles were identified and referenced palliative care education programs in Argentina, Uganda, Kenya, Australia, Germany, the USA, or multiple countries. The most common teaching strategy was lecture-based, followed by mentorship and experiential learning involving role play and simulation. Education topics included core principles of palliative care, pain and symptom management, and communication skills. Two programs included additional topics specific to the underserved or American Indian/Alaskan Native community. Only one program discussed supportive cancer care, and no program reported educational content on resource-stratified decision-making for palliative oncological treatment. Five programs reported positive participant satisfaction, and three programs described objective metrics of increased educational or research activity. There is scant literature on effective curricula for providers treating cancer patients in resource-limited settings. Emphasizing supportive cancer care and palliative oncologic treatments may help address gaps in education; increased outcome reporting may help define the impact of palliative care curriculum within resource-limited communities.

Update Breast Cancer 2019 Part 2 - Implementation of Novel Diagnostics and Therapeutics in Advanced Breast Cancer Patients in Clinical Practice

The treatment of patients with advanced breast cancer has developed further in recent years. In addition to therapeutic progress in the established subgroups (hormone receptor and HER2 status), there are now therapies which are geared to individual molecular characteristics, such as PARP inhibitor therapy in BRCA-mutated patients. In addition to this, tests are being developed which are intended to establish additional markers within subgroups in order to predict the efficacy of a therapy. PI3K mutation testing in HER2-negative, hormone-receptor-positive tumours and PD-L1 testing of immune cells in triple-negative tumours are expected to become established in clinical practice in order to select patients for the respective therapies. With new therapeutic approaches, new adverse effects also appear. The management of these adverse effects, just as those of classical therapy (supportive therapy), is essential with the introduction of new treatments in order to preserve patients' quality of life. Knowledge regarding measures to preserve and improve quality of life has significantly increased in recent years. Lifestyle factors should be taken into account, as should modern therapeutic methods. This review summarises the latest studies and publications and evaluates them in regard to the relevance for clinical practice.

A narrative synthesis of the quality of cancer care and development of an integrated conceptual framework

The general paradigms that exist to guide measures in quality of care do not sufficiently deal with the changing needs of cancer management. The aim of this study was to review the literature regarding the quality of cancer care and develop a conceptual framework relevant to current practice. A textual narrative review of the literature was conducted by searching electronic databases from the last 10 years. Articles were then screened and included if they were both relevant to the management of cancer and standards in quality of care. Thematic analysis of the included articles was performed. Eighty-three articles were included and 12 domains identified and integrated with current models to develop a conceptual framework. These included: healthcare delivery system; timeliness; access; appropriateness of care; multidisciplinary and coordinated care; patient experience; technical aspects; safety; patient-centred outcomes; disease-specific outcomes; innovation and improvement and value. We propose a conceptual framework for the quality of cancer care based on relevant and current oncology practice. This presents a more practical and comprehensive approach than general models, and can be used by healthcare providers, managers and policy makers to guide and identify the need for metrics for quality improvements.

Research needs in breast cancer

New research questions emerge as medical needs continue to evolve and as we improve our understanding of cancer biology and treatment of malignancies. Although significant advances have been made in some areas of breast cancer research resulting in improvements in therapies and outcomes over the last few decades, other areas have not benefited to the same degree and we continue to have many gaps in our knowledge. This article summarizes the 12 short and medium-term clinical research needs in breast cancer deemed as priorities in 2016 by a panel of experts, in an attempt to focus and accelerate future research in the most needed areas: (i) de-escalate breast cancer therapies in early breast cancer without sacrificing outcomes; (ii) explore optimal adjuvant treatment durations; (iii) develop better tools and strategies to identify patients with genetic predisposition; (iv) improve care in young patients with breast cancer; (v) develop tools to speed up drug development in biomarker-defined populations; (vi) identify and validate targets that mediate resistance to chemotherapy, endocrine therapy and anti-HER2 therapies; (vii) evaluate the efficacy of local-regional treatments for metastatic disease; (viii) better define the optimal sequence of treatments in the metastatic setting; (ix) evaluate the clinical impact of intra-patient heterogeneity (intra-tumor, inter-tumor and inter-lesion heterogeneity); (x) better understand the biology and identify new targets in triple-negative breast cancer; (xi) better understand immune surveillance in breast cancer and further develop immunotherapies; and (xii) increase survivorship research efforts including supportive care and quality of life.

Global cancer pain management: a systematic review comparing trials in Africa, Europe and North America

AIM

Despite the rise in cancer survivorship, few reviews have examined the quality of studies of cancer pain management and practices around the globe. With a void in trials spanning multiple geographical settings, this review evaluates the quality of cancer trials across three continents.

MATERIALS & METHODS

A literature review and search of established databases was conducted to identify eligible studies. The Cochrane method, the Jadad Score and a cancer pain-specific ad hoc tool were used to evaluate quality of studies.

RESULTS

Eighteen studies representing a total of 4693 individuals were included in the review. Study quality correlated positively with study sample size and palliative care index. Trials in all three continents were prone to use opioids for pain management, whereas trials in Europe and North America utilized other adjuvant therapies such as antidepressants and steroids.

CONCLUSION

This review underscores the need for better multidimensional quality assessment tools for cancer pain trials.

