Organized Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening: Attendance and Determinants in Rural China

Colorectal cancer research priorities in Uganda: perspectives from local key experts and stakeholders

The incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC) is increasing in Uganda but there is limited local research to guide policy and programming for CRC prevention and control. A stakeholder engagement workshop took place in Kampala on 19 March 2024 to identify challenges and opportunities for CRC prevention and control in Uganda. A total of 30 stakeholders with expertise in CRC primary and secondary prevention, diagnosis, treatment, palliative care as well as cancer survivors participated in the workshop. Key challenges for primary prevention included low knowledge/awareness of CRC among the general population and health workers, and rising prevalence of CRC related risk factors. Limited CRC screening, diagnostic facilities and specialists were identified as barriers to diagnosis. Treatment related challenges included limited accessibility to surgical services and drugs, late-stage presentation leading to poor treatment response, treatment abandonment and drug related toxicity. Lack of universal health coverage policies, limited community-based cancer awareness programs, and lack of national cancer registries were cited as policy and economics challenges. Opportunities to address these challenges were discussed. Our findings highlight areas for further research and prioritization to address Uganda's growing CRC burden and may be applicable to other low-resource settings.

Incidence, mortality, survival, and disease burden of breast cancer in China compared to other developed countries

Breast cancer was the most diagnosed malignant neoplasm and the second leading cause of cancer mortality among Chinese females in 2020. Increased risk factors and widespread adoption of westernized lifestyles have resulted in an upward trend in the occurrence of breast cancer. Up to date knowledge on the incidence, mortality, survival, and burden of breast cancer is essential for optimized cancer prevention and control. To better understand the status of breast cancer in China, this narrative literature review collected data from multiple sources, including studies obtained from the PubMed database and text references, national annual cancer report, government cancer database, Global Cancer Statistics 2020, and Global Burden of Disease study (2019). This review provides an overview of the incidence, mortality, and survival rates of breast cancer, as well as a summary of disability-adjusted life years associated with breast cancer in China from 1990 to 2019, with comparisons to Japan, South Korea, Australia and the United States.

The burden of cervical cancer in China

Objective

Trends in the incidence, disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), and mortality rate of cervical cancer remain unknown.

Methods

The average annual percent changes (AAPCs) and relative risks (RR) in the incidence, DALYs, and mortality rate were determined using a joinpoint regression analysis; the net age, period, and cohort effects on above rates were evaluated.

Results

A significant increase in age-standardized incidence (AAPC, 0.9%; 95CI: 0.8, 1.1) but significant decreases in age-standardized DALYs (AAPC, -0.4%; 95%CI: -0.60, -0.20) and the mortality rate (AAPC, -0.4%; 95CI: -0.6, –0.3) were observed. As for age-specific rates, the incidence was higher in younger age groups, and the DALYs and mortality rate were lower in older age groups. The effects of age included a slight but significant increase in the RR with advancing age from 35 to 94 years; the period effect included a significant increase in the incidence over the 2005–2019 periods; and the cohort effect included a substantial increase in the incidence from earlier to later birth cohorts.

Conclusions

The incidence of cervical cancer increased from 1990 to 2019, particularly in younger age groups, and the DALYs and mortality rate decreased in the older age groups. Furthermore, the incidence increased with age, period, and cohort.