The Role of Affordable, Point-of-Care Technologies for Cancer Care in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Review and Commentary

As the burden of non-communicable diseases such as cancer continues to rise in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), it is essential to identify and invest in promising solutions for cancer control and treatment. Point-of-care technologies (POCTs) have played critical roles in curbing infectious...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Karen Haney, Pushpa Tandon, Rao Divi, Miguel R. Ossandon, Houston Baker, Paul C. Pearlman
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: IEEE 2017-01-01
Series:IEEE Journal of Translational Engineering in Health and Medicine
Subjects:
Online Access:https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/8106764/
Description
Summary:As the burden of non-communicable diseases such as cancer continues to rise in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), it is essential to identify and invest in promising solutions for cancer control and treatment. Point-of-care technologies (POCTs) have played critical roles in curbing infectious disease epidemics in both high- and low-income settings, and their successes can serve as a model for transforming cancer care in LMICs, where access to traditional clinical resources is often limited. The versatility, cost-effectiveness, and simplicity of POCTs warrant attention for their potential to revolutionize cancer detection, diagnosis, and treatment. This paper reviews the landscape of affordable POCTs for cancer care in LMICs with a focus on imaging tools, in vitro diagnostics, and treatment technologies and aspires to encourage innovation and further investment in this space.
ISSN:2168-2372