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Nishath T, Li X, Chandramohan A, Othus M, Ji X, Zou Y, Sultana S, Rashid R, Sherief ST, Cassoux N, Garcia Leon JL, Díaz Coronado R, López AMZ, Ushakova TL, Polyakov VG, Roy SR, Ahmad A, Reddy A, Sagoo MS, Al Harby L, Kim JW, Berry JL, Polski A, Astbury N, Bascaran C, Blum S, Bowman R, Burton MJ, Foster A, Gomel N, Keren-Froim N, Madgar S, Zondervan M, Kaliki S, Fabian ID, Stacey A. Risk factors associated with abandonment of care in retinoblastoma: analysis of 692 patients from 10 countries. Br J Ophthalmol 2023; 107:1818-1822. [PMID: 36113955 PMCID: PMC10017370 DOI: 10.1136/bjo-2022-321159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 09/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Rates of care abandonment for retinoblastoma (RB) demonstrate significant geographical variation; however, other variables that place a patient at risk of abandoning care remain unclear. This study aims to identify the risk factors for care abandonment across a multinational set of patients. METHODS A prospective, observational study of 692 patients from 11 RB centres in 10 countries was conducted from 1 January 2019 to 31 December 2019. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify risk factors associated with higher rates of care abandonment. RESULTS Logistic regression showed a higher risk of abandoning care based on country (high-risk countries include Bangladesh (OR=18.1), Pakistan (OR=45.5) and Peru (OR=9.23), p<0.001), female sex (OR=2.39, p=0.013) and advanced clinical stage (OR=4.22, p<0.001). Enucleation as primary treatment was not associated with a higher risk of care abandonment (OR=0.59, p=0.206). CONCLUSION Country, advanced disease and female sex were all associated with higher rates of abandonment. In this analysis, enucleation as the primary treatment was not associated with abandonment. Further research investigating cultural barriers can enable the building of targeted retention strategies unique to each country.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thamanna Nishath
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Xiudi Li
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Arthika Chandramohan
- Division of Ophthalmology, Seattle Children's Hospital, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Megan Othus
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Xunda Ji
- Department of Ophthalmology, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Yang Pu Qu, Shanghai, China
| | - Yihua Zou
- Department of Ophthalmology, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Yang Pu Qu, Shanghai, China
| | - Sadia Sultana
- Department of Oculoplasty and Ocular Oncology, Ispahani Islamia Eye Institute and Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Riffat Rashid
- Department of Oculoplasty and Ocular Oncology, Ispahani Islamia Eye Institute and Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Sadik Taju Sherief
- Department of Ophthalmology, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Nathalie Cassoux
- Department of Ophthalmology, Institut Curie, Universite de Paris UFR de Medecine de Paris Centre, Paris, France
| | | | | | | | - Tatiana L Ushakova
- Head and Neck Tumors, SRI of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology of NN Blokhin National Medical Research Center Oncology of Russian Federation, Moscow, Russian Federation
- Pediatric Oncology, Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Vladimir G Polyakov
- Head and Neck Tumors Department, SRI of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology of NN Blokhin National Medical Research Center Oncology of Russian Federation, Moscow, Russian Federation
- Russian Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Soma Rani Roy
- Chittagong Eye Infirmary and Training Complex, Chittagong, Bangladesh
| | - Alia Ahmad
- The Children's Hospital and the Institute of Child Health, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Ashwin Reddy
- Ophthalmology, Barts Health NHS Trust, London, UK
- Paediatric Ophthalmology, Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Mandeep S Sagoo
- Ophthalmology, Barts Health NHS Trust, London, UK
- NIHR Biomedical Research Centre for Ophthalmology, Joint Library of Ophthalmology Moorfields Eye Hospital and UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London, UK
| | - Lamis Al Harby
- Ocular Oncology, Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
- Barts Health NHS Trust, The Royal London Hospital, London, UK
| | - Jonathan W Kim
- USC Roski Eye Institute, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California, USA
- The Vision Center, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Jesse L Berry
- USC Roski Eye Institute, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California, USA
- The Vision Center, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Ashley Polski
- USC Roski Eye Institute, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California, USA
- The Vision Center, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Nick Astbury
- International Centre for Eye Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Cova Bascaran
- International Centre for Eye Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Sharon Blum
- The Goldschleger Eye Institute, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel
| | - Richard Bowman
- International Centre for Eye Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
- The Goldschleger Eye Institute, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel
| | - Matthew J Burton
- Clinical Research Department, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
- UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London, UK
| | - Allen Foster
- Clinical Research Department, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, and International Centre for Eye Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Nir Gomel
- Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer, Tel Hashomer, Israel
- Division of Ophthalmology, Tel Aviv University Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Naama Keren-Froim
- The Goldschleger Eye Institute, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel
| | - Shiran Madgar
- Ophthalmology, Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer, Tel Hashomer, Israel
| | - Marcia Zondervan
- International Centre for Eye Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Swathi Kaliki
- The Operation Eyesight Universal Institute for Eye Cancer, LV Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
| | - Ido Didi Fabian
- International Centre for Eye Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
- International Centre for Eye Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Andrew Stacey
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Division of Ophthalmology, Seattle Children's Hospital, Seattle, Washington, USA
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Sutaryo S, Widjajanto PH, Mulatsih S, Ardianto B, Pangarso AWS, Supriyadi E, Purwanto I, Adelin CP, Lestari RP, Sagoro L, Christian SD, Sabrina DS, Verena N, Kors WA, Kaspers GJL, Veerman AJP. Childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia: Four years evaluation of protocols 2013 and 2016 in a single center in Indonesia, a lower-middle-income country. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2022; 69:e29875. [PMID: 35856702 DOI: 10.1002/pbc.29875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Revised: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The prognosis of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in Indonesia, a lower-middle-income country (LMIC), is lower than in high income countries (HICs). The Indonesian ALL2013 protocol resulted in too many toxic deaths (21%) and abandonments (11%). Therefore, we drafted an adapted protocol, ALL2016. Main changes: no anthracyclines in standard risk (SR), prednisone replaced dexamethasone at induction in high risk (HR), and anthracyclines and cyclophosphamide were rescheduled in HR. PROCEDURE Patients (aged: 1-18 years) were stratified into SR and HR. HR was defined as age over 10 years, leucocyte count over 50 × 109 /L, central nervous system (CNS) involvement, mediastinal mass, T-cell phenotype, testicular involvement, or poor prednisone response. RESULTS ALL2013 included 174 patients (106 SR and 68 HR) and ALL2016 188 (91 SR and 97 HR). Although the number of HR patients was significantly higher in ALL2016 (51.6% vs. 39.1%; p = .017), the outcome of ALL2016 improved over ALL2013 (4-year-probable overall survival (pOS) 60.1% vs. 50.0%; p = .042 and 4-year-probable event-free survival (pEFS) 49.5% vs. 36.8%; p = .018). ALL2016 showed a nonsignificant advantage for SR patients (4-year-pEFS 56.0% vs. 47.2%; p = .220 and 4-year-pOS 70.3% vs. 61.3%; p = .166), but less toxic deaths (7% vs. 20%; p = .011). In HR group, the outcomes were significantly better in ALL2016 (4-year-pEFS 43.3% vs. 20.6%; p = .004; 4-year-pOS 50.5% vs. 32.4%; p = .014) especially due to less relapses (31% vs. 62%; p = .001). Isolated CNS relapses went down from 18 to 8% in HR (p = .010) and 11 to 5% in SR (p = .474). Both SR and HR showed lower numbers of abandonment in ALL2016 (6% vs. 14%; p = .039). CONCLUSIONS Overall ALL2016 results improved over ALL2013. Modest changes in protocol resulted in less initial toxicity and abandonments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sutaryo Sutaryo
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada/Dr Sardjito Hospital, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
| | - Pudjo Hagung Widjajanto
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada/Dr Sardjito Hospital, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
| | - Sri Mulatsih
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada/Dr Sardjito Hospital, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
| | - Bambang Ardianto
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada/Dr Sardjito Hospital, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
| | | | - Eddy Supriyadi
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada/Dr Sardjito Hospital, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
| | - Ignatius Purwanto
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada/Dr Sardjito Hospital, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
| | - Claudia Priska Adelin
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada/Dr Sardjito Hospital, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
| | - Rahmadani Puji Lestari
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada/Dr Sardjito Hospital, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
| | - Lintang Sagoro
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada/Dr Sardjito Hospital, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
| | - Scholastika Dita Christian
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada/Dr Sardjito Hospital, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
| | - Dea Sella Sabrina
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada/Dr Sardjito Hospital, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
| | - Natasha Verena
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada/Dr Sardjito Hospital, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
| | - Wijnanda Adriana Kors
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada/Dr Sardjito Hospital, Yogyakarta, Indonesia.,Department of Hemato-Oncology, Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Gertjan J L Kaspers
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada/Dr Sardjito Hospital, Yogyakarta, Indonesia.,Department of Hemato-Oncology, Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands.,Department of Pediatric Oncology, Emma Children's Hospital, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Anjo J P Veerman
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada/Dr Sardjito Hospital, Yogyakarta, Indonesia.,Department of Pediatric Oncology, Emma Children's Hospital, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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3
