African Breast Cancer-Disparities in Outcomes (ABC-DO): protocol of a multicountry mobile health prospective study of breast cancer survival in sub-Saharan Africa.

INTRODUCTION: Sub-Saharan African (SSA) women with breast cancer (BC) have low survival rates from this potentially treatable disease. An understanding of context-specific societal, health-systems and woman-level barriers to BC early detection, diagnosis and treatment are needed. METHODS: The African Breast Cancer-Disparities in Outcomes (ABC-DO) is a prospective hospital-based study of overall survival, impact on quality of life (QOL) and delays along the journey to diagnosis and treatment of BC in SSA. ABC-DO is currently recruiting in Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda and Zambia. Women aged 18 years or older who present at participating secondary and tertiary hospitals with a new clinical or histocytological diagnosis of primary BC are invited to participate. For consented women, tumour characteristics, specimen and treatment data are obtained. Over a 2-year enrolment period, we aim to recruit 2000 women who, in the first instance, will be followed for between 1 and 3 years. A face-to-face baseline interview obtains information on socioeconomic, cultural and demographic factors, QOL, health and BC attitudes/knowledge, and timing of all prediagnostic contacts with caregivers in orthodox health, traditional and spiritual systems. Responses are immediately captured on mobile devices that are fed into a tailored mobile health (mHealth) study management system. This system implements the study protocol, by prompting study researchers to phone women on her mobile phone every 3 months and, failing to reach her, prompts contact with her next-of-kin. At follow-up calls, women provide updated information on QOL, care received and disease impacts on family and working life; date of death is asked of her next-of-kin when relevant. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The study was approved by ethics committees of all involved institutions. All participants provide written informed consent. The findings from the study will be published in peer-reviewed scientific journals, presented to funders and relevant local organisations and at scientific conferences

Drivers of advanced stage at breast cancer diagnosis in the multicountry African breast cancer - disparities in outcomes (ABC-DO) study.

Breast cancer (BC) survival rates in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are low in part due to advanced stage at diagnosis. As one component of a study of the entire journey of SSA women with BC, we aimed to identify shared and setting-specific drivers of advanced stage BC. Women newly diagnosed in the multicountry African Breast Cancer-Disparities in Outcomes (ABC-DO) study completed a baseline interview and their stage information was extracted from medical records. Ordinal logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for advanced stage (I, II, III, IV) in relation to individual woman-level, referral and biological factors. A total of 1795 women were included from Nigeria, Uganda, Zambia, and the multiracial populations of Namibia and South Africa, 1091 of whom (61%) were stage III/IV. Stage was lower in women with greater BC knowledge (OR 0.77 (95% CI: 0.70, 0.85) per point on a 6 point scale). More advanced stage was associated with being black (4.00 (2.79, 5.74)), having attended <secondary education (1.75 (1.42, 2.16)), having never heard of BC (1.64 (1.31, 2.06)), an unskilled job (1.77 (1.43, 2.20)) and pregnancy in the past 3 years (30% of ≤45 year olds) (1.63 (1.15, 2.31)), and were mediated through delays to diagnosis: symptom duration of ≥ 1 year (OR 2.47 (1.93, 3.15)). These findings provide further evidence that late-stage BC in SSA is largely attributed to modifiable factors and strategies to improve BC education and awareness in women and the health system should be intensified

Preexisting morbidity profile of women newly diagnosed with breast cancer in sub-Saharan Africa: African Breast Cancer-Disparities in Outcomes study.

The presence of preexisting morbidities poses a challenge to cancer patient care. There is little information on the profile and prevalence of multi-morbidities in breast cancer patients across middle income countries (MIC) to lower income countries (LIC) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The African Breast Cancer-Disparities in Outcomes (ABC-DO) breast cancer cohort spans upper MICs South Africa and Namibia, lower MICs Zambia and Nigeria and LIC Uganda. At cancer diagnosis, seven morbidities were assessed: obesity, hypertension, diabetes, asthma/chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart disease, tuberculosis and HIV. Logistic regression models were used to assess determinants of morbidities and the influence of morbidities on advanced stage (stage III/IV) breast cancer diagnosis. Among 2189 women, morbidity prevalence was the highest for obesity (35%, country-specific range 15-57%), hypertension (32%, 15-51%) and HIV (16%, 2-26%) then for diabetes (7%, 4%-10%), asthma (4%, 2%-10%), tuberculosis (4%, 0%-8%) and heart disease (3%, 1%-7%). Obesity and hypertension were more common in upper MICs and in higher socioeconomic groups. Overall, 27% of women had at least two preexisting morbidities. Older women were more likely to have obesity (odds ratio: 1.09 per 10 years, 95% CI 1.01-1.18), hypertension (1.98, 1.81-2.17), diabetes (1.51, 1.32-1.74) and heart disease (1.69, 1.37-2.09) and were less likely to be HIV positive (0.64, 0.58-0.71). Multi-morbidity was not associated with stage at diagnosis, with the exception of earlier stage in obese and hypertensive women. Breast cancer patients in higher income countries and higher social groups in SSA face the additional burden of preexisting non-communicable diseases, particularly obesity and hypertension, exacerbated by HIV in Southern/Eastern Africa

