Cancer Control Plans Research Articles

Impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the treatment of resectable liver neoplasms: A cross-sectional study from Brazil.

e22524 Background: By 2030, 10 million patients needing surgical oncology procedures will be from low and middle-income countries. Hepatocellular carcinoma is reported as the fifth most common cancer in men and the seventh in women worldwide. Surgical resection is the primary treatment option for patients with solitary hepatic tumors. The overload of health systems caused by the coronavirus pandemic has strongly affected Brazilian public healthcare (SUS), making the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma difficult due to the lack of resources and professionals. Under these circumstances, we aimed to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on the surgical treatment patterns for liver cancer performed by SUS during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted following the STROBE checklist. With data from DATASUS’s Hospital Information System; An agency of the Brazilian Ministry of Health; patients' identities are preserved and the conduction of any research with data from DATASUS is ethically approved. All hepatectomies from all hospitals were considered. Based on the PICO principle: People with liver cancer in Brazil from 2013 to 2021 (Population); hepatectomy (Interest); Brazilian region (Context), the study analyzes the absolute numbers of hepatectomies in oncology registered between January 2013 and December 2021 and compares it to the number of hepatic cancer diagnosis and deaths in the same period. Statistical analysis was performed on PAST, version 4.12, by applying ANOVA one way and Tukey’s test to assess the number of procedures compared over the years. Results: The total number of partial hepatectomies performed in SUS from 2013-2021 was 8,341, with an average of 695 procedures per year. In 2020, the number of hepatectomy surgeries decreased by 12.95% compared to 2019, going from 1,019 procedures in 2019 to only 887 in 2020. Decreases of 23.80%, 36.73%, 34.54%, and 23.59% in hepatectomies were reported in May, August, October, and December of 2020 compared to 2019. Despite the start of vaccinations in 2021, there was still a 6.67% decrease in hepatectomies compared to 2019. The total number of liver cancer diagnoses from 2013-2021 was 15,303, gradually increasing until 2021, when there was a 0.15% decrease in diagnoses when compared to the previous year. In 2020, the number of deaths decreased by 23.07%, from 65 in 2019 to 50 in 2020. However, in 2021, this number increased by 12%, to 56 deaths. Conclusions: The decrease in hepatectomies is apparent and may affect the prognosis of the patients who didn't have access to the health system during the Covid 19 pandemic. However, secondary delays in diagnosis could affect our observation. To deliver safe, affordable, and timely cancer surgery to all, surgery must be at the heart of global and national cancer control planning, and further research is needed to understand the impact of our observation on the outcome of patients.

Effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on radical prostatectomy: A Brazilian retrospective study.

e17101 Background: Prostate cancer is reported as the most common cancer in Brazilian men. Prostatectomy (RP) is fundamental for a better prognosis and outcome. The overload of health systems caused by the coronavirus pandemic has strongly affected surgical care in Brazilian public healthcare (SUS), making the diagnosis of prostate cancer more difficult due to the lack of resources and professionals available. Under these circumstances, we aimed to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on the surgical treatment patterns for prostate cancer performed by SUS during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted using the STROBE checklist and secondary data from the Hospital Information System of DATASUS, a Ministry of Health agency. The study analyzes the absolute numbers of prostatectomies in oncology registered between January 2013 and October 2022, updated by December 15, 2022. Based on the PICo principle: People with prostate cancer in Brazil from 2013 to 2022 (Population); prostatectomy (Interest); Brazilian region (Context), the study compared the number of cancer diagnoses in the same period. Statistical analysis was performed by applying ANOVA one way to assess the number of procedures compared over the years. Results: In Brazil, on SUS, between January 2013 and October 2022, there were 31,716 RPs, with an annual average of 2,883 procedures. The total number of prostate cancer surgeries decreased by 27.20% in 2020, going from 3,499 procedures in 2019 to 2547 in the following year. There was a 43.02%, 38.87%, 35.77%, and 35.03% decrease in July, October, May, and August, respectively, compared to 2019. Despite vaccination in 2021, prostatectomies decreased by 22.32% compared to 2019. From 2013 to 2022, there were 293,308 prostate cancer diagnoses, with a 71% increase from 2017 to 2019, a 25% decrease from 2019 to 2020, and a 5% increase in 2021. The results show that the total of deaths in prostatectomies is 142. In 2019, 10 deaths were reported on SUS, and that number increased to 13 in 2020, 16 in 2021, and 18 in 2022, showing a progressive increase after the pandemic. Conclusions: The decrease in the number of RP is apparent and may impact the prognosis of the patients who were unable to access the health system during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is fundamental to know the amount of damming from those surgeries to propose measures to prevent adverse outcomes. For all to receive safe, cost-effective, and timely cancer surgery, it is crucial that surgical procedures are a central component of both global and national cancer control plans.