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Garniasih D, Susanah S, Sribudiani Y, Hilmanto D. The incidence and mortality of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia in Indonesia: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0269706. [PMID: 35696384 PMCID: PMC9191700 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0269706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The incidence of childhood ALL in Indonesia is still largely unknown. The widely mentioned statistics from other countries turn out to be only estimated figures. Other data do not specify the types of leukemia and are not specifically focused on children. Therefore, this study aims to pool incidence and mortality statistics from available studies in Indonesia. Methods We searched five different academic databases, including Pubmed, MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, Science Direct, and Google Scholar. Three Indonesian databases, such as the Indonesian Scientific Journal Database (ISJD), Neliti, and Indonesia One Search, were also utilized. Incidence was expressed as per 100,000 children. We used the Newcastle-Ottawa scale (NOS) to assess the quality of cohort studies. The inclusion criteria are cohort studies published in the languages of English or Indonesian. For this analysis, we define children as 0–18 years old. Findings The incidence rate for childhood ALL was found to be 4.32 per 100,000 children (95% CI 2.65–5.99) with a prediction interval of 1.98 to 9.42 per 100,000 children. The incidence rate is higher in males, with 2.45 per 100,000 children (95% CI 1.98–2.91) and a prediction interval of 1.90 to 3.16 per 100,000 children. As for females, the incidence rate is 2.05 per 100,000 children (95% CI 1.52–2.77) with a prediction interval of 1.52 to 2.77 per 100,000 children. The mortality of childhood ALL ranges from 0.44 to 5.3 deaths per 100,000 children, while the CFR is 3.58% with varying true effect sizes of 2.84% to 4.52%. Interpretation With 79.5 million children living in Indonesia in 2018, this means that there were roughly 3,434 new cases of childhood ALL. An organized effort between multiple sectors is needed to improve the registries of childhood ALL in Indonesia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dina Garniasih
- Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung, Indonesia
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung, Indonesia
- Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Pelita Harapan, Tangerang, Indonesia
- * E-mail:
| | - Susi Susanah
- Department of Pediatrics, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung, Indonesia
- Research Center of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung, Indonesia
| | - Yunia Sribudiani
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung, Indonesia
- Research Center of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung, Indonesia
| | - Dany Hilmanto
- Department of Pediatrics, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung, Indonesia
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4
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Sharma R, Jani C. Mapping incidence and mortality of leukemia and its subtypes in 21 world regions in last three decades and projections to 2030. Ann Hematol 2022; 101:1523-1534. [PMID: 35536353 DOI: 10.1007/s00277-022-04843-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2021] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
This study examines the burden of leukemia and its subtypes at the global, regional, and national levels in 21 world regions and 204 countries in the last three decades. The estimates of incidence, deaths, and age-standardized rates of leukemia for 21 regions and 204 countries for 1990-2019 were extracted from the Global Burden of Disease 2019 study. Average annual percentage change in 1990-2019 for 21 regions was utilized for projecting leukemia burden in 2030. Globally, there were 643,579 [586,980-699,729] incident cases and 334,592 [306,818-360,214] deaths in 2019 due to leukemia, up from 474,924 [388,559-560,550] cases and 263,263 [233,664-298,696] deaths in 1990. Between 1990 and 2019, the age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR) decreased from 9.6 [8.1-11.0] in 1990 to 8.2 [7.5-8.9] per 100,000 person-years in 2019, and the age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR) decreased from 5.8/100,000 [5.2-6.4] in 1990 to 4.3/100,000 [3.9-4.6] in 2019. Between 1990 and 2019, the ASIR decreased in majority of regions except Western Europe and high-income Asia Pacific, whereas the ASMR decreased in all 21 regions. In 2019, country-wise, the ASIR varied from 3.0/100,000 [2.3-3.7] in Palau to 35.1/100,000 [26.4-47.2] in San Marino and the ASMR spanned from 2.3/100,000 [1.7-2.8] in San Marino to 15.8/100,000 [12.0-20.4] in Syria. As per our projections, globally, there will be 720,168 incident cases and 367,804 deaths due to leukemia in 2030. Substantial improvements have been witnessed in leukemia mortality rates in all regions, especially high-income regions and countries. Health care policies focusing on diagnostic improvements, cancer registration, and newer therapeutics at reduced cost or with insurance coverage are needed in low and middle-income countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajesh Sharma
- University School of Management and Entreprenuership, Delhi Technological University, East Delhi Campus, Room No. 305, Vivek Vihar Phase II, Delhi, 110095, India.
| | - Chinmay Jani
- Mount Aubrun Hospital, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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5
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Mehdizadeh H, Asadi F, Emami H, Mehrvar A, Nazemi E. mHealth Self-Management System to Supporting Children with a Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL) and their caregivers in low-middle income country: Qualitative Co-Design Study (Preprint). JMIR Form Res 2022; 6:e36721. [PMID: 35228195 PMCID: PMC9055480 DOI: 10.2196/36721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2022] [Revised: 02/27/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The unique features of smartphones have extended their use in different fields, especially in the health care domain. These features offer new opportunities to support patients with chronic conditions by providing them with information, education, and self-management skills. We developed a digital self-management system to support children with cancer and their caregivers in Iran (low- and middle-income country). Objective This study is aimed at the development and preliminary evaluation of a cancer self-management system (CanSelfMan) tailored to the needs of children with cancer and their parents or caregivers. Methods This study was conducted in collaboration with a multidisciplinary team between January and February 2020 at MAHAK’s Pediatric Cancer Treatment and Research Center. We developed a self-management system in six stages: requirement analysis, conformity assessment, preparation of educational content, app prototyping, preliminary evaluation, and developing the final version. Results A total of 35 people (n=24, 69% parents and n=11, 31% children) volunteered to participate in the study. However, only 63% (15/24) of parents and 73% (8/11) of children were eligible to participate. By adopting a user-centered design approach, we developed a mobile app, CanSelfMan, that includes five main modules (knowledge base, self-management tips, self-assessment report, ask a question, and reminders) that provide access to reliable information about acute lymphocytic leukemia and the self-management skills required for side effect measurement and reporting. A web-based dashboard was also developed for oncologists and included a dashboard to monitor users’ symptoms and answer their questions. Conclusions The CanSelfMan app can support these groups by providing access to reliable information about cancer, facilitating communication between children or parents and health care providers, and helping promote medication adherence through a reminder function. The active participation of the target group can help identify their needs. Therefore, through the involvement of stakeholders such as patients, caregivers, and oncologists in the design process, we improved usability and ensured that the final product was useful. This app is now ready to proceed with feasibility studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamed Mehdizadeh
- Department of Health Information Technology, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Farkhondeh Asadi
- Health Information Technology and Management Department, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hassan Emami
- Health Information Technology and Management Department, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Azim Mehrvar
- MAHAK Hematology Oncology Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- AJA University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Eslam Nazemi
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
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6
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Olbara G, van der Wijk T, Njuguna F, Langat S, Mwangi H, Skiles J, Vik TA, Kaspers GJL, Mostert S. Childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia treatment in an academic hospital in Kenya: Treatment outcomes and health-care providers' perspectives. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2021; 68:e29366. [PMID: 34569156 DOI: 10.1002/pbc.29366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2020] [Revised: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Early deaths and treatment nonadherence are major reasons for low childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) survival in low- and middle-income countries. This study assessed treatment outcomes of children presenting with ALL and evaluated perspectives of health-care providers (HCP) on ALL treatment at a Kenyan academic hospital. METHODS This was a combined retrospective medical records and cross-sectional questionnaire study. Treatment outcomes of 136 children diagnosed with ALL between 2010 and 2016 were collected. Questionnaires were completed by 245 HCP (response rate, 86%) between September and October 2016. RESULTS Childhood ALL treatment outcomes were death (30%), progressive or relapsed disease (26%), abandonment (24%), and event-free survival (20%). Of all deaths, 80% were early deaths (prior or during induction), whereas 20% occurred in remission. Probability of event-free survival at three years was 18%. Only 57% of HCP believed childhood ALL can be cured, with more doctors (96%) than other HCP (45%) believing in curability of ALL (P < 0.001). The majority of HCP (96%) thought that experienced doctors should put more time and effort into making parents understand the diagnosis and necessity to complete treatment. According to HCP, reasons for protocol nonadherence included parental financial difficulties (94%) and use of alternative treatment (79%). CONCLUSIONS Event-free survival for ALL in Kenya is low. The primary reason for treatment failure is early death from treatment-related complications. More efforts should be directed toward improving supportive care strategies. In the opinion of HCPs, improved communication with parents and supervision of junior staff will improve ALL treatment outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gilbert Olbara
- Department of Child Health and Pediatrics, Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, Eldoret, Kenya
| | - Thyra van der Wijk
- Emma's Children Hospital, Amsterdam UMC, Vrjie Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Festus Njuguna
- Department of Child Health and Pediatrics, Moi University, School of Medicine, Eldoret, Kenya
| | - Sandra Langat
- Department of Child Health and Pediatrics, Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, Eldoret, Kenya
| | - Henry Mwangi
- Department of Health Information Management, Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, Eldoret, Kenya
| | - Jodi Skiles
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hemato-Oncology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Terrry A Vik
- Department of Child Health and Pediatrics, Moi University, School of Medicine, Eldoret, Kenya.,Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hemato-Oncology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Gertjan J L Kaspers
- Emma's Children Hospital, Amsterdam UMC, Vrjie Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Saskia Mostert
- Emma's Children Hospital, Amsterdam UMC, Vrjie Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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7
