Cancer Research In Africa Research Articles

Development and Evaluation of Project Management Training for Cancer Research in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Globally, there were 19.3 million new cancer cases and 10 million cancer deaths, with the African continent contributing approximately 1.1 million new cases and over 700,000 deaths to the global cancer burden in 2020. High quality research is required to understand the etiology and risk factors for common cancers in the region to develop context specific strategies aimed at minimizing the future cancer burden in Africa. Our study addresses a significant gap in the knowledge and resources available for training a project management (PM) workforce for cancer research in Africa. We developed and evaluated a training program to strengthen the research capacity of project managers involved in cancer research in Africa. This workshop was held in collaboration with the Men of African Descent and Carcinoma of the Prostate (MADCaP) Consortium. The PM working group of the MADCaP Consortium had previously developed a project manager toolkit to provide a structured approach to PM for cancer research in Africa. We implemented and evaluated this training toolkit in a hybrid workshop in Nigeria. Among 29 participants from 10 African institutions, PM skills improved after training by 16.6% compared with pretraining levels. In a 1-year follow-up survey, training skills remained better (80.8%) than before the training (70.8%). The training program successfully upskilled the trainees with a significant improvement in knowledge of PM practices including planning, execution, monitoring, and evaluation of projects. The majority (80%) reported an excellent training experience. PM skills training can be successfully implemented in Africa with long-term retention of knowledge geared toward developing a workforce critical for the implementation of cancer research in the region.

Pediatric cancer research trends and performance in Africa: A bibliometric analysis from 1991 to 2022

BackgroundChildhood cancer rates in Africa are lower than in high-income countries but increasing, making pediatric cancers a significant public health concern. The purpose of this study was to provide an overview of the publication of pediatric cancer research in Africa, including publication types and citation trends over time. MethodsThe Science Citation Index Expanded database within the Web of Science Core Collection was searched for articles published from 1991 to 2022 in the topic domain, using title, abstract, author keywords, and KeyWords Plus. Indicators used to assess publications performance of the countries included: total number of publications, single-country publications, collaborative publications with African countries, collaborative publications with non-African countries, first-author publications, corresponding-author publications, and single-author publications. ResultsA total of 4461 relevant documents were retrieved, with 2770 original research articles. Annual number of articles rose from 13 articles in 1991 to 287 in 2022. Most articles were produced by Egypt (28 %) in North Africa, followed by South Africa (20 %) in sub-Saharan Africa. Collaboration between African countries remains low; however, international collaborations have enhanced the average number of citations per article. Most of the first authors (65 %) and corresponding authors (67 %) of these international collaborative articles were affiliated with non-African institutions. ConclusionsThe number of publications sharply increased over the study period and diversely represents African countries. Collaborations with international partners increased citations; however, few of these publications had African first authors. Conversely, inter-institutional partnerships between African countries were relatively low, highlighting the need for better collaboration within Africa.

Abstract A135: Addressing cancer health disparities through global oncology initiatives at a comprehensive cancer center

Abstract Background: The Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center (MCCCC) is uniquely positioned to address cancer health disparities globally through the Community Outreach & Engagement (COE) Office and Program’s resources and partnerships in the areas of cancer research, education, and training. The goal of the COE Global Oncology Initiatives (GOI) is to lessen the cancer burden on patients globally by building global capacity through research, education, and training in MCCC impact regions. While MCCCC continues to build institutional relationships worldwide through the GOI, it has specifically increased research collaborations in Africa over the past 5 years. The purpose of this study is to synthesize and report the global oncology reach through scholarly output of collaborative efforts in ongoing research activities with partnering African countries. By analyzing and documenting research outputs within this area, we aim to better understand research priorities and needs, increase inclusivity of African populations, and improve potential avenues for impactful studies in global alliance networks. Methods: Publications were found by using key search terms and by using the map feature on Mayo Clinic’s Elsevier-hosted publication database to locate partner institutions throughout Africa. Only publications in the past 5 years, which included an African researcher as an author, and are relevant to cancer research were included. Duplicate publications were removed from the final dataset. Results: There are 86 unique MCCCC members collaborating with 11 different African countries (Algeria, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, and Zimbabwe). A total of 50 unique publications have been published, with an African country being represented 72 times. The majority of MCCCC global oncology work is with researchers in Sub-Saharan nations (n=43). Egypt, however, has the largest single country representation (n=22), followed by South Africa (n=14) and Nigeria (n=13). 164 unique African researchers across 133 different institutions have worked with MCCCC members. Prostate and liver cancer were the most represented cancers at 6 instances, respectively. Discussion: Overall, 86 MCCCC members are involved in global research that address cancer health disparities through equal partnership with African researchers, which has resulted in multiple research output. Some of the publications were led by global consortia or cohort studies. These collaborations have been mutually beneficial for MCCCC members and African investigators, elevating cancer research in Africa. This includes increased research scholarship, extramural funding for cancer research in Africa, opening of more clinical trials across the continent, and increase in cancer biomedical workforce. Global research, especially one that is inclusive of the African populations, will foster the understanding of the genetic architecture of cancer, and help shape cancer care and control for Africans and people of African ancestry. Citation Format: Parisa Fathi, Manisha Salinas, Monica Albertie, Folakemi Odedina. Addressing cancer health disparities through global oncology initiatives at a comprehensive cancer center [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 16th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2023 Sep 29-Oct 2;Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2023;32(12 Suppl):Abstract nr A135.