Status of Government-Funded Radiotherapy Services in Nigeria.

Access to radiotherapy (RT) is now one of the stark examples of global cancer inequities. More than 800,000 new cancer cases require potentially curative or palliative RT services in Africa, arguably <15% of these patients currently have access to this important service. For a population of more than 206 million, Nigeria requires a minimum of 280 RT machines for the increasing number of cancer cases. Painfully, the country has only eight Government-funded RT machines. This study aimed to evaluate the status of the eight Government-funded RT services in Nigeria and their ability to deliver effective RT to their patients. A survey addressing 10 critical areas was used to assess the eight Government-funded RT services in Nigeria. Unfortunately, six of the eight centers (75%) surveyed have not treated patients with RT because they do not have functioning teletherapy machines in 2021. Only two RT centers have the capability of treating patients using advanced RT techniques. There is no positron emission tomography-computed tomography scan in any of the Government-funded RT centers. The workforce capacity and infrastructure across the eight centers are limited. All of the centers lack residency training programs for medical physicists and radiation therapy technologists resulting in very few well-trained staff. As the Nigerian Government plans for the new National Cancer Control Plan, there is an urgent need to scale up access to RT by upgrading the RT equipment, workforce, and infrastructure to meet the current needs of Nigerian patients with cancer. Although the shortfall is apparent from a variety of RT-capacity databases, this detailed analysis provides essential information for an implementation plan involving solutions from within Nigeria and with global partners.

National Cancer Control Plan of the Korea: Current Status and the Fourth Plan (2021-2025).

Cancer management has become a major policy goal for the government of the Korea. As such, the government introduced the National Cancer Control Plan (NCCP) to reduce the individual and social burdens caused by cancer and to promote national health. During the past 25 years, 3 phases of the NCCP have been completed. During this time, the NCCP has changed significantly in all aspects of cancer control from prevention to survival. The targets for cancer control are increasing, and although some blind spots remain, new demands are emerging. The government initiated the fourth NCCP in March 2021, with the vision of "A Healthy Country with No Concerns about Cancer Anywhere at Any Time," which aims to build and disseminate high-quality cancer data, reduce preventable cancer cases, and reduce gaps in cancer control. Its main strategies include (1) activation of cancer big data, (2) advancement of cancer prevention and screening, (3) improvement in cancer treatment and response, and (4) establishment of a foundation for balanced cancer control. The fourth NCCP has many positive expectations, similar to the last 3 plans; however, cross-domain support and participation are required to achieve positive results in cancer control. Notably, cancer remains the leading cause of death despite decades of management efforts and should continue to be managed carefully from a national perspective.

Application of Rupantaran software to Sri Lankan hospitals: an innovative tool developed to merge population-based cancer registry data into CanReg5.

The purpose of a population-based cancer registry is to provide information on the disease burden for cancer control planning and is essential in studies on assessing the effectiveness of prevention, early detection, screening and cancer care interventions, where implemented. Sri Lanka is one of the Member States of the World Health Organisation's South-East Asia Region and receives technical support for cancer registration from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), and the IARC Regional Hub based at the Tata Memorial Centre in Mumbai, India. For data management of cancer registry records, Sri Lanka National Cancer Registry (SLNCR) uses the open-source registry software tool, CanReg5, as developed by IARC. The SLNCR has received data from 25 centres located across the country. Inputted data from the respective centres was then exported from various CanReg5 systems to the main centre in Colombo. As the import to the central CanReg5 system held in the capital is manual, the records were manually modified to avoid any duplicate entries, and the quality of data was compromised. To overcome this issue, a new software tool, Rupantaran, has been created and developed by IARC Regional Hub, Mumbai to help merge the records from different centres. Rupantaran was tested and implemented successfully at the SLNCR with 47,402 merged records. The Rupantaran software has proven beneficial in maintaining the quality of cancer registry data by avoiding manual errors, thus enabling rapid analysis and dissemination, a limiting factor previously.

