Global Collaborations for Cervical Cancer: Can the East-West Alliance Facilitate Treatment for all?

S Chopra; P Mittal; A Viswanathan; E Tharavichitkul; E Zubizarreta; R A Nout; M L Yap; S Grover; D Rodin; B Rai; S Gondhowiardjo; S K Shrivastava

doi:10.1016/j.clon.2019.05.022

Global Collaborations for Cervical Cancer: Can the East-West Alliance Facilitate Treatment for all?

Clin Oncol (R Coll Radiol). 2019 Aug;31(8):529-538. doi: 10.1016/j.clon.2019.05.022. Epub 2019 Jun 20.

Authors

S Chopra¹, P Mittal², A Viswanathan³, E Tharavichitkul⁴, E Zubizarreta⁵, R A Nout⁶, M L Yap⁷, S Grover⁸, D Rodin⁹, B Rai¹⁰, S Gondhowiardjo¹¹, S K Shrivastava¹²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Radiation Oncology, Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer (ACTREC), Tata Memorial Centre, Navi Mumbai, India; Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, India. Electronic address: schopra@actrec.gov.in.
² Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, India; Department of Radiation Oncology, Tata Memorial Hospital, Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai, India.
³ Department of Radiation Oncology, Johns Hopkins University Medical Center, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
⁴ Division of Radiation Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand.
⁵ Division of Human Health, International Atomic of Energy Agency - Vienna International Centre, Vienna, Austria.
⁶ Department of Radiation Oncology, Leiden University Medical Center LUM, Leiden, the Netherlands.
⁷ Collaboration for Cancer Outcomes, Research and Evaluation (CCORE), Ingham Institute, UNSW Sydney, Liverpool, New South Wales, Australia; Liverpool and Macarthur Cancer Therapy Centres, Western Sydney University, Campbelltown, New South Wales, Australia; School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, Australia.
⁸ Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA; Botswana-UPENN Partnership, University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana.
⁹ Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
¹⁰ Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
¹¹ Department of Radiotherapy, Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo National General Hospital, Jakarta, Indonesia.
¹² Department of Radiation Oncology, Apollo Hospital, Belapur, Navi Mumbai, India.

Abstract

Despite the advances in the primary prevention of cervical cancer, there is an absolute increase in the incidence of cervical cancer as a result of an increase in world population. A vast majority of patients in low and low-middle income countries continue to present at a locally advanced stage, necessitating treatment with chemoradiation and brachytherapy. There is a dearth of equipment and trained professionals for the treatment of cervical cancer, especially in low and low-middle income countries. There is an urgent need to improve treatment availability and develop better treatments. Worldwide trends, however, reveal a low number of therapeutic and innovative research trials in cervical cancer. The present article elucidates the existing challenges and provides solutions to improve outcomes. The proposed strategies hinge on strengthening collaborations for global advocacy.

Keywords: Cervical cancer; global collaborations.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Female
Global Burden of Disease / methods*
Humans
Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / epidemiology*
Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / pathology

Grants and funding

K08 CA230170/CA/NCI NIH HHS/United States