Grammars of Progress and Pathology: A Recursive History of Africa, Cancer, and "Diseases of Civilization".

The phrase "disease of civilization" and concomitant lexicons, such as "pathologies of modernization," frequently surface across public and global health discourses. This is particularly the case within the framework of cancer research in Africa. In this article, the authors trace the emergence of these grammars of progress at the beginning of the twentieth century as a biomedical lens through which to analyze and frame cancer in Africa. Arguing with Ann Stoler for a recursive understanding of colonial and postcolonial history, the authors follow in detail the lexical shifts and recursions across the twentieth century, as these grammars move from diseases of civilization to development and modernization. In tracing these lexical shifts, they place them within the broader understandings of Africa and the African body as an other against which Euro-America frames itself.

Mapping evidence on ovarian, endometrial, vaginal, and vulva cancer research in Africa: a scoping review protocol

BackgroundGlobally, cancer is generally recognized as a developmental threat yet most countries in Africa lack capacity to diagnose cancer especially gynecological cancers resulting in late detection and poor outcomes. However, most studies on gynecological cancers in Africa tend to focus on cervical cancer compared to the other gynecological cancers. Therefore, this scoping review will aim to describe the existing literature on the epidemiological burden of ovarian, endometrial, vaginal, and vulva cancers, their risk factors, and potential screening methods/techniques in Africa to identify priority research gaps for further research to inform health policy decisions.MethodsThe framework promulgated by Arksey and O’Malley and improved by Levac et al. will be used as a guide for this scoping review. A comprehensive search for relevant published studies in PubMed, CINAHL, SCOPUS, Google Scholar, and ScienceDirect with no date limitation to the last search date. The database search strategy will include keywords, Boolean operators, and medical subject heading terms. We will additionally consult the WHO/IARC website, IHME/Global Burden of Disease Study. A snowball approach will also be used to search the reference list of all included studies to obtain relevant papers for possible inclusion in this review. We will include articles that involve African countries, focused on ovarian, endometrial, vaginal, and vulva cancers, their risk factors, and potential screening methods/techniques in any language. We will exclude studies on cervical cancer and other cancers as well as review articles. The abstracts and full-text selection will be conducted by two independent reviewers using this review’s eligibility criteria as a guide. All the review selection tools, and the data extraction form will be pilot tested for accuracy and consistency. The data will be organized into thematic areas, summarized and the results communicated narratively.DiscussionIt is anticipated that this review will reveal important literature gaps to guide future research to inform health policy decisions about ovarian, endometrial, and rare gynecological neoplasms in Africa. This review’s findings will be disseminated via peer review journals, conferences, and other social media such Twitter and LinkedIn.

Evaluation of predictors for behavioral intentions to adhere to cervical cancer treatment among aged 25-49 years in Botswana.

There is evidence of ongoing research and investment in Africa to improve vaccination, screening, and treatment for cervical cancer (Finocchario-Kessler , Wexler , Maloba , Mabachi , Ndikum-Moffor , Bukusi; 2016). However, the majority (54.6 %) of cervical cancer research in Africa focused on secondary prevention (i.e., screening). This is followed by studies focusing on primary prevention (23.4 %) of cervical cancer, particularly HPV vaccination. Finocchario-Kessler, etc (2016) records that research focusing on tertiary prevention, which is the treatment of cervical cancer, is at the lowest (17.6 %). It is vital that research focusing on tertiary prevention for women diagnosed with abnormal cervical tissue is given equal attention as a matter of urgency for the overall survival (OS) for women with locally advanced cervical cancer. Studies on adherence to treatment regimen and schedule for cervical cancer will inform the innovation and improvement efforts towards treatment adherence and follow-up of women diagnosed with abnormal cervical tissue.

Cancer control in Africa: is cancer research a luxury or necessity?

Decision makers dealing with resource allocation in Africa have the impression that cancer research is a luxury. As a result of this, very few or no resources are allocated for cancer research in Africa. Since in healthcare, clinical and epidemiological research provides an evidence base for formulation of health policies and facilitates decision making by policy makers, the lack of evidence base makes decision making intuitive. A situation like this is not cost-effective and is unacceptable. It is, therefore, important that for Africa to make effective decisions to improve the health of its population, cancer research informing policy and decision makers is a necessity and not a luxury.