Global challenges and initiatives in oncology nursing education

Oncology nursing requires specialized education and clinical training. It is not possible to deliver safe cancer nursing care across the cancer continuum with only a general nursing education and experience. Complex cancer therapies, e.g., immunotherapies, and technologies, e.g., radiotherapy, and advanced surgeries, demand nursing support delivered by knowledgeable and skilled professionals. To achieve this required workforce, necessitates cancer education that begins at pre-licensure, strong onboarding training, competency standards, continuing education and oncology nursing leadership across cancer control activities, e.g., national cancer control planning. Nevertheless, current nursing shortages, the lack of qualified oncology nursing faculty and adequate nursing schools, as well as government accreditation of oncology nursing specialties threaten appropriate cancer nursing care in the future. Given the exponential growth of the public health burden of cancer everywhere, prompt attention to the single largest workforce to support this patient population is urgent. Guidance from international authorities such as the World Health Organization, International Council of Nurses, and oncology nursing associations/societies allows governments to appropriately scale up their oncology nursing workforce to improve survival. We present the challenges in oncology nursing education and successful interventions to address those challenges to provide an overview of the current status of oncology nursing education from around the world.

Abstract 1111: The status of Government-funded radiotherapy centres in Nigeria

Abstract PURPOSE: Access to radiotherapy (RT) is now one of the stark examples of global cancer inequities. Over 800,000 new cancer cases require potentially curative or palliative RT services in Africa, arguably less than 15% of these patients currently have access to this important service. For a population of over 200 million, Nigeria requires a minimum of 280 RT machines for the increasing number of cancer cases. Painfully the country has only 8 government-funded radiotherapy machines. This study aimed to evaluate the status of the eight (8) Government-funded RT centres in Nigeria regarding RT equipment, workforce and infrastructure to quantify their ability to deliver effective RT to their patients. METHODS: A survey addressing ten (10) critical areas was used to assess the eight (8) Government-funded RT centres in Nigeria. RESULTS: Unfortunately, 6 of the 8 centres (75%) surveyed have not treated patients with RT over the last 2 years because they do not have functioning teletherapy machines. Only 2 RT centres have the capability of treating patients using advanced RT techniques. There is no PET-CT scan in any of the Government-funded RTcentres. The workforce capacity and infrastructure across the 8 centres are limited. All of the centres lack residency training programmes for medical physicists and radiation therapy technologists (RTTs) resulting in very few well-trained staff. CONCLUSION: As the Nigeria government plans for the new National Cancer Control Plan, there is an urgent need to scale up access to radiotherapy by upgrading the RT equipment, workforce and infrastructure to meet the current needs of Nigerian cancer patients. While the shortfall is apparent from a variety of radiotherapy-capacity data bases, this detailed analysis provides essential information for an implementation plan involving solutions from within Nigeria and with global partners. Citation Format: Simeon C. Aruah, Runcie C. Chidebe, Tochukwu C. Orjiakor, Fatima Uba, Uchechukwu Shagaya, Charles Ugwanyi, Aisha A. Umar, Taofeeq Ige, Obinna C. Asogwa, Oiza T. Ahmadu, Musa Ali-Gombe, Alabi Adewumi, Vitalis C. Okwor, Mutiu A. Jimoh, Basheer Bello, Lucy O. Eriba, Yusuf A. Ahmed, Awwal Bisalla, Ukamaka Itanyi, Ramatallah A. Balogun, Suleiman Alabi, David Pistenmaa, Coleman C. Norman, Dosanjh Manjit. The status of Government-funded radiotherapy centres in Nigeria [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2023; Part 1 (Regular and Invited Abstracts); 2023 Apr 14-19; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(7_Suppl):Abstract nr 1111.

Why and How Should Ethiopia Establish a Stem Cell Transplant Service? A Review Article.