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Faruqui N, Bernays S, Martiniuk A, Abimbola S, Arora R, Lowe J, Denburg A, Joshi R. Access to care for childhood cancers in India: perspectives of health care providers and the implications for universal health coverage. BMC Public Health 2020; 20:1641. [PMID: 33143668 PMCID: PMC7607709 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-020-09758-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2020] [Accepted: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND There are multiple barriers impeding access to childhood cancer care in the Indian health system. Understanding what the barriers are, how various stakeholders perceive these barriers and what influences their perceptions are essential in improving access to care, thereby contributing towards achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC). This study aims to explore the challenges for accessing childhood cancer care through health care provider perspectives in India. METHODS This study was conducted in 7 tertiary cancer hospitals (3 public, 3 private and 1 charitable trust hospital) across Delhi and Hyderabad. We recruited 27 healthcare providers involved in childhood cancer care. Semi-structured interviews were audio recorded after obtaining informed consent. A thematic and inductive approach to content analysis was conducted and organised using NVivo 11 software. RESULTS Participants described a constellation of interconnected barriers to accessing care such as insufficient infrastructure and supportive care, patient knowledge and awareness, sociocultural beliefs, and weak referral pathways. However, these barriers were reflected upon differently based on participant perception through three key influences: 1) the type of hospital setting: public hospitals constituted more barriers such as patient navigation issues and inadequate health workforce, whereas charitable trust and private hospitals were better equipped to provide services. 2) the participant's cadre: the nature of the participant's role meant a different degree of exposure to the challenges families faced, where for example, social workers provided more in-depth accounts of barriers from their day-to-day interactions with families, compared to oncologists. 3) individual perceptions within cadres: regardless of the hospital setting or cadre, participants expressed individual varied opinions of barriers such as acceptance of delay and recognition of stakeholder accountabilities, where governance was a major issue. These influences alluded to not only tangible and structural barriers but also intangible barriers which are part of service provision and stakeholder relationships. CONCLUSION Although participants acknowledged that accessing childhood cancer care in India is limited by several barriers, perceptions of these barriers varied. Our findings illustrate that health care provider perceptions are shaped by their experiences, interests and standpoints, which are useful towards informing policy for childhood cancers within UHC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neha Faruqui
- Sydney School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
| | - Sarah Bernays
- Sydney School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Alexandra Martiniuk
- Sydney School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,George Institute for Global Health, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Seye Abimbola
- Sydney School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,George Institute for Global Health, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Ramandeep Arora
- Cankids … Kidscan, New Delhi, India.,Max Super Speciality Hospital, New Delhi, India
| | | | - Avram Denburg
- Division of Haematology/Oncology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada.,Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Rohina Joshi
- Sydney School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,George Institute for Global Health, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.,George Institute for Global Health, New Delhi, India
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8
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van Heerden J, Kruger M. Management of neuroblastoma in limited-resource settings. World J Clin Oncol 2020; 11:629-643. [PMID: 32879849 PMCID: PMC7443833 DOI: 10.5306/wjco.v11.i8.629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Revised: 06/23/2020] [Accepted: 07/26/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neuroblastoma (NB) is a heterogeneous disease with variable outcomes among countries. Little is known about NB in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
AIM The aim of this review was to evaluate regional management protocols and challenges in treating NB in paediatric oncology units in LMICs compared to high-income countries (HICs).
METHODS PubMed, Global Health, Embase, SciELO, African Index Medicus and Google Scholar were searched for publications with keywords pertaining to NB, LMICs and outcomes. Only English language manuscripts and abstracts were included. A descriptive review was done, and tables illustrating the findings were constructed.
RESULTS Limited information beyond single-institution experiences regarding NB outcomes in LMICs was available. The disease characteristics varied among countries for the following variables: sex, age at presentation, MYCN amplification, stage and outcome. LMICs were found to be burdened with a higher percentage of stage 4 and high-risk NB compared to HICs. Implementation of evidence-based treatment protocols was still a barrier to care. Many socioeconomic variables also influenced the diagnosis, management and follow-up of patients with NB.
CONCLUSION Patients presented at a later age with more advanced disease in LMICs. Management was limited by the lack of resources and genetic studies for improved NB classification. Further research is needed to develop modified diagnostic and treatment protocols for LMICs in the face of limited resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaques van Heerden
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town 8000, South Africa
- Department of Paediatric Haematology and Oncology, Antwerp University Hospital, Edegem 2650, Belgium
| | - Mariana Kruger
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town 8000, South Africa
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9
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De la Maza V, Manriquez M, Castro M, Viveros P, Fernandez M, Vogel E, Peña E, Santolaya ME, Villarroel M, Torres JP. Impact of a structured educational programme for caregivers of children with cancer on parental knowledge of the disease and paediatric clinical outcomes during the first year of treatment. Eur J Cancer Care (Engl) 2020; 29:e13294. [PMID: 32706521 DOI: 10.1111/ecc.13294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2020] [Revised: 06/11/2020] [Accepted: 06/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To assess the impact of a structured educational programme for caregivers of children with cancer on their level of knowledge about the disease and patient's clinical outcome. METHODS This prospective, non-randomised, experimental study included caregivers of recently diagnosed children at two hospitals in Chile. Caregivers whose children were treated at the first centre were the structured education programme group (EPG), while the second hospital provided the standard care (SCG). We evaluated caregivers' level of knowledge on days 1, 10 and 90 as well as the children's clinical outcomes over 1 year of treatment. RESULTS A total of 102 caregivers were enrolled between 2014 and 2015. Only the EPG showed a significant increase in knowledge between days 1 and 90. The rate of central venous catheter infections was significantly lower in the EPG versus SCG (7% versus 26%; p = .01). The risk ratio was 0.35 (95% CI = 0.13-0.94), and a log-rank test showed a statistically significant difference between the two groups (p = .018). There were also fewer Emergency Department visits in the EPG for fever episodes. CONCLUSION Providing a structured education to caregivers increased their level of knowledge and improved the clinical outcome of their children during the first year of treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Verónica De la Maza
- Research Unit, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Hospital Dr. Luis Calvo Mackenna, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Macarena Manriquez
- Research and Teaching Unit, Arturo López Pérez Foundation Oncology Institute, Santiago, Chile
| | | | - Paola Viveros
- Department of Pediatrics, Oncology Unit, Hospital Dr. Luis Calvo Mackenna, Santiago, Chile
| | - María Fernandez
- Department of Pediatrics, Oncology Unit, Hospital Dr. Luis Calvo Mackenna, Santiago, Chile
| | - Evelyn Vogel
- Department of Pediatrics, Oncology Unit, Hospital Exequiel González Cortés, Santiago, Chile
| | - Erica Peña
- Department of Pediatrics, Oncology Unit, Hospital Exequiel González Cortés, Santiago, Chile
| | - María Elena Santolaya
- Research Unit, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Hospital Dr. Luis Calvo Mackenna, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.,Infectious Diseases Unit, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Hospital Dr. Luis Calvo Mackenna, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Milena Villarroel
- Department of Pediatrics, Oncology Unit, Hospital Dr. Luis Calvo Mackenna, Santiago, Chile
| | - Juan Pablo Torres
- Research Unit, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Hospital Dr. Luis Calvo Mackenna, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.,Infectious Diseases Unit, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Hospital Dr. Luis Calvo Mackenna, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
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10
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Veerman AJ, Supriyadi E, Sutaryo S. Developing leukemia protocols in cooperation between the Netherlands and Indonesia. PEDIATRIC HEMATOLOGY ONCOLOGY JOURNAL 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.phoj.2020.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
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11
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Mehdizadeh H, Asadi F, Mehrvar A, Nazemi E, Emami H. Smartphone apps to help children and adolescents with cancer and their families: a scoping review. Acta Oncol 2019; 58:1003-1014. [PMID: 30915872 DOI: 10.1080/0284186x.2019.1588474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Introduction: Considering the importance of empowering patients and their families by providing appropriate information and education, it seems smartphone apps provide a good opportunity for this group. The purpose of this review was to identify studies which used smartphone apps to help children and adolescents with cancer and their families. Method: Arksey and O'Malley's framework was employed in this review. To examine the evidence on the design and use of smartphone apps for the target group, PubMed, Embase, Scopus and Web of Science databases were searched from 2007 to November 2018. Results: Twenty-four articles met the inclusion criteria, with 33% being conducted in the USA and 21% in Canada. Moreover, in 20 studies (83%), app was specifically designed for children and adolescents, with only three studies (13%) for parents and one study (4%) for both. The main modules of smartphone apps in these studies included symptom assessment (90%), provision of information and education (74%), communication with caregivers (57%), social support (30%) and calendar and reminder (21%). Conclusions: Due to the easy access to smartphones without a costly infrastructure compared to landline phones, the use of mobile health (m-Health) has become a suitable method of providing healthcare services, especially for cancer. Use of smartphone apps, increases patient and families' access to reliable and suitable education and information regarding the disease. Thus, healthcare policy-makers in developing or underdeveloped countries can exploit the health-related potentials of m-Health following the experience of developed countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamed Mehdizadeh
- Department of Health Information Technology and Management, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Farkhondeh Asadi
- Department of Health Information Technology and Management, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Azim Mehrvar
- MAHAK Hematology Oncology Research Center (MAHAK-HORC), MAHAK Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Eslam Nazemi
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hassan Emami
- Department of Health Information Technology and Management, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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12
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Jatia S, Prasad M, Paradkar A, Bhatia A, Narula G, Chinnaswamy G, Vora T, Gomle S, Sankaran H, Banavali S. Holistic support coupled with prospective tracking reduces abandonment in childhood cancers: A report from India. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2019; 66:e27716. [PMID: 30900819 DOI: 10.1002/pbc.27716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2018] [Revised: 03/02/2019] [Accepted: 03/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND High cure rates of over 80% in childhood cancers reported from high-income countries (HICs) are not replicated in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Treatment abandonment (TxA) is an important reason for this poorer outcome. We assessed the effect of a holistic support group approach coupled with prospective tracking on TxA in children with cancer in a limited-resources environment. METHODS In 2010, all existing nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) working with childhood cancer at our hospital were brought together to form a pediatric cancer foundation with the aim of providing holistic support to the patient and family, including financial, psychosocial, lodging, educational, and bereavement support. Simultaneously, prospective tracking of all children with a Time-Responsive Electronic Abandonment Tracking (TREAT) system was also established. The impact of these measures on TxA over the 2009-2016 period was compared using the log-rank test. RESULTS The annual rate of abandonment reduced from 20% in 2009 to 10.4% in 2010 and 5.2% in 2011. It has been consistently between 3% and 6% from 2012 to 2016 (P -0.04). TxA after the initiation of treatment dropped from 9% in 2009 to 1% in 2016 (P -0.02), while refusal to initiate treatment dropped from 11% to 2.7% (P -0.23) over the same period. CONCLUSIONS A holistic support group consisting of the hospital team, as well as existing NGOs and governmental organizations, along with a systematic and prospective tracking system significantly reduced abandonment in a resource-constrained setting. This cost-effective holistic support group may be applicable in other LMICs with similar healthcare systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shalini Jatia