Advancing Cancer Research in Africa Through Early-Career Awards: The BIG Cat Initiative.

PURPOSEThe burden of cancer in Africa is growing rapidly, and increased cancer research on the continent is a critical component of an effective response. In 2010, the US National Cancer Institute, in partnership with the African Organization for Research and Training in Cancer, launched the Beginning Investigator Grant for Catalytic Research (BIG Cat) initiative to support cancer research projects conducted by early-career African investigators.METHODSTo date, BIG Cat has provided 18 awards of up to $50,000 to support 2-year cancer research projects. In 2017, the National Cancer Institute evaluated BIG Cat’s early outcomes for cancer research and impacts on career development and local cancer research capacity. Data collection consisted of a review of project documentation and a survey fielded to the 12 investigators who had completed their BIG Cat awards.RESULTSBIG Cat–supported research projects have generated locally relevant findings that address a range of cancer sites and multiple areas of scientific interest. The 11 survey respondents produced 43 scholarly products (e.g., publications, presentations) about findings from their BIG Cat research. They reported increases in cancer research funding applications and awards after receipt of the BIG Cat award compared with before the award. They also reported increased resources for cancer research, participation in teaching and mentoring on cancer research, and supervision of cancer research staff. Investigators identified scientific mentoring as a key facilitator of the success of their BIG Cat projects and limited time and funding as key challenges.CONCLUSIONFindings provide early evidence that BIG Cat advanced locally relevant cancer research and facilitated career advancement and development of local cancer research capacity. Findings have implications for the design of future related efforts.

Cancer Registries and Cancer Genomics Research in East Africa: Challenges and Lessons Learned

Policy makers and governments often pay little attention to support cancer registries and cancer research in Africa and mainly in East Africa. This paper demonstrates that an updated cancer registry data could be one of the main factors to control and treat cancer cases. The approach of the paper is situated in the broader studies of cancer registry and epidemiology and its effects on cancer control and treatment. The paper also shows why the findings of this study are significant. The paper makes recommendations that will hopefully help policy makers in understanding the problems and obstacles facing cancer registries and cancer genomics research in East Africa. The current study conducted a field research survey to assess the cancer registries, cancer epidemiology and cancer genomics research capabilities in five East African countries including Ethiopia, Eritrea, Sudan, Uganda and Kenya. Uganda and Kenya were included as cancer registry controls in order to compare the best practices and lessons learnt from the existing cancer registries. This will facilitate the formulation of appropriate policies and recommendations for improved cancer care and prevention in this region. The current study provided the baseline information for conducting cancer genome analyses in the near future in this region. The study also addressed the challenges facing these countries to have up-to-date cancer registries. The study adopted questionnaire and interviewing approach to conduct the field research survey. The questionnaire assessed the cancer registries, cancer epidemiology and cancer genomics research capabilities in these countries.

Cervical cancer prevention and treatment research in Africa: a systematic review from a public health perspective.

BackgroundWomen living in Africa experience the highest burden of cervical cancer. Research and investment to improve vaccination, screening, and treatment efforts are critically needed. We systematically reviewed and characterized recent research within a broader public health framework to organize and assess the range of cervical cancer research in Africa.MethodsWe searched online databases and the Internet for published articles and cervical cancer reports in African countries. Inclusion criteria included publication between 2004 and 2014, cervical cancer-related content pertinent to one of the four public health categories (primary, secondary, tertiary prevention or quality of life), and conducted in or specifically relevant to countries or regions within the African continent. The study design, geographic region/country, focus of research, and key findings were documented for each eligible article and summarized to illustrate the weight and research coverage in each area. Publications with more than one focus (e.g. secondary and tertiary prevention) were categorized by the primary emphasis of the paper. Research specific to HIV-infected women or focused on feasibility issues was delineated within each of the four public health categories.ResultsA total of 380 research articles/reports were included. The majority (54.6 %) of cervical cancer research in Africa focused on secondary prevention (i.e., screening). The number of publication focusing on primary prevention (23.4 %), particularly HPV vaccination, increased significantly in the past decade. Research regarding the treatment of precancerous lesions and invasive cervical cancer is emerging (17.6 %), but infrastructure and feasibility challenges in many countries have impeded efforts to provide and evaluate treatment. Studies assessing aspects of quality of life among women living with cervical cancer are severely limited (4.1 %). Across all categories, 11.3 % of publications focused on cervical cancer among HIV-infected women, while 17.1 % focused on aspects of feasibility for cervical cancer control efforts.ConclusionsCervical cancer research in African countries has increased steadily over the past decade, but more is needed. Tertiary prevention (i.e. treatment of disease with effective medicine) and quality of life of cervical cancer survivors are two severely under-researched areas. Similarly, there are several countries in Africa with little to no research ever conducted on cervical cancer.

