Abstract
Ocular surface squamous neoplasia (OSSN) is a common ocular surface tumor with an increased incidence in African countries (3.4 and 3.0 cases/year/100,000). Despite its potential for vision loss and death, OSSN remains largely neglected by both eye and HIV care programs in Africa. The purpose of this review is to identify the barriers to timely diagnosis and early interventions for OSSN in Africa. PubMed searches were conducted targeting previous use of topical chemotherapy (interferon alpha 2b, Mitomycin-C, 5-Fluorouracil) and Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination in Africa. We found that OSSN is a significant vision and life-threatening health problem in Africa leading to significant loss of vision, as well as facial disfigurement and social stigma. We did not find any reports on the use of topical interferon, Mitomycin-C or HPV vaccination for OSSN in Africa. One report on the use of topical 5-FU for OSSN in Africa was found. Common barriers to early detection and management of OSSN in Africa include lack of sufficient laboratory infrastructure, lack of trained healthcare personnel, lack of compliance with follow-up visits, cost of topical chemotherapies, and cultural preferences for traditional medicines. In conclusion, OSSN is a significant vision and life-threatening health problem in Africa. There is not much literature on prevention or treatment options for early stages of OSSN in Africa. The use of topical chemotherapy as early interventions and judicious use of smart phone Apps to help with remote diagnosis of early OSSN should be further explored.
Highlights
Ocular surface squamous neoplasia (OSSN), the most common ocular surface tumor, refers to a spectrum of lesions ranging from dysplasia, intraepithelialReceived: 08‐04‐2016Accepted: 15-06‐2016Access this article onlineQuick Response Code: Website: www.jovr.org neoplasia and carcinoma in situ to invasive squamous cell carcinomas.[1]
We evaluate all publications to date on HIV‐related OSSN and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of conjunctiva and orbit in African countries with the purpose of identifying barriers and limitations to early interventions and prevention of OSSN
There are no reports published on the use of topical interferon, mitomycin‐C, or human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccination for OSSN in Africa [Table 1]
Summary
Ocular surface squamous neoplasia (OSSN), the most common ocular surface tumor, refers to a spectrum of lesions ranging from dysplasia, intraepithelialReceived: 08‐04‐2016Accepted: 15-06‐2016Access this article onlineQuick Response Code: Website: www.jovr.org neoplasia and carcinoma in situ to invasive squamous cell carcinomas.[1]. Ocular surface squamous neoplasia (OSSN), the most common ocular surface tumor, refers to a spectrum of lesions ranging from dysplasia, intraepithelial. The incidence of OSSN is difficult to determine and varies geographically, yet shows noticeably increased rates in Africa.[1] A recent study in Zimbabwe by Gichuhi et al showed an incidence rate of.
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