- Division of Pediatric Oncology, Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, India.,Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, India
| | - Maya Prasad
- Division of Pediatric Oncology, Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, India.,Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, India
| | - Amey Paradkar
- Division of Pediatric Oncology, Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, India.,Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, India
| | - Ameeta Bhatia
- Division of Pediatric Oncology, Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, India.,Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, India
| | - Gaurav Narula
- Division of Pediatric Oncology, Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, India.,Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, India
| | - Girish Chinnaswamy
- Division of Pediatric Oncology, Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, India.,Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, India
| | - Tushar Vora
- Division of Pediatric Oncology, Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, India.,Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, India
| | - Sanjay Gomle
- Division of Pediatric Oncology, Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, India.,Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, India
| | - Hari Sankaran
- Division of Pediatric Oncology, Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, India.,Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, India
| | - Shripad Banavali
- Division of Pediatric Oncology, Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, India.,Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, India
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13
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Hazarika M, Mishra R, Saikia BJ, Bhuyan C, Nyuthe CW, Sarma A, Kumar G, Sutnaga C, Kalita M, Roy P. Causes of Treatment Abandonment of Pediatric Cancer
Patients – Experience in a Regional Cancer Centre in North
East India. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev 2019; 20:1133-1137. [PMID: 31030486 PMCID: PMC6948912 DOI: 10.31557/apjcp.2019.20.4.1133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Refusal and abandonment of treatment is often considered as an important reason for poor survival of pediatric cancer patients in developing and underdeveloped countries. In this study we analyze the factors responsible for treatment abandonment and refusal in a Regional Cancer Centre (RCC) in North East India. Material and Methods: All histopathologically or cytologically confirmed cases of childhood cancer from below 15 years of age registered from 1st April, 2010 to 31st March, 2017 were included in this study. Parents or caregivers were interviewed thoroughly and a questionnaire was filled up for analysis of demographic and socio-economic factors. Modified Kuppuswamy scale was used to measure socioeconomic status. Results: Of 592 patients 161 (27.1%) abandoned therapy and 23 (3.9%) refused treatment. Factors associated with abandonment of treatment included: lower risk if residing in urban areas (Odds ratio [OR] = 0.8333, 95% CI 0.565-1.228; P=0.36) and higher risk with maternal education less than secondary school (OR = 1.357; 95%CI: 0.553-3.326; P=0.505). Low socioeconomic status and age >5yrs were also associated with abandonment of treatment. In a binary logistic regression analysis, male sex [Odds Ratio (OR) = 0.701; 95% CI 0.48-1.01; P=0.062] have lowest risk of abandoning treatment with trend to statistical significance. Conclusion: There is a need for proper definition of the problem of childhood cancer patients so that appropriate policy can be introduced to improve survival by improving treatment compliance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Munlima Hazarika
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dr.B Borooah Cancer Institute, Gopinath Nagar, Guwahati, Assam, India.
| | - Rakesh Mishra
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dr.B Borooah Cancer Institute, Gopinath Nagar, Guwahati, Assam, India.
| | - Bhargab Jyoti Saikia
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dr.B Borooah Cancer Institute, Gopinath Nagar, Guwahati, Assam, India.
| | - Chidananda Bhuyan
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dr.B Borooah Cancer Institute, Gopinath Nagar, Guwahati, Assam, India.
| | - C W Nyuthe
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dr.B Borooah Cancer Institute, Gopinath Nagar, Guwahati, Assam, India.
| | - Anupam Sarma
- Department of Pathology, Dr. B Borooah Cancer Institute, Gopinath Nagar, Guwahati, Assam, India
| | - Gaurav Kumar
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dr.B Borooah Cancer Institute, Gopinath Nagar, Guwahati, Assam, India.
| | - Cliffton Sutnaga
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dr.B Borooah Cancer Institute, Gopinath Nagar, Guwahati, Assam, India.
| | - Manoj Kalita
- Population Based Cancer Registry, National Cancer Registry Programme (ICMR), Dr. B Borooah Cancer Institute, Gopinath Nagar, Guwahati, Assam, India
| | - Partha Roy
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dr.B Borooah Cancer Institute, Gopinath Nagar, Guwahati, Assam, India.
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14
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Erdmann F, Feychting M, Mogensen H, Schmiegelow K, Zeeb H. Social Inequalities Along the Childhood Cancer Continuum: An Overview of Evidence and a Conceptual Framework to Identify Underlying Mechanisms and Pathways. Front Public Health 2019; 7:84. [PMID: 31106186 PMCID: PMC6492628 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2019.00084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2018] [Accepted: 03/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Inequalities in health according to social conditions are regarded as unnecessary and unjust. There is a large body of evidence on inequalities in adult cancer, observable throughout the societies on a national level as well as on a global scale. Socioeconomic influences on health matter at all ages including childhood, for which childhood cancer is the leading cause of disease related death in high-income countries (HICs). Substantial differences in the reported incidence of childhood cancers have been observed globally by socioeconomic development of a population. This is reflected in the higher incidence rates reported for HICs, particularly for acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and for cancer in infants (below 1 year), compared to low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Considerable inequalities between populations and degree of socioeconomic development are also noted for survival from childhood cancer, with substantially lower survival rates seen in most LMICs compared to HICs. With respect to inequalities by socioeconomic position (SEP) within countries, findings of an association between SEP and childhood cancer risk are diverse and limited to studies from HICs. On the contrary, observations on social inequalities in survival within countries are accumulating and indicate that survival inequalities do not only concern resource-poor countries but also high-income populations including European countries. In turn, a childhood cancer diagnosis in itself may have implications on the parents' socioeconomic situation as well as on the later socioeconomic life after having survived the disease. The underlying mechanisms and causal pathways of these empirically demonstrated social inequalities are poorly understood, although it is of significant public health relevance for any actions or strategies to reduce childhood cancer-related inequity. We propose a conceptual framework on potential underlying mechanism and pathways specifically addressing social inequalities in childhood cancer and after childhood cancer to (i) illustrate potential pathways by which social determinants may create health inequities at different points of the childhood cancer continuum; (ii) illustrate potential pathways by which a childhood cancer diagnosis may impact the socioeconomic situation of the concerned family or the later life of a childhood survivor; and (iii) point out how major determinants may relate to each other.
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Affiliation(s)
- Friederike Erdmann
- Section of Environment and Radiation, International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), Lyon, France
- Department of Prevention and Evaluation, Leibniz - Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology - BIPS GmbH, Bremen, Germany
- Childhood Cancer Research Group, Danish Cancer Society Research Center, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Maria Feychting
- Unit of Epidemiology, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Hanna Mogensen
- Unit of Epidemiology, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Kjeld Schmiegelow
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Hajo Zeeb
- Department of Prevention and Evaluation, Leibniz - Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology - BIPS GmbH, Bremen, Germany
- Health Sciences Bremen, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
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15
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Alam A, Kumar A. Impact of financial support and focussed group counselling on treatment abandonment in children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. Experience over 22 years from North India. Psychooncology 2018; 28:372-378. [DOI: 10.1002/pon.4951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2018] [Revised: 10/29/2018] [Accepted: 11/23/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Areesha Alam
- Division of Pediatric Hematology‐Oncology, Department of PediatricsKing George's Medical University Lucknow India
| | - Archana Kumar
- Division of Pediatric Hematology‐Oncology, Department of PediatricsKing George's Medical University Lucknow India
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16
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Winston K, Grendarova P, Rabi D. Video-based patient decision aids: A scoping review. PATIENT EDUCATION AND COUNSELING 2018; 101:558-578. [PMID: 29102063 DOI: 10.1016/j.pec.2017.10.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2017] [Revised: 10/06/2017] [Accepted: 10/16/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study reviews the published literature on the use of video-based decision aids (DA) for patients. The authors describe the areas of medicine in which video-based patient DA have been evaluated, the medical decisions targeted, their reported impact, in which countries studies are being conducted, and publication trends. METHOD The literature review was conducted systematically using Medline, Embase, CINAHL, PsychInfo, and Pubmed databases from inception to 2016. References of identified studies were reviewed, and hand-searches of relevant journals were conducted. RESULTS 488 studies were included and organized based on predefined study characteristics. The most common decisions addressed were cancer screening, risk reduction, advance care planning, and adherence to provider recommendations. Most studies had sample sizes of fewer than 300, and most were performed in the United States. Outcomes were generally reported as positive. This field of study was relatively unknown before 1990s but the number of studies published annually continues to increase. CONCLUSION Videos are largely positive interventions but there are significant remaining knowledge gaps including generalizability across populations. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS Clinicians should consider incorporating video-based DA in their patient interactions. Future research should focus on less studied areas and the mechanisms underlying effective patient decision aids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karin Winston
- Alberta Children's Hospital, 2800 Shaganappi Trail NW, Calgary, Alberta, T3B 6A8, Canada.
