Cancer Control in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: Is It Time to Consider Screening?
- PMID: 30908147
- PMCID: PMC6452918
- DOI: 10.1200/JGO.18.00200
Cancer Control in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: Is It Time to Consider Screening?
Abstract
The rising prevalence of noncommunicable diseases globally, with a strikingly disproportionate increase in prevalence and related mortality in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), is a major threat to sustainable development. The epidemiologic trend of cancers in LMICs is of particular concern. Despite a lower incidence of cancer in LMICs compared with high-income countries, total cancer-related mortality is significantly higher in LMICs, especially in people younger than 65 years of age. The enormous economic impact of premature mortality and lost productive life years highlights the critical importance of galvanizing cancer prevention and management to achieve sustainable development. The rising burden of cancer in LMICs stresses an already weak health care and economic infrastructure and poses unique challenges. Although the WHO acknowledges that the effective management of cancer relies on early detection, accurate diagnosis, and access to appropriate multimodal therapy, the placement of priority on early detection cannot be assumed to be effective in LMICs, where limited downstream resources may be overwhelmed by the inevitable increases in number of diagnoses. This review discusses several factors and considerations that may compromise the success of cancer control programs in LMICs, particularly if the focus is only on early detection through screening and surveillance. It is intended to guide optimal implementation of cancer control programs by accentuating challenges common in LMICs and by emphasizing the importance of cancer prevention where relevant so that communities and stakeholders can work together to devise optimal means of combatting the growing burden of cancer.
Conflict of interest statement
The following represents disclosure information provided by authors of this manuscript. All relationships are considered compensated. Relationships are self-held unless noted. I = Immediate Family Member, Inst = My Institution. Relationships may not relate to the subject matter of this manuscript. For more information about ASCO's conflict of interest policy, please refer to
No potential conflicts of interest were reported.
Similar articles
-
Cancer screening and early diagnosis in low and middle income countries : Current situation and future perspectives.Bundesgesundheitsblatt Gesundheitsforschung Gesundheitsschutz. 2018 Dec;61(12):1505-1512. doi: 10.1007/s00103-018-2833-9. Bundesgesundheitsblatt Gesundheitsforschung Gesundheitsschutz. 2018. PMID: 30353287 Review. English.
-
Economic Burden of Chronic Ill Health and Injuries for Households in Low- and Middle-Income Countries.In: Jamison DT, Gelband H, Horton S, Jha P, Laxminarayan R, Mock CN, Nugent R, editors. Disease Control Priorities: Improving Health and Reducing Poverty. 3rd edition. Washington (DC): The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / The World Bank; 2017 Nov 27. Chapter 6. In: Jamison DT, Gelband H, Horton S, Jha P, Laxminarayan R, Mock CN, Nugent R, editors. Disease Control Priorities: Improving Health and Reducing Poverty. 3rd edition. Washington (DC): The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / The World Bank; 2017 Nov 27. Chapter 6. PMID: 30212160 Free Books & Documents. Review.
-
Tuberculosis.In: Holmes KK, Bertozzi S, Bloom BR, Jha P, editors. Major Infectious Diseases. 3rd edition. Washington (DC): The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / The World Bank; 2017 Nov 3. Chapter 11. In: Holmes KK, Bertozzi S, Bloom BR, Jha P, editors. Major Infectious Diseases. 3rd edition. Washington (DC): The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / The World Bank; 2017 Nov 3. Chapter 11. PMID: 30212088 Free Books & Documents. Review.
-
A Two-Step Markov Processes Approach for Parameterization of Cancer State-Transition Models for Low- and Middle-Income Countries.Med Decis Making. 2018 May;38(4):520-530. doi: 10.1177/0272989X18759482. Epub 2018 Mar 24. Med Decis Making. 2018. PMID: 29577814
-
Screening for cancer in low- and middle-income countries.Ann Glob Health. 2014 Sep-Oct;80(5):412-7. doi: 10.1016/j.aogh.2014.09.014. Ann Glob Health. 2014. PMID: 25512156 Review.
Cited by
-
Spiritual well-being and associated factor among adult cancer patients in Hawassa University Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Oncology Center, Hawassa, Ethiopia.Front Oncol. 2024 May 1;14:1357506. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1357506. eCollection 2024. Front Oncol. 2024. PMID: 38751810 Free PMC article.
-
Thermal Characterization and Preclinical Feasibility Verification of an Accessible, Carbon Dioxide-Based Cryotherapy System.Bioengineering (Basel). 2024 Apr 18;11(4):391. doi: 10.3390/bioengineering11040391. Bioengineering (Basel). 2024. PMID: 38671812 Free PMC article.
-
Cancer research in the United Arab Emirates from birth to present: A bibliometric analysis.Heliyon. 2024 Mar 12;10(6):e27201. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e27201. eCollection 2024 Mar 30. Heliyon. 2024. PMID: 38545132 Free PMC article.
-
Leveraging e-health for enhanced cancer care service models in middle-income contexts: Qualitative insights from oncology care providers.Digit Health. 2024 Mar 13;10:20552076241237668. doi: 10.1177/20552076241237668. eCollection 2024 Jan-Dec. Digit Health. 2024. PMID: 38486873 Free PMC article.
-
Rural-urban disparity in cancer burden and care: findings from an Indian cancer registry.BMC Cancer. 2024 Mar 6;24(1):308. doi: 10.1186/s12885-024-12041-y. BMC Cancer. 2024. PMID: 38448839 Free PMC article.
References
-
- United Nations About the Sustainable Development Goals. http://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/sustainable-development-goals
-
- WHO The top 10 causes of death. http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs310/en/index1.html
-
- The World Bank World Bank Country and Lending Groups. https://datahelpdesk.worldbank.org/knowledgebase/articles/906519
-
- WHO NCD mortality and morbidity. https://www.who.int/gho/ncd/mortality_morbidity/en
-
- Torre LA, Siegel RL, Ward EM, et al. Global cancer incidence and mortality rates and trends--an update. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2016;25:16–27. - PubMed
Publication types
MeSH terms
Grants and funding
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources