An overview of cancer research in South African academic and research institutions, 2013 - 2014
S. Afr. med. j. (Online)
;
106(6): 607-610, 2016.
Article
in English
| AIM
| ID: biblio-1271106
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:
Cancer is emerging as a critical public health problem in South Africa (SA). Recognising the importance of research in addressing the cancer burden; the Ministerial Advisory Committee on the Prevention and Control of Cancer (MACC) research working group undertook a review of the current cancer research landscape in SA and related this to the cancer burden.METHODS:
Academic and research institutions in SA were contacted to provide information on the titles of all current and recently completed (2013/2014) cancer research projects. Three MACC research working group members used the project titles to independently classify the projects by type of research (basic; clinical and public health - projects could be classified in more than one category) and disease site. A more detailed classification of projects addressing the five most common cancers diagnosed in males and females in SA was conducted using an adapted Common Scientific Outline (CSO) categorisation.RESULTS:
Information was available on 556 cancer research projects. Overall; 301 projects were classified as clinical; 254 as basic science and 71 as public health research. The most common cancers being researched were cancers of the breast (n=95 projects) and cervix (n=43); leukaemia (n=36); non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (n=35) and lung cancer (n=23). Classification of the five most common cancers in males and females in SA; using the adapted CSO categories; showed that the majority of projects related to treatment; with relatively few projects on prevention; survivorship and patient perspectives.CONCLUSION:
Our findings established that there is a dearth of public health cancer research in SA
Full text:
Available
Index:
AIM (Africa)
Main subject:
Research
/
South Africa
/
Public Health
/
Academic Medical Centers
/
Neoplasms
Country/Region as subject:
Africa
Language:
English
Journal:
S. Afr. med. j. (Online)
Year:
2016
Type:
Article
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