Ethiopia is attempting to reduce cancer-related morbidity and mortality through a strategic national cancer control plan but according to Globocan 2020, hematologic malignancies particularly leukemia and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma rank among the top five leading causes of new cancer incidence and cause of death among all age groups in both sexes. Hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (HSCT) is an advanced treatment modality that makes the only effective treatment for cancer and non-cancer-related hematologic diseases unresponsive to conventional therapy. Patients who need stem cell transplants must travel to abroad countries to get the treatment. Meanwhile, the Ethiopian National Specialty and Subspecialty Roadmap sets the goal of establishing HSCT centers in 2020-2029 GC, yet leaders and planners must start taking steps to put the setup in place. Setting up an HSCT facility is challenging for developing countries due to the high costs, limited infrastructure, and need for intensive medical staff training; however, several nations have been able to start successful stem cell transplant programs. This review summarizes the basic steps and requirements of the program in light of guidelines recommendations and lessons learned from other developing countries. It also highlights possible cost-effective opportunities, bottlenecks, and areas that will require work and investment to make the objective reality in Ethiopia. Provides key information to assist administrators and policymakers to set priorities in planning and making informed decisions to establish and maintain the service.

Prioritizing rural populations in state comprehensive cancer control plans: a qualitative assessment

PurposeThe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Comprehensive Cancer Control Program (NCCCP) requires that states develop comprehensive cancer control (CCC) plans and recommends that disparities related to rural residence are addressed in these plans. The objective of this study was to explore rural partner engagement and describe effective strategies for incorporating a rural focus in CCC plans.MethodsStates were selected for inclusion using stratified sampling based on state rurality and region. State cancer control leaders were interviewed about facilitators and barriers to engaging rural partners and strategies for prioritizing rural populations. Content analysis was conducted to identify themes across states.ResultsInterviews (n = 30) revealed themes in three domains related to rural inclusion in CCC plans. The first domain (barriers) included (1) designing CCC plans to be broad, (2) defining “rural populations,” and (3) geographic distance. The second domain (successful strategies) included (1) collaborating with rural healthcare systems, (2) recruiting rural constituents, (3) leveraging rural community–academic partnerships, and (4) working jointly with Native nations. The third domain (strategies for future plan development) included (1) building relationships with rural communities, (2) engaging rural constituents in planning, (3) developing a better understanding of rural needs, and (4) considering resources for addressing rural disparities.ConclusionSignificant relationship building with rural communities, resource provision, and successful strategies used by others may improve inclusion of rural needs in state comprehensive cancer control plans and ultimately help plan developers directly address rural cancer health disparities.

Perceptions of preparedness, timing of cancer diagnosis, and objective emergency preparedness among gynecological cancer patients in Puerto Rico before and after Hurricane Maria

ObjectivesThis study investigated the impact of cancer diagnosis status, individual feelings of preparedness, and other covariates on objective emergency preparedness among women diagnosed with gynecological cancers before or after the 2017 Hurricanes Irma and Maria in Puerto Rico. MethodsThis study included 240 women who were interviewed by telephone from 9/2019–11/2020. Objective emergency preparedness was assessed using a list of six items. Subjective emergency preparedness was assessed by asking the women how prepared they felt (well, somewhat, or not at all) to face an emergency. Crude and multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted to assess the associations (odds ratios [ORs] and 95% confidence intervals [CIs]) between variables of interest and objective preparedness. ResultsBefore and after the hurricanes, 60% and 66% of women, respectively, were objectively prepared. Before the hurricanes, women reporting feeling well-prepared (vs. not prepared) (OR=9.31, 95%CI:3.96–21.91) and those who were diagnosed before (vs. after) the hurricanes (OR=1.71, 95%CI:0.95–3.09) were more likely to be objectively prepared. After the hurricanes, self-perceived well-preparedness (OR=2.46, 95% CI: 1.10–5.51) was positively associated with emergency preparedness when compared to feeling unprepared. ConclusionsPerceptions of emergency preparedness and having a cancer diagnosis increased the likelihood of being objectively prepared for an emergency. Policy summaryThis study demonstrates the need for state, territorial, and federal governments to include emergency preparedness plans for cancer patients in the Comprehensive Cancer Control plans. The study also indicates a need for cancer specific emergency preparedness information to be readily available for patients.