Barriers to, and opportunities for, palliative care development in the Eastern Mediterranean Region

The 22 countries of WHO's Eastern Mediterranean Region are experiencing an increase in the burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including cancer. Of the six WHO regions, the Eastern Mediterranean Region is projected to have the greatest increase in cancer incidence in the next 15 years. Furthermore, most cancers are diagnosed at a late stage, resulting in a lower cancer survival rate than in the European Region and the Region of the Americas. With increasing numbers of deaths from cancer, palliative care should be available to relieve suffering in patients with advanced disease and at the end of life. However, in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, the palliative care available is variable and inconsistent. Several barriers exist to the development and expansion of palliative care delivery in this region, including the absence of palliative care in national policies, little partnership working, insufficient palliative care education for health-care professionals and volunteers, poor public awareness, and gaps in access to essential pain-relief medicines. In this Review, we explore data and evidence from published literature, WHO meeting reports, cancer control mission reports, and the WHO global NCD country capacity survey to identify the status of palliative care in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, including the challenges and opportunities for development.

Health-related quality of life and psychological distress among cancer survivors in Southeast Asia: results from a longitudinal study in eight low- and middle-income countries

BACKGROUND

A better understanding of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and psychological distress in cancer survivors can raise awareness, promote the development of policies in cancer survivorship care, and facilitate better targeted use of limited resources in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The main objectives of this paper were therefore to assess HRQoL and the prevalence of psychological distress amongst cancer survivors in Southeast Asia and identify risk factors of these outcomes.

METHODS

The ACTION study was a longitudinal study in eight LMICs in Southeast Asia with 5249 first time cancer survivors followed up at 1 year after diagnosis. HRQoL was assessed using the EORTC QLQ-C30 and EQ-5D. Psychological distress (anxiety and depression) was assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. General linear models and multiple logistic regression were used to identify independent predictors of HRQoL and psychological distress.

RESULTS

One year after diagnosis, the mean EORTC QLQ-C30 global health score for survivors was 66.2 out of 100 (SD 22.0), the mean index score on the EQ-5D was 0.74 (SD 0.23), 37% of survivors had at least mild levels of anxiety, and 46% showed at least mild levels of depression. Poorest HRQoL and highest prevalence of anxiety and depression were seen in patients with lung cancer and lymphomas, while highest scores and least psychological distress were seen in female patients with breast and cervical cancer. The most significant predictor of poor HRQoL and psychological distress outcomes was cancer stage at diagnosis. Age, co-morbidities, treatment, and several socioeconomic factors were associated with HRQoL and psychological distress.

CONCLUSIONS

Cancer survivors in LMICs in Southeast Asia have impaired HRQoL and substantial proportions have psychological distress. Patients with advanced cancer stages at diagnosis and those in a poor socioeconomic position were most at risk of such poor outcomes. Supportive interventions for cancer patients that address wider aspects of patient wellbeing are needed, as well as policies that address financial and other barriers to timely treatment.

Management of locally advanced and metastatic breast cancer: guidelines, infrastructures and low resource settings

Breast cancer incidence is rising and it accounts for over 1.6 million cases per year worldwide. It represents about one-third of female cancers and is a significant health issue in countries at all economic levels. In this article, we review global cancer statistics, breast cancer staging including late-stage presentation in limited resource settings, disparities in the breast cancer outcomes and requirements for optimal management, including infrastructure needs for optimal surgery, radiation treatment and systemic therapy. We will discuss controversies related to drug pricing and availability, process and delays in registration of new drugs as well as resource stratification and resource-stratified guidelines for locally advanced breast cancer and metastatic breast cancer.

Most prevalent unmet supportive care needs and quality of life of breast cancer patients in a tertiary hospital in Malaysia

Background

Addressing breast cancer patients’ unmet supportive care needs in the early stage of their survivorship have become a prime concern because of its significant association with poor quality of life (QOL), which in turn increases healthcare utilization and costs. There is no study about unmet supportive care needs of breast cancer patients in Malaysia. This study aims to assess the most prevalent unmet supportive care needs of Malaysian breast cancer patients and the association between QOL and patients’ characteristics, and their unmet supportive care needs.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted at the Surgery and Oncology Clinic between May 2014 and June 2014 in a tertiary hospital in Malaysia. A total of 117 patients out of 133 breast cancer patients recruited by universal sampling were interviewed using a structured questionnaire consisted of three parts: participants’ socio-demographic and disease characteristics, Supportive Care Needs Survey-Short Form Questionnaire (SCNS-SF34) and European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire C30 (EORTC QLQ-C30).

Results

The highest unmet supportive care needs were observed in the psychological domain (Mean 53.31; SD ± 21.79), followed by physical domain (Mean 38.16; SD ± 27.15). Most prevalent unmet supportive care needs were uncertainty about the future (78.6 %), fears about the cancer spreading (76.1 %), feelings of sadness (69.2 %), feelings about death and dying (68.4 %), concerns about those close to the patient (65.0 %) and feeling down or depressed (65.0 %). Multivariate linear analysis showed that early breast cancer survivors diagnosed at an advanced stage and with greater physical and psychological needs were significantly (p < 0.05) associated with poorer QOL.

Conclusion

Most prevalent unmet needs among Malaysian breast cancer patients were found in the psychological domain. Early breast cancer survivors with late stage diagnosis who had more unmet needs in psychological and physical domains were more likely to have a poor QOL.