Pathology and oncology in Africa: education and training for the future in cancer research– East African Regional Meeting

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), deaths from non-communicable diseases (NCDs) will increase globally, with the largest increase being on the African continent. On our continent, projections have indicated that deaths from NCDs will exceed all combined communicable, maternal, perinatal and nutritional diseases as the most common causes of death by 2030. Hence, the importance of a functional and improved pathology system in the diagnosis of cancer cannot be debated.Recently, the African Organization for Research and Training in Cancer (AORTIC) organised its East African regional meeting in Mwanza, Tanzania on 25–26 June 2015, with the focus being ‘Pathology and oncology: Education and training for the future in cancer research’. The main themes of the workshop were around improving cancer care and the role of twinning in Eastern Africa, in particular the Mwanza cancer project, telepathology, e-health and biobanking. The outcomes of a 2 day strategic meeting were developing an efficient and effective plan to guide the improvement in pathology training and cancer research in Africa.

Building capacity for sustainable research programmes for cancer in Africa.

Cancer research in Africa will have a pivotal role in cancer control planning in this continent. However, environments (such as those in academic or clinical settings) with limited research infrastructure (laboratories, biorespositories, databases) coupled with inadequate funding and other resources have hampered African scientists from carrying out rigorous research. In September 2012, over 100 scientists with expertise in cancer research in Africa met in London to discuss the challenges in performing high-quality research, and to formulate the next steps for building sustainable, comprehensive and multi-disciplinary programmes relevant to Africa. This was the first meeting among five major organizations: the African Organisation for Research and Training in Africa (AORTIC), the Africa Oxford Cancer Foundation (AfrOx), and the National Cancer Institutes (NCI) of Brazil, France and the USA. This article summarizes the discussions and recommendations of this meeting, including the next steps required to create sustainable and impactful research programmes that will enable evidenced-based cancer control approaches and planning at the local, regional and national levels.

135IN - Cancer Research in Africa

ABSTRACT Cancer remains a public health challenge worldwide, and its fast rising nature in Africa is occasioned by the changing demographic and environmental characteristics. The epidemic is further propelled by HIV/AIDS, poverty and ignorance within the continent. At the moment, cancer is currently responsible for more than 7 million deaths per year. By 2030, it is projected that cancer alone will account for about 1.27 million new cases and about a million deaths per annum. Disease prioritization is often a product of cutting edge research, and it is also a driver for follow-up implementations. The differential opportunity for sound translational research between developed countries and Africa is one of the key causal factors responsible for disease outcome between the two settings. At moment, the quality of cancer research is yet to offer the much-needed platform to generate a momentum for cancer prioritization in Africa. Cancer research from Africa is mostly donor funded, lacks depth of contextual framework - sociocultural, minimal multi-national outlook, lean basic science component, and low translational potential. Other challenges include poor research friendly environment (laboratory, incentives and recognition); lack of mentoring programs, public funding comparable to NIH is non-existence, lack of robust cancer registry with necessary resources, and poor political support. The African Organisation for Research and Training in Cancer (AORTIC) has the vision of transforming the orientation of cancer researchers within the continent through provision of research capacity building opportunities, generation of a critical mass of cancer researchers that will form the core of the network, leading advocacy for local funding of cancer research in Africa, and promotion of center of excellence in cancer research at national and sub-regional level. It is imperative that cancer research in Africa charts a course that is visionary, pragmatic, multidisciplinary and sustainable as well as avoiding a “one perch approach”. A holistic approach to cancer research that will use both inductive and deductive reasoning philosophy is hereby advocated. Disclosure The author has declared no conflicts of interest.

147 Developing AIDS Associated Cancer Research in Africa

147 Developing AIDS Associated Cancer Research in Africa

106 Cancer Research in Africa

106 Cancer Research in Africa

Building infrastructure for cancer research in Africa

Cancer incidence in Africa is increasing as a result of aging populations, lifestyle changes, and improved detection. However, cancer etiology, prevention, and control in Africa are poorly understood, and survival rates from cancer are among the lowest in the world. Poor cancer survival suggests that improvements in health care, patient education, and relevant research are critically needed. An increase in research infrastructure is required to achieve adequate screening, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer in Africa. While research is a basis for clinical practice and policy changes in resource-abundant areas, the research infrastructure in Africa is deficient in many areas. Building infrastructure for research includes creating supportive environments for research endeavors, securing funding for resources and research personnel, developing training and mentorship opportunities, and building collaborative research with other institutions. Goals for the development of cancer research in Africa may include research on cancer incidence and mortality, cancer etiology and risk factors, clinical research with a focus on early diagnosis/ treatment and palliative care, health economics, and community-based participatory research. An understanding of the environmental and cultural framework by which cancer is diagnosed and managed is critical for developing interventions that will be effective in African populations.