Population-Based Detection of Cancer Cases Using Digital Platforms in Mangalagiri Mandal of Guntur District, Andhra Pradesh.

Background and objectives Cancer is one of the major causes of illness and mortality in India. The cancer burden in India will roughly triple over the next 20 years. Population-based cancer registries (PBCRs) are crucial not only for formulating cancer control policies and assessing their effectiveness but also offer essential inputs for programs aimed at preventing cancer. The state of Andhra Pradesh after the division in 2014 has been left with no PBCR. Hence, with the aim to pilot the development of a population-based cohort of cancer cases with digital reporting and monitoring mechanisms, this study was carried out with the objective of finding the prevalence and incidence of various types of cancer in Mangalagiri Mandal, Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh. Materials and methods A cross-sectional survey during the period January 2021 to June 2022was conducted to actively search for cancer cases among 160303 people residing in 42639 households in the Mangalagiri Mandal, Guntur district, State of Andhra Pradesh, India. The respondents were asked if anyone in the household had cancer and the location was mapped, the information was recorded by the Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) workers in the pre-tested questionnaire. The total number of cancer cases identified was 107. Results Mangalagiri Mandal had 24 cases of cancer among men and 83 cases of cancer among women as recorded during the study period. Most of the male (37.5%) and female (31.3%) cancer cases were in Stage 2 of cancer and the majority of them (91.6%, 94%) had completed their treatment and were on regular follow-up. The most common cancer among both sexes was breast cancer (5.45 per million population). Oral cancer was the most prevalent in men (0.747 per million of the population) whereas, breast cancer (4.253 per million population) was the most prevalent among females. A total of 47.1% of the males had cancer at sites that were related to tobacco usage. Conclusion The data on cancer incidence and prevalence along with the socio-demographic profile is essential to know the burden of cancer.This baseline data can be used in planning cancer control activities and knowing the future trend of cancer in the Mangalagiri Mandal, in the new state of Andhra Pradesh.

Far-reaching impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on global cancer research

Clinical research is crucial for national cancer control plans. Prior to the Russian invasion on 24th Feb 2022 both Russia and Ukraine were significant contributors to global clinical trials and cancer research. In this short analysis we describe this and the impact that the conflict has had with wider consideration for the global cancer research ecosystems

Cancer survivorship experiences in Utah: an evaluation assessing indicators of survivors' quality of life, health behaviors, and access to health services.

The 2016-2020 Utah Comprehensive Cancer Prevention and Control Plan prioritized strategies to address cancer survivorship experiences. In this paper we present estimates for nine indicators evaluating these priorities, trends over time, and assess disparities in survivorship experiences across demographic subgroups. We surveyed a representative sample of Utah cancer survivors diagnosed between 2012 and 2019 with any reportable cancer diagnosis. We calculated weighted percentages and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for each indicator. We assessed change over time using a test for trend across survey years in a logistic regression model and used Rao-Scott F-adjusted chi-square tests to test the association between demographic characteristics and each survivorship indicator. Most of the 1,793 respondents (93.5%) reported their pain was under control, 85.7% rated their overall health as good, very good, or excellent, but 46.5% experienced physical, mental, or emotional limitations. Only 1.7% of survivors aged 75 or older were current smokers, compared to 5.8% of 65-74-year-olds and 7.9% of survivors aged 55-74 (p < 0.006). No regular physical activity was reported by 20.6% and varied by survivor age and education level. The proportion who received a survivorship care plan increased from 34.6% in 2018 to 43.0% in 2021 (p = 0.025). However, survivors under age 55 were significantly less likely to receive a care plan than older survivors. This representative survey of cancer survivors fills a gap in understanding of the cancer survivorship experience in Utah. Results can be used to evaluate and plan additional interventions to improve survivorship quality of life.

An analysis of survivorship care strategies in national cancer control plans in Africa.