| | - Petra Grendarova
- University of Calgary, Division of Radiation Oncology, Calgary, Canada
| | - Doreen Rabi
- University of Calgary, Department of Medicine, Calgary, Canada
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17
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Mansell R, Purssell E. Treatment abandonment in children with cancer in Sub-Saharan Africa: Systematic literature review and meta-analysis. J Adv Nurs 2017; 74:800-808. [DOI: 10.1111/jan.13476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/29/2017] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
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18
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Roess AA, Di Peppi R, Kinzoni EA, Molouania M, Kennedy E, Ibata SR, Badinga N, Mabola FS, Moses C. Knowledge Gained and Retained from a Video-Centered, Community-Based Intervention for Ebola Prevention, Congo. JOURNAL OF HEALTH COMMUNICATION 2017; 22:913-922. [PMID: 29125394 DOI: 10.1080/10810730.2017.1377321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
There are few effective communication interventions to respond to Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreaks, and their development is a continuing challenge. The largest outbreak of EVD was first recognized in 2014 and once again highlighted the need for health education communication campaigns. EVD emergence and transmission are associated with behaviors that increase exposure to infected individuals and infected wildlife. In 2008-2009, an educational video-centered intervention consisting of a film followed by a structured discussion was developed to improve EVD knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors (KABs) for prevention of EVD and care of infected people. The film was produced for a Congolese audience in local languages and features doctors and residents from the region. The objective of the study was to assess the effectiveness of this intervention to change KABs related to EVD. The intervention was conducted over 12 months and reached >60,000 people; 220 individuals were sampled before and immediately after the intervention, and a subsample of 53 who had received the intervention 1 year earlier were interviewed to assess changes in KABs related to EVD. Statistically significant improvements in EVD recognition, transmission, and mitigation of risk after the intervention were observed. This study also demonstrates significant retention of knowledge one year after the intervention. Overall, the intervention was effective in improving KABs among a limited literacy population and knowledge was retained for more than one year. The materials and approaches developed were used in 2014 as part of a social mobilization strategy in response to an Ebola outbreak in the Congo Basin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amira A Roess
- a Department of Global Health , George Washington University , Washington , DC , USA
| | - Rosemarie Di Peppi
- a Department of Global Health , George Washington University , Washington , DC , USA
| | - Eric A Kinzoni
- b International Conservation and Education Fund , Washington , DC , USA
| | | | - Emily Kennedy
- b International Conservation and Education Fund , Washington , DC , USA
| | - Saturnin R Ibata
- b International Conservation and Education Fund , Washington , DC , USA
| | - Nkenda Badinga
- c Medicins D'Afrique , Brazzaville , Republic of the Congo
| | - Fredy S Mabola
- b International Conservation and Education Fund , Washington , DC , USA
| | - Cynthia Moses
- b International Conservation and Education Fund , Washington , DC , USA
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19
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Alvarez E, Seppa M, Rivas S, Fuentes L, Valverde P, Antillón-Klussmann F, Castellanos M, Sweet-Cordero EA, Messacar K, Kurap J, Bustamante M, Howard SC, Efron B, Luna-Fineman S. Improvement in treatment abandonment in pediatric patients with cancer in Guatemala. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2017; 64. [PMID: 28423236 DOI: 10.1002/pbc.26560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2016] [Revised: 02/12/2017] [Accepted: 02/19/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Treatment refusal and abandonment are major causes of treatment failure for children with cancer in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), like Guatemala. This study identified risk factors for and described the intervention that decreased abandonment. METHODS This was a retrospective study of Guatemalan children (0-18 years) with cancer treated at the Unidad Nacional de Oncología Pediátrica (UNOP), 2001-2008, using the Pediatric Oncology Network Database. Treatment refusal was a failure to begin treatment and treatment abandonment was a lapse of 4 weeks or longer in treatment. The impact of medicina integral, a multidisciplinary psychosocial intervention team at UNOP was evaluated. Cox proportional hazards analysis identified the effect of demographic and clinical factors on abandonment. Kaplan-Meier analysis estimated the survival. RESULTS Of 1,789 patients, 21% refused or abandoned treatment. Abandonment decreased from 27% in 2001 to 7% in 2008 following the implementation of medicina integral. Factors associated with increased risk of refusal and abandonment: greater distance to the centre (P < 0.001), younger age (P = 0.017) and earlier year of diagnosis (P < 0.001). Indigenous race/ethnicity (P = 0.002) was associated with increased risk of abandonment alone. Abandonment correlated with decreased overall survival: 0.57 ± 0.02 (survival ± standard error) for those who completed therapy versus 0.06 ± 0.02 for those who abandoned treatment (P < 0.001) at 8.3 years. CONCLUSION This study identified distance, age, year of diagnosis and indigenous race/ethnicity as risk factors for abandonment. A multidisciplinary intervention reduced abandonment and can be replicated in other LMICs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elysia Alvarez
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, California
| | - Midori Seppa
- Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, California
| | - Silvia Rivas
- Unidad Nacional de Oncología Pediátrica, Guatemala City, Guatemala
| | - Lucia Fuentes
- Unidad Nacional de Oncología Pediátrica, Guatemala City, Guatemala
| | | | | | | | - E Alejandro Sweet-Cordero
- Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital, San Francisco, California
| | - Kevin Messacar
- Section of Hospital Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado/Children's Hospital Colorado, Aurora, Colorado
| | - John Kurap
- Hilo Bay Clinic, Community Health Center, Hilo, Hawaii
| | | | - Scott C Howard
- School of Health Studies, University of Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Bradley Efron
- Department of Statistics and Biostatistics, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California
| | - Sandra Luna-Fineman
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, California.,Unidad Nacional de Oncología Pediátrica, Guatemala City, Guatemala
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20
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Martijn HA, Njuguna F, Olbara G, Langat S, Skiles J, Martin S, Vik T, van de Ven PM, Kaspers GJ, Mostert S. Influence of health insurance status on paediatric non-Hodgkin's lymphoma treatment in Kenya. BMJ Paediatr Open 2017; 1:e000149. [PMID: 29637157 PMCID: PMC5862191 DOI: 10.1136/bmjpo-2017-000149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2017] [Revised: 07/05/2017] [Accepted: 07/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) is the most common childhood malignancy in sub-Saharan Africa. Survival rates for NHL are higher than 80% in high-income countries.This study explores treatment outcomes of children with NHL in Kenya, a sub-Saharan low-income country, and the association between health insurance status at diagnosis and treatment outcomes. DESIGN This was a retrospective medical records study. All children diagnosed with NHL in 2010, 2011 and 2012 were included. Data on treatment outcomes and health insurance status at diagnosis were collected. RESULTS Of all 63 patients with NHL, 35% abandoned treatment, 22% had progressive or relapsed disease, 14% died and 29% had event-free survival. Most patients (73%) had no health insurance at diagnosis. Treatment outcomes in children with or without health insurance at diagnosis differed significantly (p=0.005). The most likely treatment outcome in children with health insurance at diagnosis was event-free survival (53%), whereas in children without health insurance at diagnosis it was abandonment of treatment (44%). Crude HR for treatment failure was 3.1 (95% CI 1.41 to 6.60, p=0.005) for uninsured versus insured children. The event-free survival estimate was significantly higher in children with health insurance at diagnosis than in patients without health insurance at diagnosis (p=0.003). Stage of disease at diagnosis was identified as a confounder of this association (adjusted HR=2.4, 95% CI 0.95 to 6.12, p=0.063). CONCLUSIONS Survival of children with NHL in Kenya is much lower compared with high-income countries. Abandonment of treatment is the most common cause of treatment failure. Health insurance at diagnosis was associated with better treatment outcomes and survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugo A Martijn
- Department of Pediatric Oncology-Hematology, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Festus Njuguna
- Department of Child Health and Pediatrics, Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, Eldoret, Kenya
| | - Gilbert Olbara
- Department of Child Health and Pediatrics, Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, Eldoret, Kenya
| | - Sandra Langat
- Department of Child Health and Pediatrics, Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, Eldoret, Kenya
| | - Jodi Skiles
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hemato-Oncology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Stephen Martin
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hemato-Oncology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Terry Vik
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hemato-Oncology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Peter M van de Ven
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Gertjan Jl Kaspers
- Department of Pediatric Oncology-Hematology, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Saskia Mostert
- Department of Pediatric Oncology-Hematology, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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Rivera-Luna R, Zapata-Tarres M, Shalkow-Klincovstein J, Velasco-Hidalgo L, Olaya-Vargas A, Finkelstein-Mizrahi N, Cárdenas-Cardós R, Aguilar-Ortiz MR. The burden of childhood cancer in Mexico: Implications for low- and middle-income countries. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2017; 64. [PMID: 27905680 DOI: 10.1002/pbc.26366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2016] [Revised: 10/03/2016] [Accepted: 10/28/2016] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
In Mexico, childhood cancer incidence and mortality have increased in the last decade. Through government actions since 2005, the Popular Medical Insurance (PMI) program for childhood cancer was created. The objective of PMI was to offer early cancer diagnosis, standardized treatment regimens, and numerous pediatric oncology residency programs. It has also accredited 55 national hospitals for the care of these children. Current problems still present under the PMI include shortage of pediatric oncologists and nurses and high rate of abandonment of treatment. Our aim is to describe the current scenario of childhood cancer care in Mexico, especially from the perspective of the PMI and how it has impacted human resources, infrastructure, and medical education.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Rivera-Luna
- Division of Pediatric Hem/Oncology, National Institute of Pediatrics (NIP), Mexico City, Mexico.,Program of the National Council for the Prevention and Treatment of Childhood Cancer, CENSIA, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Marta Zapata-Tarres
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, National Institute of Pediatrics (NIP), Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Jaime Shalkow-Klincovstein
- Program of the National Council for the Prevention and Treatment of Childhood Cancer, CENSIA, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Liliana Velasco-Hidalgo
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, National Institute of Pediatrics (NIP), Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Alberto Olaya-Vargas
- Bone Marrow Transplant Unit, National Institute of Pediatrics (NIP), Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Nicole Finkelstein-Mizrahi
- General Direction of Development of Health Services, Office of the Fund for Protection Against Catastrophic Expenses for Childhood Cancer from the Popular Medical Insurance, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Rocío Cárdenas-Cardós
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, National Institute of Pediatrics (NIP), Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Marco R Aguilar-Ortiz
