Why Am I Ill? Beliefs in Supernatural and Natural Causes of Ill Health at the Time of Diagnostic Workup of Patients With Esophageal Cancer in Tanzania.

Purpose: An understanding of the cultural and context-specific perceptions of the causes of cancer is an important prerequisite for designing effective primary health prevention and early detection strategies. We aimed to use the Murdock Ill Health Theoretical Model to conceptualize views on illness causation among dysphagia-suffering patients undergoing diagnostic workup for esophageal cancer (EC) in Tanzania.

Methods: At the end of a structured interview on lifestyle habits, patients with suspected EC were asked about beliefs on the reasons behind their illness through (1) a set of questions with fixed binary answers, whose determinants were analyzed using logistic regression, and (2) a single question with free-text answers.

Willingness of advanced cancer patients to receive palliative care and its determinants: A cross-sectional study in Northern Tanzania.

Background: The purpose of this study was to assess willingness of advanced cancer patients to receive palliative care and its determinants at Cancer Care Centre in Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre Northern Tanzania.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess willingness of advanced cancer patients to receive palliative care and its determinants at Cancer Care Centre in Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre Northern Tanzania.

Methods: This was an institution-based cross-sectional study and the target population was all advanced cancer patients attending care at Cancer care Centre in Northern Tanzania.

Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Psychometric Properties of the Swahili Version of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) QLQ-BR45 among Breast Cancer Patients in Tanzania.

Breast cancer is the most frequent cancer in women in Africa and contributes to premature death and poor quality of life. This study aimed to determine the validity, reliability, and psychometric properties of the Swahili version of EORTC QLQ-BR45 among women with breast cancer in Tanzania. A cross-sectional study design with non-probability convenience sampling was employed.

A case report of atypical presentation of a solitary brain metastasis from a primary lung cancer in a low resource setting.

Introduction And Importance: Brain metastasis is the most common associated consequence of primary lung cancers, and it has a major detrimental influence on patients' survival and quality of life. Modern imaging modalities such as brain MRIs and PET scans are preferred for assessing these lesions. Complete surgical resections have been shown to enhance survival.

"Caring for Breast Cancer Patients Is a Work That Brings Sorrow": A Qualitative Interview Study with Nurses in Tanzania.

Introduction: Breast cancer is increasing in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), and most women are diagnosed at a late stage. This leads to increased suffering for the patients and challenging care situations for nurses. Limited resources in healthcare, lack of oncology training, and low health literacy in society result in even more demanding situations for nurses.

Primary breast squamous cell carcinoma: A case report at a tertiary hospital in Northern Tanzania.

Key Clinical Message: Primary SCC of the breast is a very rare disease.Metastasis from elsewhere should be excluded first.The tumor is a very aggressive with poor prognosis.

Impact of COVID-19 on delivery of oncology services in Northern Tanzania: a cross-sectional study of community health workers and patients undergoing cancer treatment at the Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre.

Objective: To ascertain how the COVID-19 pandemic was perceived by oncology patients and community health workers (CHWs) and whether this contributed to disruptions in cancer care.

Design: Cross-sectional study using (1) structured telephone interviews with patients and (2) structured questionnaires completed by CHWs.

Setting: Outpatient and community care at Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre's Cancer Care Centre (KCMCCCC), Northern Tanzania.

Quality of Cancer Care in Tanzania as Experienced by Patients: A Qualitative Study.

Introduction: Cancer is a disease of public importance in Tanzania. Considering a limited health care system with few cancer centers and low health literacy in general, people are diagnosed at late stage and face difficulties in accessing care for their cancer. All these challenges affect the caring situation for the nurses who meet the patients at the cancer care centers.

NOHA: A Promising Biomarker for Determining Estrogen Receptor Status Among Patients With Breast Cancer in Resource-Constrained Settings.

Purpose: Challenges to breast cancer control in low-and middle-income countries exist because of constrained access to care, including pathology services. Immunohistochemistry (IHC)-based estrogen receptor (ER) analysis is limited-nonexistent because of few and inadequately staffed and equipped pathology laboratories. We have identified N-hydroxy-L-Arginine (NOHA) as a blood-based biomarker to distinguish ER status in US patients with breast cancer.

Clinicopathological characteristics of breast cancer patients from Northern Tanzania: common aspects of late stage presentation and triple negative breast cancer.

Purpose: Breast cancer (BC) is the second most common cancer among Tanzanian women. Oestrogen (ER), progesterone and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 play major roles in prognosis and treatment but data for Tanzania are sparse. This study aimed to determine these patterns and histological types, tumour grading and staging of BC patients in northern Tanzania for a better understanding of BC in the Sub-Saharan African (SSA) setting.

Barriers to Cancer Care in Northern Tanzania: Patient and Health-System Predictors for Delayed Presentation.

Purpose: Cancer is a growing problem in Africa, and delays in receiving timely cancer care often results in poorer outcomes. The purpose of this study was to identify the patient and health-system factors associated with delayed cancer care in adults living in the Northern Zone of Tanzania.

Patients And Methods: Between July 2018 and July 2019, we surveyed adult patients presenting to an oncology clinic in Northern Tanzania.

Tanzanian women´s knowledge about Cervical Cancer and HPV and their prevalence of positive VIA cervical screening results. Data from a Prevention and Awareness Campaign in Northern Tanzania, 2017 - 2019.

: 14.9 million women (≥15 years) in Tanzania are at risk of developing cervical cancer. Limited cancer care facilities, prevention programs and sparse knowledge among community members and healthcare workers contribute to late-stage presentation leading to a high mortality rate.

Colorectal Cancer in Northern Tanzania: Increasing Trends and Late Presentation Present Major Challenges.

Purpose: A trend of increasing incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC) has been observed in northern Tanzania. Studies have shown a six-fold increase in CRC in the past decade, with 90% of patients presenting in late stages, with resultant high morbidity and mortality rates. In this study, we aimed to document the burden of CRC in the northern zone of Tanzania from 1998 to 2018, focusing on patient presentation, clinical features, and treatment at a tertiary hospital.

Repetitive Cancer Training for Community Healthcare Workers: an Effective Method to Strengthen Knowledge and Impact on the Communities: Results from a Pilot Training at Kilimanjaro Region, Tanzania.

Cancer is a growing burden in Tanzania with high mortality rates. Low level of cancer awareness in the population and health workforce is one of the reasons. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a cancer awareness training for community-level healthcare providers in Kilimanjaro Region.

Staff Perspectives Toward Challenges in a Newly Established Cancer Center in Tanzania: A Qualitative Study.

Purpose: Cancer is a growing public health concern in low-income countries (LICs). From 14 million new patient cases identified worldwide each year, 8 million are diagnosed in LICs. The fatality rate is 75% in LICs compared with 46% in high-income countries.