Moving forward through consensus: a national Delphi approach to determine the top research priorities in prostate cancer in Uganda.

Objective: To identify key areas for research in prostate cancer (PC) in the Ugandan context by establishing the major health system, socioeconomic and clinical barriers to seeking, reaching and receiving high-quality cancer care.

Design: Modified Delphi Technique.

Setting: Government and private-not-for-profit hospitals.

Mapping of Radiation Oncology and Gynecologic Oncology Services Available to Treat the Growing Burden of Cervical Cancer in Africa.

Purpose: To meet the demand for cervical cancer care in Africa, access to surgical and radiation therapy services needs to be understood. We thus mapped the availability of gynecologic and radiation therapy equipment and staffing for treating cervical cancer.

Methods And Materials: We collected data on gynecologic and radiation oncology staffing, equipment, and infrastructure capacities across Africa.

Delays in seeking, reaching and access to quality cancer care in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review.

Objectives: Late presentation and delays in diagnosis and treatment consistently translate into poor outcomes in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The aim of this study was to collate and appraise the factors influencing diagnostic and treatment delays of adult solid tumours in SSA.

Design: Systematic review with assessment of bias using Risk of Bias in Non-randomised Studies of Exposures (ROBINS-E) tool.

Perspectives of Zambian Clinical Oncology Trainees in the MD Anderson and Zambia Virtual Clinical Research Training Program (MOZART).

Background: African countries are underrepresented in cancer research, partly because of a lack of structured curricula on clinical research during medical education. To address this need, the MD Anderson and Zambia Virtual Clinical Research Training Program (MOZART) was developed jointly by MD Anderson Cancer Center (MDA) and the Cancer Diseases Hospital in Zambia (CDH) for Zambian clinical oncology trainees. We explored participant perspectives to provide insight for implementation of similar efforts.

Building Capacity for Cancer Research in the Era of COVID-19: Implementation and Results From an International Virtual Clinical Research Training Program in Zambia.

Purpose: The incidence of cancer in sub-Saharan Africa is increasing rapidly, yet cancer research in the region continues to lag. One contributing factor is limited exposure to clinical research among trainees. We describe implementation and results of a virtual clinical research training program for Zambian clinical oncology fellows developed jointly by the Cancer Diseases Hospital in Zambia and the MD Anderson Cancer Center to address this need.

The use a virtual interactive system to enhance gynecologic oncology multi-disciplinary care in Zambia.

Background: Gynecologic malignancies represent a significant proportion of the increasing cancer burden in Zambia. The care and outcomes of cancer patients improves in a multidisciplinary team but insufficient coordination in weak health systems is a barrier to this model of care. The World Health Organization (WHO) identifies digital health interventions as tools to bridge the gap between challenges and health systems' goals in low resource environments.

Zambia cervical cancer control program resource mapping - Leveraging support to achieve the 90-70-90 elimination target.

Background: Zambia has one of the highest incidence and mortality rates of cervical cancer at 65.5 and 43.4 per 100 000 respectively.

Cancer in sub-Saharan Africa: a Lancet Oncology Commission.

In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), urgent action is needed to curb a growing crisis in cancer incidence and mortality. Without rapid interventions, data estimates show a major increase in cancer mortality from 520 348 in 2020 to about 1 million deaths per year by 2030. Here, we detail the state of cancer in SSA, recommend key actions on the basis of analysis, and highlight case studies and successful models that can be emulated, adapted, or improved across the region to reduce the growing cancer crises.

Gynecological radiation oncology in sub-Saharan Africa: status, problems and considerations for the future.

Gynecological malignancies in Africa form a significant part of the burden of disease. The high prevalence of HIV in some countries creates a heightened risk for development of human papilloma virus related cancers such as cervical, vulval and vaginal cancers. Radiotherapy is an important modality of treatment for cancer and in Africa compensates for the lack of adequate surgical services for a large proportion of cancers as well as being a cornerstone of treatment for locally advanced cancers and palliation.

Dataset evaluating the treatment timeliness of cervical cancer in Zambia.

Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer diagnosed among women globally. Effective screening routines and early detection are vital in reducing its disease burden and mortality. Several factors can influence the timely detection and treatment of cervical cancer, especially in low middle-income countries where the burden of this disease is highest.