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, National Institute of Pediatrics (NIP), Mexico City, Mexico
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The Impact of Socioeconomic Factors on the Outcome of Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) Treatment in a Low/Middle Income Country (LMIC). J Pediatr Hematol Oncol 2016; 38:587-596. [PMID: 27467375 DOI: 10.1097/mph.0000000000000653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Survival for childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) has improved significantly, but these benefits may not be available to many children from low and middle income countries, where reasons for treatment failure may be unique to their environment. We retrospectively reviewed data on pediatric (1 to 18 y or younger) patients with newly diagnosed ALL treated over 5 years at a children's cancer hospital in Pakistan. Patients were treated with modified Berlin-Frankfurt-Muenster -based therapy without risk stratification. There were 255 children with a median age of 7 years (mean, 7.65 y) and a male preponderance (M:F=1.6:1). 20% had T-ALL, one-third had white blood cells >50×10/L and 13.7% central nervous system disease. A majority (56.5%) was malnourished. In total, 49 (19.2%) died before the end of induction and 21 died in complete remission. Most deaths were infection-related. A total of 50 patients relapsed and 19 abandoned therapy after complete remission. Five-year overall survival is 52.9% with abandonment censored and 45.8% with abandonment as an event. Overall survival was related to socioeconomic status but not to known risk factors. The outcome of ALL at our center is suboptimal and associated with factors not commonly seen in developed countries. Special attention to early diagnosis, infection control, and parental educational are needed to improve the survival.
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Roy Moulik N, Kulkarni KP, Kumar A. Tracking children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia who abandoned therapy: Experience, challenges, parental perspectives, and impact of treatment subsidies and intensified counseling. Pediatr Hematol Oncol 2016; 33:327-337. [PMID: 27645371 DOI: 10.1080/08880018.2016.1212956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Refusal for treatment and therapy abandonment are important reasons for unfavorable outcome of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in resource-poor countries. The present study, conducted on children with ALL whose treatment was abandoned, attempted to track all these children to ascertain the causes and outcome of therapy abandonment/refusal. In order to improve outcome of ALL, measures to prevent abandonment were introduced in the form of treatment subsidies and intensified multistage counseling. Of the 77 (of 418) children abandoning therapy, 17 (22%) refused upfront, whereas the rest abandoned during various phases of chemotherapy. Only 39 (50.6%) of these 77 families could be subsequently contacted. Financial problems, too many dependents at home, and wrong perceptions about cancer led to abandonment in majority. Children abandoning treatment before completion of induction had a significantly shorter survival than who abandoned post induction (P < .0001). Intensified preabandonment counseling and subsidized treatment led to significant reduction in abandonment rates (P < .0001).
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Affiliation(s)
- Nirmalya Roy Moulik
- a Department of Pediatrics , King George's Medical University , Lucknow , India
| | - Ketan Prasad Kulkarni
- b Division of Hematology/Oncology , Department of Pediatrics , IWK Health Centre , Halifax , Canada
| | - Archana Kumar
- c Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology , Department of Pediatrics , King George's Medical University , Lucknow , India
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24
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Viana SS, de Lima LMMR, do Nascimento JB, Cardoso CAF, Rosário ACD, Mendonça CDQ, de Menezes-Neto OA, Cipolotti R. Secular trends and predictors of mortality in acute lymphoblastic leukemia for children of low socioeconomic level in Northeast Brazil. Leuk Res 2015; 39:1060-5. [DOI: 10.1016/j.leukres.2015.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2015] [Revised: 07/09/2015] [Accepted: 07/16/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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25
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de la Maza L. V, Fernández C. M, Concha R. L, Santolaya D. ME, Villarroel C. M, Castro C. M, Torres T. JP. Impacto de un programa educativo a los padres de niños con cáncer en el aumento del conocimiento de la enfermedad de sus hijos y la disminución de la ansiedad. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015; 86:351-6. [DOI: 10.1016/j.rchipe.2015.04.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2014] [Revised: 04/25/2015] [Accepted: 04/28/2015] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Acute lymphoblastic leukemia in low and middle-income countries: disease characteristics and treatment results. Curr Opin Oncol 2015; 26:650-5. [PMID: 25202926 DOI: 10.1097/cco.0000000000000125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Acute lymphoblastic leukemia is the most common pediatric cancer. The cure rate of this disease is over 80% in developed countries utilizing protocols with very tolerable toxicity. Several factors contributed to this success, including the implementation of large collaborative clinical trials and the better understanding of disease biology allowing for risk-stratified treatment. We will review the current state of the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia in low-income and medium-income countries. RECENT FINDINGS The picture differs from country to country, but recent advances have been made in many countries and the cure rates have improved significantly. Tackling problems such as access to care, abandonment of treatment and toxicity of protocols and the development of centers of excellence are critical for continued improvement. Twinning with programs in developed countries and the creation of regional collaborative groups will allow the implementation of risk-directed therapy and better supportive care. SUMMARY The experience in low-income countries shows that a structured approach to the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia results in improved survival.
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Mostert S, Gunawan S, Wolters E, van de Ven P, Sitaresmi M, Dongen JV, Veerman A, Mantik M, Kaspers G. Socio-economic status plays important roles in childhood cancer treatment outcome in Indonesia. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev 2014; 13:6491-6. [PMID: 23464480 DOI: 10.7314/apjcp.2012.13.12.6491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The influence of parental socio-economic status on childhood cancer treatment outcome in low-income countries has not been sufficiently investigated. Our study examined this influence and explored parental experiences during cancer treatment of their children in an Indonesian academic hospital. MATERIALS AND METHODS Medical charts of 145 children diagnosed with cancer between 1999 and 2009 were reviewed retrospectively. From October 2011 until January 2012, 40 caretakers were interviewed using semi-structured questionnaires. RESULTS Of all patients, 48% abandoned treatment, 34% experienced death, 9% had progressive/ relapsed disease, and 9% overall event-free survival. Prosperous patients had better treatment outcome than poor patients (P<0.0001). Odds-ratio for treatment abandonment was 3.3 (95%CI: 1.4-8.1, p=0.006) for poor versus prosperous patients. Parents often believed that their child's health was beyond doctor control and determined by luck, fate or God (55%). Causes of cancer were thought to be destiny (35%) or God's punishment (23%). Alternative treatment could (18%) or might (50%) cure cancer. Most parents (95%) would like more information about cancer and treatment. More contact with doctors was desired (98%). Income decreased during treatment (55%). Parents lost employment (48% fathers, 10% mothers), most of whom stated this loss was caused by their child's cancer (84% fathers, 100% mothers). Loss of income led to financial difficulties (63%) and debts (55%). CONCLUSIONS Treatment abandonment was most important reason for treatment failure. Treatment outcome was determined by parental socio-economic status. Childhood cancer survival could improve if financial constraints and provision of information and guidance are better addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saskia Mostert
- Department of Pediatric Oncology-Hematology, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
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Leader A, Raanani P. Adherence-related issues in adolescents and young adults with hematological disorders. Acta Haematol 2014; 132:348-62. [PMID: 25228561 DOI: 10.1159/000360197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Nonadherence to medical recommendations is a widespread problem well documented in a multitude of clinical settings. Nonadherence may adversely affect clinical outcomes such as survival and quality of life and increase health-care-related costs. An understanding of the factors driving nonadherence is key to developing effective adherence-enhancing interventions (AEIs). There are ongoing attempts in contemporary adherence research to better define the various components of adherence, to find optimal measures of adherence and correlations with clinical outcomes, and to create a classification system for AEIs. Nonadherence is also widely prevalent among adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with chronic hematological diseases, affecting up to 50% of patients and increasing with age. Combined use of objective (i.e. electronic monitoring, EM) and subjective (i.e. self-report) measures of adherence may be the preferred approach to assess adherence. The unique physical, social and emotional aspects of the AYA life stage are closely related to intricate causes of nonadherence in AYAs such as problems in transition to adult care. Until proven otherwise, the empirical target in AYAs with hematological disorders should be perfect adherence. Multilevel AEIs, EM feedback and behavioral interventions are among the most effective types of AEIs. Despite the magnitude of the problem, only a handful of AEIs have been evaluated among AYAs with hematological disorders. Thus, this is a field with unmet needs warranting high-quality trials using standardized and well-specified assessment methods and interventions. This review discusses the prevalence, definition, causes and clinical implications of nonadherence among AYAs with hematological disorders, along with strategies to measure and improve adherence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Avi Leader
- Institute of Hematology, Davidoff Center, Beilinson Hospital, Rabin Medical Center, Petah Tikva, Israel
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29
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Njuguna F, Mostert S, Slot A, Langat S, Skiles J, Sitaresmi MN, van de Ven PM, Musimbi J, Muliro H, Vreeman RC, Kaspers GJL. Abandonment of childhood cancer treatment in Western Kenya. Arch Dis Child 2014; 99:609-14. [PMID: 24681695 DOI: 10.1136/archdischild-2013-305052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The most important reason for childhood cancer treatment failure in low-income countries is treatment abandonment. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to explore reasons for childhood cancer treatment abandonment and assess the clinical condition of these children. DESIGN This was a descriptive study using semistructured questionnaires. Home visits were conducted to interview families of childhood cancer patients, diagnosed between January 2007 and January 2009, who had abandoned treatment at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH). RESULTS Between January 2007 and January 2009, 222 children were newly diagnosed with a malignancy at MTRH. Treatment outcome was documented in 180 patients. Of these 180 patients, 98 (54%) children abandoned treatment. From December 2011 until August 2012, 53 (54%) of the 98 families were contacted. Due to lack of contact information, 45 families were untraceable. From 53 contacted families, 46 (87%) families agreed to be interviewed. Reasons for abandonment were reported by 26 families, and they were diverse. Most common reasons were financial difficulties (46%), inadequate access to health insurance (27%) and transportation difficulties (23%). Most patients (72%) abandoned treatment after the first 3 months had been completed. Of the 46 children who abandoned treatment, 9 (20%) were still alive: 6 (67%) of these children looked healthy and 3 (33%) ill. The remaining 37 (80%) children had passed away. CONCLUSIONS Prevention of childhood cancer treatment abandonment requires improved access to health insurance, financial or transportation support, proper parental education, psychosocial guidance and ameliorated communication skills of healthcare providers.
