Advancing Breast Cancer Advocacy in Eastern Europe and Central Asia: Findings From Women's Empowerment Cancer Advocacy Network (WE CAN) Summits.

Purpose: Breast cancer civil society organizations have emerged in Eastern Europe and Central Asia to raise awareness about cancer as a survivable disease and provide patient support. We explored the experiences and priorities of these organizations with the goal of making recommendations to advance cancer advocacy and improve cancer care.

Methods: We conducted in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with representatives of civil society organizations attending the 7th Women's Empowerment Cancer Advocacy Network Summit in Romania in 2015.

Promoting evidence-based practices for breast cancer care through web-based collaborative learning.

The Knowledge Summaries for Comprehensive Breast Cancer Control (KSBCs) are a series of 14 publications aligned with World Health Organization guidance on evidence-based breast cancer control and accepted frameworks for action. To study utilization of the KSBCs in the development of locally relevant breast cancer control policies and programs in limited resource settings, the National Cancer Institute Center for Global Health, the University of Washington and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center developed the Project ECHO® for KSBCs (KSBC ECHO). Project ECHO is an online model which employs case-based learning, while promoting multi-directional learning and network-building.

Breast cancer patient advocacy: A qualitative study of the challenges and opportunities for civil society organizations in low-income and middle-income countries.

Background: Breast cancer advocacy movements, driven by advocate-led civil society organizations (CSOs), have proven to be a powerful force for the advancement of cancer control in high-income countries (HICs). However, although patient advocacy movements are growing in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) in response to an increasing cancer burden, the experiences and needs of advocate-led breast cancer CSOs in LMICs is understudied.

Methods: The authors conducted a qualitative study using in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with 98 participants representing 23 LMICs in Eastern Europe, Central Asia, East and Southern Africa, and Latin America.

Patient Advocacy Approaches to Improving Care for Breast and Cervical Cancer in East and Southern Africa.

Purpose: Breast and cervical cancer are the most common cancers among women in East and Southern Africa, where mortality remains high because of late diagnosis and limited access to treatment. We explored local approaches to breast and cervical cancer advocacy to identify the most pressing issues and opportunities for increasing the impact of civil society activities in the region.

Methods: Focus group discussions were conducted with participants of the 2016 Women's Empowerment Cancer Advocacy Network (WE CAN) Summit in Nairobi, Kenya.

Breast Cancer knowledge, perceptions and practices in a rural Community in Coastal Kenya.

Background: Data on breast healthcare knowledge, perceptions and practice among women in rural Kenya is limited. Furthermore, the role of the male head of household in influencing a woman's breast health seeking behavior is also not known. The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge, perceptions and practice of breast cancer among women, male heads of households, opinion leaders and healthcare providers within a rural community in Kenya.