Disparities in breast cancer survival between women with and without HIV across sub-Saharan Africa (ABC-DO): a prospective, cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Studies have shown increased mortality among women living with HIV diagnosed with breast cancer compared with HIV-negative women with breast cancer. We aimed to examine how this HIV differential varies by patient or breast tumour characteristics. METHODS: The African Breast Cancer-Disparities in Outcomes (ABC-DO) study is a prospective cohort of women (aged ≥18 years) with incident breast cancer recruited consecutively at diagnosis (2014-17) from hospitals in Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda, and Zambia. Detailed clinical and epidemiological data, including self-reported or tested HIV status, were collected at baseline. Participants were actively followed up via telephone calls every 3 months. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality, assessed in all women who had at least one updated vital status after baseline interview. Using Cox regression, we examined differences in overall survival by HIV status in the cohort, and across country and patient subgroups, adjusted for age, tumour grade, and tumour stage at cancer diagnosis. FINDINGS: Between Sept 8, 2014, and Dec 31, 2017, we recruited 2154 women with primary breast cancer, 519 of whom were excluded due to their countries having small numbers of women with HIV for comparison. Among the remaining 1635 women, 313 (19%) were living with HIV, 1184 (72%) were HIV negative, and 138 (9%) had unknown HIV status. At breast cancer diagnosis, women with HIV were younger and had lower body-mass index (BMI) than their HIV-negative counterparts, but had similar tumour stage, grade, and receptor subtypes. At the end of the follow-up (Jan 1, 2019), a higher proportion of women with HIV (137 [44%] of 313) had died than had HIV-negative women (432 [37%] of 1184). Crude 3-year survival was 9% lower for women with HIV (46% [95% CI 40-53]) than for HIV-negative women (55% [52-59]; hazard ratio (HR) 1·41 [1·15-1·74]). The HIV survival differential did not differ by age, BMI, tumour subtype, or tumour grade, but was stronger in women with non-metastatic disease (3-year survival 52% HIV-positive vs 63% HIV-negative women, adjusted HR 1·65 [1·30-2·10]), whereas women with metastatic cancer had low survival, regardless of HIV status. INTERPRETATION: The larger survival deficit among women with HIV with non-metastatic breast cancer calls for a better understanding of the reasons underlying this differential (eg, biological mechanisms, health behaviours, detrimental HIV-breast cancer treatment interactions, or higher HIV background mortality) to inform strategies for reducing mortality among this patient group. FUNDING: Susan G Komen, International Agency for Research on Cancer, National Cancer Institute, and UK-Commonwealth Scholarships

Breast cancer receptor status and stage at diagnosis in over 1,200 consecutive public hospital patients in Soweto, South Africa: a case series