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Gupta S, Rivera-Luna R, Ribeiro RC, Howard SC. Pediatric oncology as the next global child health priority: the need for national childhood cancer strategies in low- and middle-income countries. PLoS Med 2014; 11:e1001656. [PMID: 24936984 PMCID: PMC4061014 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1001656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Dr. Sumit Gupta and colleagues discuss the need for national cancer strategies for children in low- and middle-income countries and suggest how such strategies could be implemented. Please see later in the article for the Editors' Summary
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Affiliation(s)
- Sumit Gupta
- Division of Paediatric Haematology/Oncology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- * E-mail:
| | - Roberto Rivera-Luna
- Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, National Institute of Pediatrics (NIP), Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Raul C. Ribeiro
- Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Scott C. Howard
- Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, United States of America
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Erdmann F, Kaatsch P, Zeeb H, Roman E, Lightfoot T, Schüz J. Survival from childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in West Germany: does socio-demographic background matter? Eur J Cancer 2014; 50:1345-53. [PMID: 24582913 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejca.2014.01.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2013] [Revised: 01/27/2014] [Accepted: 01/30/2014] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sex, age, immunophenotype and white blood cell count at diagnosis are well accepted predictors of survival from acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) in children. Less is known about the relationship between socio-economic determinants and survival from paediatric ALL, studied here for the first time in German children. METHODS ALL cases were diagnosed between 1992 and 1994 and their parents interviewed during a previous nationwide case-control study. Children were followed-up for 10 years after diagnosis by the German Childhood Cancer Registry. Cox proportional hazards models estimating hazard ratios (HRs) were calculated to assess the impact of selected socio-demographic characteristics on overall and event-free survival. RESULTS Overall survival was 82.5%, with a higher proportion of girls than boys surviving (85% versus 81%). We found a non-linear relationship between age at diagnosis and survival, with poorer survival in infants and children aged >5 years. There was no association between socio-economic factors and survival or risk of relapse. For five levels of increasing family income, all HRs were close to one. No relationship was seen with parental educational level. CONCLUSION Socio-economic determinants did not affect ALL survival in West German children, in contrast to studies from some other countries. Dissimilarities in social welfare systems, including access to health care, lifestyle and differences in treatment may contribute to these differences in findings. Our observation of no social inequalities in paediatric ALL survival is reassuring, but needs continued monitoring to assess the potential impact of evolvement of treatment options and changes in paediatric health service.
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Affiliation(s)
- Friederike Erdmann
- Section of Environment and Radiation, International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), 150 Cours Albert Thomas, 69372 Lyon, France.
| | - Peter Kaatsch
- German Childhood Cancer Registry, Institute for Medical Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Obere Zahlbacher Strasse 69, 55101 Mainz, Germany
| | - Hajo Zeeb
- Department of Prevention and Evaluation, Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology - BIPS GmbH, Achterstraße 30, 28359 Bremen, Germany
| | - Eve Roman
- Department of Health Sciences, Epidemiology & Cancer Statistics Group, University of York, Seebohm Rowntree Building, Heslington, York YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Tracy Lightfoot
- Department of Health Sciences, Epidemiology & Cancer Statistics Group, University of York, Seebohm Rowntree Building, Heslington, York YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Joachim Schüz
- Section of Environment and Radiation, International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), 150 Cours Albert Thomas, 69372 Lyon, France
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Gupta S, Wilejto M, Pole JD, Guttmann A, Sung L. Low socioeconomic status is associated with worse survival in children with cancer: a systematic review. PLoS One 2014; 9:e89482. [PMID: 24586813 PMCID: PMC3935876 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0089482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2013] [Accepted: 01/21/2014] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND While low socioeconomic status (SES) has been associated with inferior cancer outcome among adults, its impact in pediatric oncology is unclear. Our objective was therefore to conduct a systematic review to determine the impact of SES upon outcome in children with cancer. METHODS We searched Ovid Medline, EMBASE and CINAHL from inception to December 2012. Studies for which survival-related outcomes were reported by socioeconomic subgroups were eligible for inclusion. Two reviewers independently assessed articles and extracted data. Given anticipated heterogeneity, no quantitative meta-analyses were planned a priori. RESULTS Of 7,737 publications, 527 in ten languages met criteria for full review; 36 studies met final inclusion criteria. In low- and middle-income countries (LMIC), lower SES was uniformly associated with inferior survival, regardless of the measure chosen. The majority of associations were statistically significant. Of 52 associations between socioeconomic variables and outcome among high-income country (HIC) children, 38 (73.1%) found low SES to be associated with worse survival, 15 of which were statistically significant. Of the remaining 14 (no association or high SES associated with worse survival), only one was statistically significant. Both HIC studies examining the effect of insurance found uninsured status to be statistically associated with inferior survival. CONCLUSIONS Socioeconomic gradients in which low SES is associated with inferior childhood cancer survival are ubiquitous in LMIC and common in HIC. Future studies should elucidate mechanisms underlying these gradients, allowing the design of interventions mediating socioeconomic effects. Targeting the effect of low SES will allow for further improvements in childhood cancer survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sumit Gupta
- Division of Haematology/Oncology, the Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Program in Child Health Evaluative Sciences, the Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Institute for Health, Policy Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Marta Wilejto
- Division of Haematology/Oncology, the Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Program in Child Health Evaluative Sciences, the Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jason D. Pole
- Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Institute for Clinical and Evaluative Sciences, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Astrid Guttmann
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Institute for Clinical and Evaluative Sciences, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Division of Paediatric Medicine, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Institute for Health, Policy Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Lillian Sung
- Division of Haematology/Oncology, the Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Program in Child Health Evaluative Sciences, the Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Institute for Health, Policy Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Slone JS, Chunda-Liyoka C, Perez M, Mutalima N, Newton R, Chintu C, Kankasa C, Chipeta J, Heimburger DC, Vermund SH, Friedman DL. Pediatric malignancies, treatment outcomes and abandonment of pediatric cancer treatment in Zambia. PLoS One 2014; 9:e89102. [PMID: 24586527 PMCID: PMC3931678 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0089102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2013] [Accepted: 01/14/2014] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND There exist significant challenges to the receipt of comprehensive oncologic treatment for children diagnosed with cancer in sub-Saharan Africa. To better define those challenges, we investigated treatment outcomes and risk factors for treatment abandonment in a cohort of children diagnosed with cancer at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH), the site of the only pediatric oncology ward in Zambia. METHODS Using an established database, a retrospective cohort study was conducted of children aged 0-15 years admitted to the pediatric oncology ward between July 2008 and June 2010 with suspected cancer. Diagnosis, mode of diagnosis, treatment outcome, and risk factors for abandonment of treatment were abstracted from this database and clinical medical records. RESULTS Among 162 children treated at the UTH during the study time period that met inclusion criteria, only 8.0% completed a treatment regimen with most of the patients dying during treatment or abandoning care. In multivariable analysis, shorter distance from home to the UTH was associated with a lower risk of treatment abandonment (Adjusted Odds Ratio [aOR] = 0.48 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.23-0.97). Conversely maternal education less than secondary school was associated with increased risk for abandonment (aOR = 1.65; 95% CI 1.05-2.58). CONCLUSIONS Despite availability of dedicated pediatric oncology treatment, treatment completion rates are poor, due in part to the logistical challenges faced by families, low educational status, and significant distance from the hospital. Alternative treatment delivery strategies are required to bring effective pediatric oncology care to the patients in need, as their ability to come to and remain at a central tertiary care facility for treatment is limited. We suggest that the extensive system now in place in most of sub-Saharan Africa that sustains life-long antiretroviral therapy for children with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection be adapted for pediatric cancer treatment to improve outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy S. Slone
- Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Catherine Chunda-Liyoka
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, University Teaching Hospital, and University of Zambia School of Medicine, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - Marta Perez
- Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Nora Mutalima
- Epidemiology and Cancer Statistics Group, University of York, York, England, United Kingdom