In 2017, the World Health Organization urged member states to develop and implement national cancer control plans (NCCPs) and to anticipate and promote cancer survivor follow-up care, which is a critical yet often overlooked component of NCCPs. This study aims to examine the inclusion of cancer survivorship-related strategies and objectives in NCCPs of African countries. Independent reviewers extracted strategies, objectives, and associated indicators related to survivorship care from 21 current or recently expired NCCPs in African countries. Building on a similar analysis of the US state cancer control plans, reviewers categorized these strategies according to an adapted version of the ten recommendations for comprehensive survivorship care detailed in the 2006 National Academy of Medicine report. A total of 202 survivorship-related strategies were identified, with all NCCPs including between 1 and 23 references to survivorship. Eighty-three (41%) strategies were linked to measurable indicators, and 128 (63%) of the survivorship-related strategies were explicitly focused on palliative care. The most frequent domains referenced were models of coordinated care (65 strategies), healthcare professional capacity (45), and developing and utilizing evidence-based guidelines (23). The least-referenced domains were survivorship care plans (4) and adequate and affordable health insurance (0). The results of this study indicate that survivorship objectives and strategies should extend beyond palliative care to encompass all aspects of survivorship and should include indicators to measure progress. Stakeholders can use this baseline analysis to identify and address gaps in survivorship care at the national policy level.

Proposal of National Cancer Control Plan, Yemen "NCCP" 2023-2027

Proposal of National Cancer Control Plan, Yemen "NCCP" 2023-2027

A Comprehensive SSA Report Current Status of Cancer Control in Belize

Background: Belizeans have been severely affected by cancer, noted by the rising mortality rates. Health disparities, health inequities and issues with systemic health access are some of the pre-existing problems. One of the significant issues in small countries is often the downplay of cancer control and the lack of a cancer continuum of care through a national cancer control plan. It has been estimated that over 80% of countries have developed national cancer control plans. However, the central issue that presented a significant barrier was the successful launch of implementing the plan. There is a great need to assess and evaluate those implementation barriers to overcome this impediment. Objective: 1. To determine what critical government plans and policies are in place to gear towards the country’s specific barriers to reducing cancer incidence. An assessment of the latter was conducted. 2. To determine whether the multisectoral approach was present within Belize’s governance structure for cancer control. Methodology: With the use of 2 approaches that were complementary to each other. 1st Approach: Questionnaire-grid: ‘snap-shot’ of the government responses to cancer in Belize. 2nd Approach: EOH’S APPROACH TO STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT Detailed Case Study: Policy response to cancer explored via in-depth, semi-structured interviews EOH’S approach includes: 1. An inclusive approach 2. Materiality 3. Responding Interviews were conducted with key informants from a range of backgrounds: 1. Representatives of the private sectors 2. Specialists 3. Public sectors 3rd Approach: Archival Research to identify prior and current policy documents throughout the years within the MOHW. Together these approaches were cross-linked to enable a detailed analysis of formulated policy and mechanism of assessment of what type of cancer control/surveillance is being used in the delivery of health care for cancer in Belize. In addition, to evaluate if all policies were implemented and successfully launched. This will help to avoid redundancies in cancer control planning and to accelerate the process of launching respective cancer control mechanisms in Belize. Results: This article finds that twenty different types of plans and policies were found in efforts to contribute toward NCD control. Nevertheless, very few policies directly target cancer mortality and morbidity in Belize. There seem to have been issued in implementing these policies(failure to launch successfully) and some procedures that were not explicitly addressing the root issues of the prevalence of cancer. No cancer surveillance system was activated to measure the progress of all Belizeans with cancer. Thus, this is because no national cancer registry was functionally started to capture the various modalities, variables and risk factors of cancer. Conclusion: This stakeholder and situational analysis highlight the disparities in Belize’s healthcare system that disproportionately impacts Belizeans once diagnosed with cancer. This article elucidates the perspective of Belize’s national response to cancer. It highlights the deficiencies or barriers that inhibit successful cancer mitigation—recognizing a great need for cancer control mitigation in Belize through NCCP that provides a continuum of care. To address the country-specific cancer burden, reliable, evidence-based data is needed. Cancer surveillance is the most efficient way of achieving optimum cancer management in the delivery of the cancer healthcare system in Belize

How COVID-19 exposed pre-existing roadblocks for cancer control in Africa: strategies, lessons and recommendations from the 2019-2020 Africa Cancer Research and Control ECHO.

