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van Heerden J, Balagadde-Kambugu J, Angom R, Lusobya RC, Chantada G, Desjardins L, Fabian ID, Israels T, Paintsil V, Hessissen L, Diouf MN, Elayadi M, Turner SD, Kouya F, Geel JA. Evaluating the baseline survival outcomes of the "six Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer index cancers" in Africa. Pediatr Hematol Oncol 2022; 40:203-223. [PMID: 36369884 DOI: 10.1080/08880018.2022.2140860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Limited survival data for the six Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer (GICC) priority cancers are available in Africa. Management of pediatric malignancies in Africa is challenging due to lack of resources, setting-specific comorbidities, high rates of late presentation and treatment abandonment. Reporting of outcome data is problematic due to the lack of registries. With the aim of evaluating the feasibility of baseline outcomes for the six index cancers, we present a descriptive analysis of respective survival rates in Africa. The survival rates were between 18% (lower middle-income countries) to 82.3% (upper middle-income countries) for acute lymphoblastic leukemia, between 26.9% (low-income countries) to 77.9% (upper middle-income countries) for nephroblastoma, between 23% (low-income countries) to 100% (upper middle-income countries), for retinoblastoma, 45% (low-income countries) to 95% (upper middle-income countries) for Hodgkin lymphoma and 28% (low-income countries) to 76% (upper middle-income countries) for Burkitt lymphoma. Solutions to improve survival rates and reported outcomes include establishing and funding sustainable registries, training and to actively include all countries in consortia from different African regions.HighlightsContinental differences in childhood cancer management such lack of resources, setting-specific comorbidities, high rates of late presentation and treatment abandonment, present challenges to the achievement of Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer goals.The available data registries do not adequately inform on the true incidences and outcomes of childhood cancers in Africa.The pathophysiology of some childhood cancers in Africa are associated with high-risk prognostic factors.Outcomes can be improved by greater regional collaboration to manage childhood cancer based on local resources and tumor characteristics.Some individual countries have reached the Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer goals for single cancers and it should be possible for more African countries to follow suit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaques van Heerden
- Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Antwerp University Hospital, Antwerp, Belgium.,Pediatric hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa.,Department of Pediatric Oncology, Uganda Cancer Institute, Kampala, Uganda
| | | | - Racheal Angom
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Uganda Cancer Institute, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Rebecca Claire Lusobya
- Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Guillermo Chantada
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hospital Sant Joan de Deu, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Ido Didi Fabian
- Goldschleger Eye Institute, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel.,International Center for Eye Health London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Trijn Israels
- Department of Pediatrics, Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, Kamuzu University of Health Sciences, Blantyre, Malawi
| | - Vivian Paintsil
- Department of Child Health, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Laila Hessissen
- Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Center, University Mohammed V Rabat, Rabat, Morocco
| | | | - Moatasem Elayadi
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, National Cancer Institute, Egypt & Children Cancer Hospital of Egypt (CCHE-57357), Cairo University, Giza, Egypt
| | | | - Francine Kouya
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Cameroon Baptist Convention Hospitals in Mutengene, Mbingo and Banso, Mutengene, Cameroon
| | - Jennifer A Geel
- Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital, University of the Witwatersrand, Witwatersrand, South Africa
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DeBoer RJ, Umutoni V, Bazzett-Matabele L, Katznelson E, Nguyen C, Umwizerwa A, Bigirimana JB, Paciorek A, Nsabimana N, Ruhangaza D, Ntasumbumuyange D, Shulman LN, Triedman SA, Shyirambere C. Cervical cancer treatment in Rwanda: Resource-driven adaptations, quality indicators, and patient outcomes. Gynecol Oncol 2021; 164:370-378. [PMID: 34916066 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygyno.2021.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2021] [Revised: 11/20/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Most cervical cancer cases and deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries, yet clinical research from these contexts is significantly underrepresented. We aimed to describe the treatment quality, resource-driven adaptations, and outcomes of cervical cancer patients in Rwanda. METHODS A retrospective cohort study was conducted of all patients with newly diagnosed cervical cancer enrolled between April 2016 and June 2018. Data were abstracted from medical records and analyzed using descriptive statistics, Kaplan Meier methods, and Cox proportional hazards regression. RESULTS A total of 379 patients were included; median age 54 years, 21% HIV-infected. A majority (55%) had stage III or IV disease. Thirty-four early-stage patients underwent radical hysterectomy. Of 254 patients added to a waiting list for chemoradiation, 114 ultimately received chemoradiation. Of these, 30 (26%) received upfront chemoradiation after median 126 days from diagnosis, and 83 (73%) received carboplatin/paclitaxel while waiting, with a median 56 days from diagnosis to chemotherapy and 207 days to chemoradiation. There was no survival difference between the upfront chemoradiation and prior chemotherapy subgroups. Most chemotherapy recipients (77%) reported improvement in symptoms. Three-year event-free survival was 90% with radical hysterectomy (95% CI 72-97%), 66% with chemoradiation (95% CI 55-75%), and 12% with chemotherapy only (95% CI 6-20%). CONCLUSIONS Multi-modality treatment of cervical cancer is effective in low resource settings through coordinated care and pragmatic approaches. Our data support a role for temporizing chemotherapy if delays to chemoradiation are anticipated. Sustainable access to gynecologic oncology surgery and expanded access to radiotherapy are urgently needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca J DeBoer
- University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States.
| | - Victoria Umutoni
- Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Lisa Bazzett-Matabele
- University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana; Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
| | | | - Cam Nguyen
- University of Colorado Cancer Center, Aurora, CO, United States
| | | | | | - Alan Paciorek
- University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | | | | | | | - Lawrence N Shulman
- Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Scott A Triedman
- Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, United States; Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, United States
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Blanchard C, Lubuzo B, Asirwa FC, Dlamini X, Msadabwe-Chikuni SC, Mwachiro M, Shyirambere C, Ruhangaza D, Milner DA, Van Loon K, DeBoer R, Mtshali P, Dugan U, Baker E, Shulman LN. Multisector Collaborations and Global Oncology: The Only Way Forward. JCO Glob Oncol 2021; 7:153-161. [PMID: 33493021 PMCID: PMC8081550 DOI: 10.1200/go.20.00492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE At the 12th meeting of AORTIC (African Organization for Research and Training in Cancer) in Maputo, Mozambique, held between November 5 and November 8, 2019, a special workshop was organized to focus on the need for collaboration and coordination between governments and health systems in Africa with academic, industry, association, and other nongovernmental organizations to effect sustainable positive change for the care of patients with cancer. METHODS Representatives from seven different projects in Africa presented implementation science and demonstration projects of their to date efforts in cancer system improvement including patient access, South-South partnerships, in-country specialized training, palliative care consortium, treatment outcomes, and focused pathology and diagnostic capacity building. Key partners of the various projects served as moderators and commentators during the session. RESULTS From across all the presentations, lessons learned and exemplary evidence of the value of partnerships were gathered and summarized. CONCLUSION The concluding synthesis of the presentations determined that with the broad needs across cancer requiring in-depth expertise at each point on a patient's journey, no single organization can effect change alone. Multipartner collaborations not only should be the norm but should also be coordinated so that efforts are not duplicated and maximum patient access to cancer diagnosis and care is achieved.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Dan A Milner
- American Society for Clinical Pathology, Chicago, IL
| | | | - Rebecca DeBoer
- University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
| | | | | | - Ellen Baker
- University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
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