| | - Robert Newton
- Epidemiology and Cancer Statistics Group, University of York, York, England, United Kingdom
- Medical Research Council/Uganda Virus Research Institute Research Unit on Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), Entebbe, Uganda
| | - Chifumbe Chintu
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, University Teaching Hospital, and University of Zambia School of Medicine, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - Chipepo Kankasa
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, University Teaching Hospital, and University of Zambia School of Medicine, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - James Chipeta
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, University Teaching Hospital, and University of Zambia School of Medicine, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - Douglas C. Heimburger
- Division of General Internal Medicine and Public Health, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
- Vanderbilt Institute for Global Health, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Sten H. Vermund
- Division of General Internal Medicine and Public Health, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
- Vanderbilt Institute for Global Health, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
- Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Debra L. Friedman
- Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
- Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center; Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
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Yeoh AEJ, Tan D, Li CK, Hori H, Tse E, Pui CH. Management of adult and paediatric acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in Asia: resource-stratified guidelines from the Asian Oncology Summit 2013. Lancet Oncol 2013; 14:e508-23. [PMID: 24176570 PMCID: PMC4059516 DOI: 10.1016/s1470-2045(13)70452-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Survival for adults and children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia has risen substantially in recent years because use of improved risk-directed treatments and supportive care has widened. In nearly all developed countries, multidisciplinary panels of leukaemia experts have formulated clinical practice guidelines in which standard treatment approaches are recommended on the basis of current evidence. However, those guidelines do not take into account resource limitations in low-income countries, including financial and technical challenges. In Asia, huge disparities in economy and infrastructure exist between countries, and even among different regions in some large countries. At a consensus session held as part of the 2013 Asian Oncology Summit in Bangkok, Thailand, a panel of experts summarised recommendations for management of adult and paediatric acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. Strategies were developed for Asian countries on the basis of available financial, skill, and logistical resources and were stratified in a four-tier system according to the resources available in a particular country or region (basic, limited, enhanced, and maximum).
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Affiliation(s)
- Allen E J Yeoh
- Department of Paediatrics, National University Hospital, National University of Singapore, Singapore
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Gupta S, Yeh S, Martiniuk A, Lam CG, Chen HY, Liu YL, Tsimicalis A, Arora RS, Ribeiro RC. The magnitude and predictors of abandonment of therapy in paediatric acute leukaemia in middle-income countries: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Eur J Cancer 2013; 49:2555-64. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejca.2013.03.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2012] [Revised: 03/02/2013] [Accepted: 03/19/2013] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Mostert S, Gunawan S, van Dongen JAP, van de Ven PM, Sitaresmi MN, Wolters EE, Veerman AJP, Mantik M, Kaspers GJL. Health-care providers' perspectives on childhood cancer treatment in Manado, Indonesia. Psychooncology 2013; 22:2522-8. [DOI: 10.1002/pon.3314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2012] [Revised: 04/26/2013] [Accepted: 04/28/2013] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- S. Mostert
- Department of Pediatric Oncology-Hematology; VU University Medical Center; Amsterdam The Netherlands
| | - S. Gunawan
- Department of Pediatric Oncology-Hematology; Prof Dr RD Kandou Hospital; Manado Indonesia
| | - J. A. P. van Dongen
- Department of Pediatric Oncology-Hematology; VU University Medical Center; Amsterdam The Netherlands
| | - P. M. van de Ven
- Epidemiology and Biostatistics; VU University Medical Center; Amsterdam The Netherlands
| | - M. N. Sitaresmi
- Department of Pediatrics, Dr Sardjito Hospital; Gadjah Mada University; Yogyakarta Indonesia
| | - E. E. Wolters
- Department of Pediatric Oncology-Hematology; VU University Medical Center; Amsterdam The Netherlands
| | - A. J. P. Veerman
- Department of Pediatric Oncology-Hematology; VU University Medical Center; Amsterdam The Netherlands
| | - M. Mantik
- Department of Pediatric Oncology-Hematology; Prof Dr RD Kandou Hospital; Manado Indonesia
| | - G. J. L. Kaspers
- Department of Pediatric Oncology-Hematology; VU University Medical Center; Amsterdam The Netherlands
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Reduction of child mortality is one of the Millennium Development Goals; as low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) advance toward the achievement of this goal, initiatives aimed at reducing the burden of noncommunicable diseases, including childhood cancer, need to be developed. RECENT FINDINGS Approximately 200 000 children and adolescents are diagnosed with cancer every year worldwide; of those, 80% live in LMICs, which account for 90% of the deaths. Lack of quality population-based cancer registries in LMICs limits our knowledge of the epidemiology of pediatric cancer; however, available information showing variations in incidence may indicate unique interactions between environmental and genetic factors that could provide clues to cause. Outcome of children with cancer in LMICs is dictated by late presentation and underdiagnosis, high abandonment rates, high prevalence of malnutrition and other comorbidities, suboptimal supportive and palliative care, and limited access to curative therapies. Initiatives integrating program building with education of healthcare providers and research have proven to be successful in the development of regional capacity. Intensity-graduated treatments adjusted to the local capacity have been developed. SUMMARY Childhood cancer burden is shifted toward LMICs; global initiatives directed at pediatric cancer care and control are urgently needed. International partnerships facilitating stepwise processes that build capacity while incorporating epidemiology and health services research and implementing intensity-graduated treatments have been shown to be effective.
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The experience in nicaragua: childhood leukemia in low income countries-the main cause of late diagnosis may be "medical delay". Int J Pediatr 2012; 2012:129707. [PMID: 22518173 PMCID: PMC3299225 DOI: 10.1155/2012/129707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2011] [Revised: 11/02/2011] [Accepted: 11/11/2011] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background. The event-free survival for pediatric leukemia in low-income Countries is much lower than in high-income countries. Late diagnosis, which is regarded as a contributing factor, may be due to "parental" or "medical" delay. Procedures. The present study analyses determinants of lag time from first symptoms to diagnosis of leukemia, comparing pediatric (0-16 years old) patients in two referral centers, one in Nicaragua and one in Italy. An observational retrospective study was conducted to assess factors influencing the time to diagnosis. Results. 81 charts of children diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia or lymphoblastic leukemia were analyzed from each centre. Median lag time to diagnosis was higher in Nicaragua than in Italy (29 versus 14 days, P < 0.001) and it was mainly due to "physician delay" (16.5 versus 7 days, P < 0.001), whereas "patient delay" from symptoms to first medical assessment was similar in the two centers (7 versus 5 days, P = 0.27). Moreover, median lag time from symptoms to diagnosis was decreased in Nicaraguan districts were a specific training program upon childhood oncological diseases was carried out (20.5 versus 40 days, P = 0.0019). Conclusions. Our study shows that delay in diagnosis of childhood leukemia is mainly associated with "physician delay" and it may be overcome by programs of continuous medical education.
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Surapolchai P, Pakakasama S, Sirachainan N, Anurathapan U, Songdej D, Chuansumrit A, Hongeng S. Comparative outcomes of Thai children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia treated with two consecutive protocols: 11-year experience. Leuk Lymphoma 2012; 53:891-900. [DOI: 10.3109/10428194.2011.631156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
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Syse A, Lyngstad TH, Kravdal O. Is mortality after childhood cancer dependent on social or economic resources of parents? A population-based study. Int J Cancer 2011; 130:1870-8. [DOI: 10.1002/ijc.26186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2011] [Accepted: 05/02/2011] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
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Arora RS, Pizer B, Eden T. Understanding refusal and abandonment in the treatment of childhood cancer. Indian Pediatr 2011; 47:1005-10. [PMID: 21220796 DOI: 10.1007/s13312-010-0172-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Treatment refusal and abandonment is the principal cause of therapy failure in children with cancer in the developing world. A complex interplay of biological, socio-economic and treatment-related factors underlies this problem. Interventions are likely to succeed when they try and address all of these issues simultaneously, as exemplified by the success of twinning programs linking resource-rich and resource-limited countries. Hitherto, there has been no systematic attempt to understand and address this problem in India. Based on the knowledge gained from research in other parts of the developing world, we offer suggestions for dealing with this problem.
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Affiliation(s)
- R S Arora
- Cancer Research UK Paediatric and Familial Cancer Research Group, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
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Xu XJ, Tang YM, Song H, Yang SL, Shi SW, Wei J. Long-term outcome of childhood acute myeloid leukemia in a developing country: experience from a children's hospital in China. Leuk Lymphoma 2010; 51:2262-9. [DOI: 10.3109/10428194.2010.518653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
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