The COVID-19 related mitigation measures adversely affected various cancer control activities in Africa, with cancer prevention and screening activities amongst the most significantly impacted. When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, the Africa Cancer Research and Control ECHO utilised their virtual platform to share experiences and knowledge of how to continue cancer service delivery during the pandemic. This analysis describes the evolved strategies, dilemmas, and recommendations to strengthen the health systems for cancer control in Africa. Eleven 1-hour-long sessions about the then newly emerging coronavirus infection and its impact on cancer control in Africa were held from April 2020 to August 2020, using Zoom®. An average of 39 participants attended the sessions including scientists, clinicians, policymakers and global partners. Sessions were analysed thematically. Most strategies to maintain cancer services during the COVID-19 pandemic centred around cancer treatment, with few strategies on maintaining cancer prevention services, early detection, palliative care and research services. The most mentioned challenge during the pandemic was fear of exposure to COVID-19 infection at the health facility during diagnosis, treatment or follow-up for cancer care. Other challenges were disruptions to service delivery, inaccessibility of cancer treatment, disruption of research activities and a lack of psychosocial support for COVID-19 related fear/anxiety. Significantly, this analysis shows that the COVID-19 related mitigation measures exacerbated existing predicaments in Africa, such as inadequate attention to cancer prevention strategies, psychosocial and palliative services and cancer research. The Africa Cancer ECHO recommends African countries to leverage the infrastructure developed in response to COVID-19 pandemic to strengthen the health system along the entire cancer control continuum. This calls for urgent action to develop and implement evidence-based frameworks and comprehensive National Cancer Control Plans that will withstand any future disruptions.

Global Psycho-Oncology in Low-Middle Income Countries:Challenges and Opportunities.

This Special Issue of Psycho-Oncology is focused on challenges and opportunities in the provision of psychosocial care to patients in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC's). The aim is to highlight global disparities and inequity in the provision of evidence-based, culturally-sensitive and timely psychosocial care and to showcase the work of researchers and practitioners to address this gap. We hope that this Issue will help to advance the psychological and social dimensions of cancer care in all parts of the world. The focus of the papers is on research and clinical innovations in LMIC's that target the psychological, social and cultural dimensions of cancer and on interventions to improve or maintain the psychological well-being, social functioning and/or quality of life of those who are affected and of their families. These papers draw attention to guidelines, resource needs, clinical service evaluation, emerging research, and knowledge translation within LMIC's that advance knowledge and implementation in the field of psycho-oncology. Innovations and advances in psycho-oncology are emerging from LMIC's to enhance the care of patients with cancer and their families in these regions and in all parts of the world. A sustained global initiative is now needed to ensure that guidelines for such care are routinely included in global, national and local cancer control plans and that essential resources and attention are directed to implement them. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Human papillomavirus vaccination in view of the National Cancer Control Plan 2020-2029 in Morocco.

In Morocco, cervical cancer represents a major public health problem. It ranks second, after breast cancer in Moroccan women, in terms of incidence and mortality. Each year, more than 3,300 new cases and nearly 2,500 deaths are recorded. A Moroccan national program to fight against cervical cancer (CC) based on the practice of visual inspection after application of acetic acid was set up in 2010, allowing screening and possibly of immediate treatment of premalignant lesions of the cervix. In September 2022, a partnership circular between the Ministry of Health and Social Protection (MSPS) and the Ministry of National Education, Preschool and Sports was launched. it announces that the MSPS will integrate the HPV vaccine using the quadrivalent vaccine into the Moroccan National Immune Program (PNI), the vaccination will be aimed to 11-year-old girls, mainly those in school, who will receive two doses separated by at least a period of 6 months.

Epidemiological aspects in cancer registration systems in Russia and around the world

As predicted by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, in 2025 the incidence of cancer in the world will exceed 21 million cases, with almost 300 thousand cases being childhood cancer. To effectively prevent an increase in cancer incidence and mortality and to be able to give an adequate assessment of the epidemiological situation, the healthcare authorities need reliable data on cancer burden in a certain territory. Therefore, population-based cancer registries are a crucial element for cancer control planning and the assessment of the impact of cancer control activities in any country of the world. This article overviews epidemiological aspects in cancer registration systems in Russia and around the world. The methods of cancer registration in children applied in developed countries can be used to improve childhood cancer registration in Russia.