Introduction: Estimates of the proportion of estrogen receptor negative (ERN) and triple-negative (TRN) breast cancer from sub-Saharan Africa are variable and include high values. Large studies of receptor status conducted on non-archival tissue are lacking from this region. Methods: We identified 1218 consecutive women (91% black) diagnosed with invasive breast cancer from 2006–2012 at a public hospital in Soweto, South Africa. Immunohistochemistry based ER, progesterone receptor (PR) and human epidermal factor 2 (HER2) receptors were assessed at diagnosis on pre-treatment biopsy specimens. Mutually adjusted associations of receptor status with stage, age, and race were examined using risk ratios (RRs). ER status was compared with age-stratified US Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results program (SEER) data. Results: 35% (95% confidence interval (CI): 32–38) of tumors were ERN, 47% (45–52) PRN, 26% (23–29) HER2P and 21% (18–23) TRN. Later stage tumors were more likely to be ERN and PRN (RRs 1.9 (1.1-2.9) and 2.0 (1.3-3.1) for stage III vs. I) but were not strongly associated with HER2 status. Age was not strongly associated with ER or PR status, but older women were less likely to have HER2P tumors (RR, 0.95 (0.92-0.99) per 5 years). During the study, stage III + IV tumors decreased from 66% to 46%. In black women the percentage of ERN (37% (34–40)) and PRN tumors (48% (45–52)) was higher than in non-black patients (22% (14–31) and 34% (25–44), respectively, P = 0.004 and P = 0.02), which remained after age and stage adjustment. Age-specific ERN proportions in black South African women were similar to those of US black women, especially for women diagnosed over age 50. Conclusion: Although a greater proportion of black than non-black South African women had ER-negative or TRN breast cancer, in all racial groups in this study breast cancer was predominantly ER-positive and was being diagnosed at earlier stages over time. These observations provide initial indications that late-stage aggressive breast cancers may not be an inherent feature of the breast cancer burden across Africa

Taking on breast cancer in East Africa: global challenges in breast cancer.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To provide an update on breast cancer epidemiology, early detection, and therapy in Africa. RECENT FINDINGS: Breast cancer has been a long neglected topic in Africa. Due to increased activities of population-based cancer registries, cancer incidence rates become available. Data from 26 African countries for 2012 suggest that in the majority of countries, breast cancer has turned into the leading cancer among the female population. Yet data from hospital-based registries show that patients often present late. Efforts are being made to implement early detection programs; however, there are open questions how best to organize screening activities, referral and how to assure pathology service. Adjuvant treatment is still limited to a small number of centers; neoadjuvant treatment is underutilized. New data have become available from different countries reporting high proportions of estrogen receptor-positive tumors, which would possibly justify the administration of tamoxifen in unknown receptor status. SUMMARY: Breast cancer is an increasing health problem in low-resource countries. More information on incidence, clinical presentation, outcome, and tumor biology in Africa has become available. Further evidence is needed on strategies to improve awareness, appropriate treatment options, and implementation of palliative care. VIDEO ABSTRACT: http://links.lww.com/COOG/A1

Health system experiences of breast cancer survivors in urban South Africa.

BackgroundBreast cancer is the most common cancer globally and among South African women. Women from socioeconomically disadvantaged South African communities more often present later and receive total mastectomy compared to those from more affluent communities who have more breast conserving surgery (which is less invasive but requires mandatory radiation treatment post-operatively). Standard chemotherapy and total mastectomy treatments are known to cause traumatizing side effects and emotional suffering among South African women; moreover, many women face limited communication with physicians and psychological support.ObjectiveThis article investigates the experiences of women seeking breast cancer treatment at the largest public hospital in South Africa.MethodsWe interviewed 50 Black women enrolled in the South African Breast Cancer Study to learn more about their health system experiences with detection, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up care for breast cancer. Each interview was between 2-3 hours, addressing perceptions, experiences, and concerns associated with breast cancer and comorbidities such as HIV and hypertension.ResultsWe found most women feared diagnosis, in part, because of the experience of chemotherapy and physical mutilation related to mastectomy. The importance of social support from family, religion, and clinical staff was fundamental for women coping with their condition and adhering to treatment and medication.ConclusionsThese findings exemplify how interventions might promote early detection of breast cancer and better adherence to treatment. Addressing community perceptions of breast cancer, patient needs and desires for treatment, structural barriers to intensive therapies, and the burden of invasive treatments are imperative next steps for delivering better breast cancer care in Soweto and other resource-constrained settings

Perspectives on common chronic diseases in adult cancer patients in South Africa

There is a rising noncommunicable disease (NCD) burden in low- and middle-income countries. Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) bears a higher burden than the global average with South Africa (SA) enduring the highest regional burden. SA among other southern African countries also bears a high prevalence of HIV and other chronic communicable diseases. Having a perspective on common chronic diseases in the ever-increasing numbers of adult cancer patients in SA will inform our understanding of approaches to better manage them. This commentary reviews regional and national studies and data of low- and middle-income countries and particularly SA on the chronic infectious and NCD multimorbidity burden among adult cancer patients. It also reflects on the considerable health system challenges of managing discordant multimorbidity among adult cancer patients within the SA Public Health System. Despite the critical need to better manage the growing MM burden in general and particularly the high prevalence of discordant multimorbidity among cancer patients, there is a dearth of research into MM management generally and in LMICs particularly