Utilization of cancer immunotherapy in sub-Saharan Africa
IntroductionThe Lancet Oncology Commission for sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) predicts that cancer deaths will double from 520,158 per year to more than 1 million per year by the year 2040. These striking figures indicate a need to urgently evaluate cancer treatment infrastructure and resources in the reg...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-12-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Oncology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fonc.2023.1266514/full |
| _version_ | 1827576803234938880 |
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| author | Elizabeth Olatunji Saloni Patel Katy Graef Adedayo Joseph Nwamaka Lasebikan Abba Mallum Abba Mallum Chinelo Chigbo Elizabeth Jaffee Wil Ngwa Wil Ngwa |
| author_facet | Elizabeth Olatunji Saloni Patel Katy Graef Adedayo Joseph Nwamaka Lasebikan Abba Mallum Abba Mallum Chinelo Chigbo Elizabeth Jaffee Wil Ngwa Wil Ngwa |
| author_sort | Elizabeth Olatunji |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionThe Lancet Oncology Commission for sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) predicts that cancer deaths will double from 520,158 per year to more than 1 million per year by the year 2040. These striking figures indicate a need to urgently evaluate cancer treatment infrastructure and resources in the region. Studies have found immunotherapy to be effective for the treatment of advanced-stage cancer, which almost 70% of patients in SSA present with. Despite immunotherapy’s significant therapeutic potential, its utilization in SSA is not well documented. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the landscape of immunotherapy in SSA.MethodsA Qualtrics survey assessing the existing infrastructure and training for safe immunotherapy administration was developed and distributed online via email and WhatsApp to 3,231 healthcare providers across SSA, with a target audience of healthcare providers serving patients with cancer. The survey contained 22 questions evaluating the accessibility, use, knowledge, and training on immunotherapy in SSA. Responses were collected between January and February 2023. Microsoft Excel was used to summarize and visually present the distribution of responses as counts and proportions.Results292 responses were included from 28 countries in SSA. 29% of all respondents indicated their clinic has easy access to cancer immunotherapy and 46% indicated their clinic currently practices it. Of clinics that practiced immunotherapy (n = 133), 12% used genomic sequencing to assess the tumor mutational burden biomarker, and 44% assessed expression of the PD-L1 biomarker prior to immunotherapy administration. 46% of all respondents were familiar with immunotherapy. 11% indicated being adequately trained to administer it. Of these (n=33), 52% indicated also being trained to manage immune-related adverse events related to immunotherapy administration.ConclusionImmunotherapy utilization and training is low in SSA and insufficient for the rising cancer burden. Increased accessibility and usage of biomarker testing to predict immunotherapy response, incorporation of immunotherapy training into continuous medical education, and increased access to immunotherapy drugs may be prerequisites for expanded utilization of immunotherapy in SSA. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T21:18:43Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c3471c7a7516491b82f1f1a2324c1694 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2234-943X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T21:18:43Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Oncology |
| spelling | doaj.art-c3471c7a7516491b82f1f1a2324c16942023-12-21T13:35:45ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Oncology2234-943X2023-12-011310.3389/fonc.2023.12665141266514Utilization of cancer immunotherapy in sub-Saharan AfricaElizabeth Olatunji0Saloni Patel1Katy Graef2Adedayo Joseph3Nwamaka Lasebikan4Abba Mallum5Abba Mallum6Chinelo Chigbo7Elizabeth Jaffee8Wil Ngwa9Wil Ngwa10Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United StatesJohns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United StatesBIO Ventures for Global Health, Seattle, WA, United StatesNigeria Sovereign Investment Authority-Lagos University Teaching Hospital (NSIA-LUTH) Cancer Center, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos, NigeriaOncology Center, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital Enugu, Enugu, NigeriaDepartment of Radiotherapy and Oncology, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South AfricaDepartment of Oncology, Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital, Durban, South AfricaOncology Center, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital Enugu, Enugu, NigeriaSidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, MD, United StatesJohns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United StatesBrigham and Women’s Hospital, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United StatesIntroductionThe Lancet Oncology Commission for sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) predicts that cancer deaths will double from 520,158 per year to more than 1 million per year by the year 2040. These striking figures indicate a need to urgently evaluate cancer treatment infrastructure and resources in the region. Studies have found immunotherapy to be effective for the treatment of advanced-stage cancer, which almost 70% of patients in SSA present with. Despite immunotherapy’s significant therapeutic potential, its utilization in SSA is not well documented. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the landscape of immunotherapy in SSA.MethodsA Qualtrics survey assessing the existing infrastructure and training for safe immunotherapy administration was developed and distributed online via email and WhatsApp to 3,231 healthcare providers across SSA, with a target audience of healthcare providers serving patients with cancer. The survey contained 22 questions evaluating the accessibility, use, knowledge, and training on immunotherapy in SSA. Responses were collected between January and February 2023. Microsoft Excel was used to summarize and visually present the distribution of responses as counts and proportions.Results292 responses were included from 28 countries in SSA. 29% of all respondents indicated their clinic has easy access to cancer immunotherapy and 46% indicated their clinic currently practices it. Of clinics that practiced immunotherapy (n = 133), 12% used genomic sequencing to assess the tumor mutational burden biomarker, and 44% assessed expression of the PD-L1 biomarker prior to immunotherapy administration. 46% of all respondents were familiar with immunotherapy. 11% indicated being adequately trained to administer it. Of these (n=33), 52% indicated also being trained to manage immune-related adverse events related to immunotherapy administration.ConclusionImmunotherapy utilization and training is low in SSA and insufficient for the rising cancer burden. Increased accessibility and usage of biomarker testing to predict immunotherapy response, incorporation of immunotherapy training into continuous medical education, and increased access to immunotherapy drugs may be prerequisites for expanded utilization of immunotherapy in SSA.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fonc.2023.1266514/fullimmunotherapysub-Saharan Africaglobal oncologycancerimmunotherapy training |
| spellingShingle | Elizabeth Olatunji Saloni Patel Katy Graef Adedayo Joseph Nwamaka Lasebikan Abba Mallum Abba Mallum Chinelo Chigbo Elizabeth Jaffee Wil Ngwa Wil Ngwa Utilization of cancer immunotherapy in sub-Saharan Africa Frontiers in Oncology immunotherapy sub-Saharan Africa global oncology cancer immunotherapy training |
| title | Utilization of cancer immunotherapy in sub-Saharan Africa |
| title_full | Utilization of cancer immunotherapy in sub-Saharan Africa |
| title_fullStr | Utilization of cancer immunotherapy in sub-Saharan Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | Utilization of cancer immunotherapy in sub-Saharan Africa |
| title_short | Utilization of cancer immunotherapy in sub-Saharan Africa |
| title_sort | utilization of cancer immunotherapy in sub saharan africa |
| topic | immunotherapy sub-Saharan Africa global oncology cancer immunotherapy training |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fonc.2023.1266514/full |
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