Immune correlates of therapy outcomes in women with cervical cancer treated with chemoradiotherapy: A systematic review.

Background: Immune markers have been correlated with prognosis in a variety of solid tumors, including cervical cancer.

Objective: To review the literature on hematologic and immune markers and their association with recurrence and survival among patients with cervical cancer treated with chemoradiation.

Evidence Review: This systematic review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines via searches of Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid Embase, and the Cochrane Library using keywords regarding cervical cancer, immune markers, and HIV.

Cervical cancer diagnosis and treatment delays in the developing world: Evidence from a hospital-based study in Zambia.

Expedited diagnostic processes for all suspected cervical cancer cases remain essential in the effort to improve clinical outcomes of the disease. However, in some developing countries like Zambia, there is paucity of data that assesses factors influencing diagnostic and treatment turnaround time (TAT) and other metrics vital for quality cancer care. We conducted a retrospective hospital-based study at the Cancer Diseases Hospital (CDH) for cervical cancer cases presenting to the facility between January 2014 and December 2018.

Choosing Wisely Africa: Ten Low-Value or Harmful Practices That Should Be Avoided in Cancer Care.

Purpose: Choosing Wisely Africa (CWA) builds on Choosing Wisely (CW) in the United States, Canada, and India and aims to identify low-value, unnecessary, or harmful cancer practices that are frequently used on the African continent. The aim of this work was to use physicians and patient advocates to identify a short list of low-value practices that are frequently used in African low- and middle-income countries.

Methods: The CWA Task Force was convened by the African Organization for Research and Training in Cancer and included representatives from surgical, medical, and radiation oncology, the private and public sectors, and patient advocacy groups.

Negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the management of cervical cancer patients in Zambia.

International travel has largely been suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to this situation, Zambia has not been able to import radioactive isotopes for High Dose Rate (HDR) brachytherapy, Iridium 192 (I192) and this has led to suspension of treatment for patients. Cancer of the cervix is the most common cancer in Zambia and brachytherapy is a core component of the treatment armamentarium.

Zambia's National Cancer Centre response to the COVID-19 pandemic-an opportunity for improved care.

The COVID-19 pandemic has overwhelmed health systems around the globe even in countries with strong economies. This is of particular concern for nations with weaker health systems. This article reports the response of a comprehensive cancer centre in a lower-middle income country to prevent COVID-19 transmission and how the implementation of pragmatic strategies have served as a springboard to improve cancer services beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.

Effects of HIV status on non-metastatic cervical cancer progression among patients in Lusaka, Zambia.

Introduction: Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest global incidence of cervical cancer. Cervical cancer is the most common cause of cancer morbidity and mortality among women in Zambia. HIV increases the risk for cervical cancer and with a national Zambian adult HIV prevalence of 16%, it is important to investigate the impact of HIV on the progression of cervical cancer.

Project ECHO: A Telementoring Program for Cervical Cancer Prevention and Treatment in Low-Resource Settings.

Cervical cancer incidence and mortality rates are significantly higher in low- and middle-income countries compared with the United States and other developed countries. This disparity is caused by decreased access to screening, often coupled with low numbers of trained providers offering cancer prevention and treatment services. However, similar disparities are also found in underserved areas of the United States, such as the Texas-Mexico border, where cervical cancer mortality rates are 30% higher than in the rest of Texas.

The Effect of Cryotherapy on Human Papillomavirus Clearance Among HIV-Positive Women in Lusaka, Zambia.

Objective: We sought to investigate the progression of human papillomaviruses (HPV) infection in HIV-positive women after cryotherapy.

Methods: We examined changes in detection of high-risk HPV (hrHPV) cervical infections among HIV-infected women over a 12-week period after cryotherapy using stored specimens from a cohort study conducted between June 2009 and March 2011 in Lusaka, Zambia. Samples from visits at baseline and weeks 4, 8, and 12 were tested using the Roche Linear Array assay.

Observed and expected incidence of cervical cancer in lusaka and the southern and Western provinces of Zambia, 2007 to 2012.

Objectives: Cervical cancer is increasing but underestimated in developing countries. We calculated the observed and expected incidence of cervical cancer in Lusaka and Southern and Western provinces of Zambia.

Methods/materials: Data for 2007 to 2012 were obtained for the 3 provinces.