Global oncology research and training at US National Cancer Institute-designated cancer centres: results of the 2021 Global Oncology Survey.

Global oncology research and training are crucial to address the growing global burden of cancer, which largely and increasingly occurs in low-income and middle-income countries. To better understand global oncology activities at the 71 National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated cancer centres, the US NCI Centre for Global Health regularly surveys cancer centre directors, global oncology leads, and principal investigators in 36 US states and the District of Columbia. The survey results complement internal and publicly available data about global oncology research funded directly by the US National Institutes of Health to provide a comprehensive catalogue of global oncology research, training, and activities led by NCI-designated cancer centres. 91% (61 of 67) of responding cancer centres reported global oncology activities not directly funded by the National Institutes of Health. The survey results indicate that global oncology is an important priority at cancer centres and provide a valuable resource for these centres, researchers, collaborators, trainees, and the NCI and other funders.

How COVID-19 exposed pre-existing roadblocks for cancer control in Africa: strategies, lessons and recommendations from the 2019-2020 Africa Cancer Research and Control ECHO.

Background: The COVID-19 related mitigation measures adversely affected various cancer control activities in Africa, with cancer prevention and screening activities amongst the most significantly impacted. When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, the Africa Cancer Research and Control ECHO utilised their virtual platform to share experiences and knowledge of how to continue cancer service delivery during the pandemic. This analysis describes the evolved strategies, dilemmas, and recommendations to strengthen the health systems for cancer control in Africa. Methods: Eleven 1-hour-long sessions about the then newly emerging coronavirus infection and its impact on cancer control in Africa were held from April 2020 to August 2020, using Zoom®. An average of 39 participants attended the sessions including scientists, clinicians, policymakers and global partners. Sessions were analysed thematically. Results: Most strategies to maintain cancer services during the COVID-19 pandemic centred around cancer treatment, with few strategies on maintaining cancer prevention services, early detection, palliative care and research services. The most mentioned challenge during the pandemic was fear of exposure to COVID-19 infection at the health facility during diagnosis, treatment or follow-up for cancer care. Other challenges were disruptions to service delivery, inaccessibility of cancer treatment, disruption of research activities and a lack of psychosocial support for COVID-19 related fear/anxiety. Significantly, this analysis shows that the COVID-19 related mitigation measures exacerbated existing predicaments in Africa, such as inadequate attention to cancer prevention strategies, psychosocial and palliative services and cancer research. The Africa Cancer ECHO recommends African countries to leverage the infrastructure developed in response to COVID-19 pandemic to strengthen the health system along the entire cancer control continuum. This calls for urgent action to develop and implement evidence-based frameworks and comprehensive National Cancer Control Plans that will withstand any future disruptions.

A bibliometric analysis of cancer research funders and collaborators in Kenya: 2007-2017.

AIM: Cancer research is essential to the development and implementation of effective control strategies and interventions. In Kenya, cancer is the third leading cause of death. Country specific research conducted by local and international investigators can inform a national plan to address local needs across the cancer care continuum. This analysis aims to provide information about the trends and types of cancer research collaborations, funding, and outputs from 2007 to 2017, to understand gaps and opportunities to strengthen Kenya-led cancer research capacity. METHODS: This analysis included 243 studies from a previously published phase 1 scoping review of oncology research conducted and published in Kenya from 2007 to 2017. The citation metadata was drawn from the Web of Science and PubMed and normalized in Microsoft Excel. Using Sci2, a series of bibliometric network analyses were conducted to identify funding patterns, collaborations between authors and institutions, and the types of cancer research conducted in Kenya. Gephi and Excel provided descriptive analyses and graphs of the network. The analyses are categorized into three themes: article production, collaboration, and research topics. RESULTS: The bibliometric analysis found 5 US-based government agencies are funding cancer research in Kenya. Kenya-Kenya institutional collaborations were most common, and half of authors with the most co-authored publications were from Kenya. The publication trend showed a gradual increase from 2011 to 2014 with a subsequent drop through 2017. CONCLUSION AND POLICY SUMMARY STATEMENT: This study identifies the funders and most often published Kenyan authors and Kenyan-based institutions publishing oncology research in Kenya. It also identifies future areas to focus research and the importance of continuing to build the writing and publishing capacity on oncology research by Kenyans.

Expanding best practices for implementing evidence-based cancer control strategies in Africa: The 2019-2020 Africa Cancer Research and Control ECHO Program.

BACKGROUND: Cancer is a major public health problem which requires evidence-based, resourced and well-managed National Cancer Control Plans (NCCPs). However, challenges exist for African countries in developing and implementing functional NCCPs. Hence, the Africa Cancer Research and Control ECHO Program (Africa Cancer ECHO) aims to increase knowledge and utilization of evidence-based practices to strengthen NCCPs in Africa. METHODS: The 2019-2020 Africa Cancer ECHO employed the Project ECHO® model™ to conduct monthly hour-long sessions about cancer control, among cancer control professionals in Africa and international partners. Sessions ran from March 2019 to August 2020. Sessions outcomes were documented throughout the year, followed by an online self-evaluation survey of the participants in July 2020. Quantitative data was analysed using Excel and qualitative data analysed thematically. RESULTS: 157 participants registered for the Africa Cancer ECHO. 24 sessions were conducted for the year 2019-2020. More than 70 % of the participants increased their knowledge, confidence, and ability to implement evidence-based cancer control strategies in their settings. Over 80% indicated that sessions were relevant to their work and met their learning goals and expectations. Recommendations included: use of evidence from population-based cancer registries to direct cancer control; encouraging clinician scientists to generate locally-relevant research questions; embracing information technology and electronic medical records systems; forming partnership and leveraging existing initiatives; and using regular costed cancer control priorities for advocacy and government involvement. CONCLUSION: The 2019-2020 Africa Cancer ECHO increased utilization of evidence-based cancer control practices among cancer control leaders; and recommends use of data, partnerships, and locally-driven solutions to direct the cancer control effort in Africa. POLICY SUMMARY: The Africa Cancer ECHO is a viable method for engaging leaders and partners in a continuous learning and networking process. There is value to investing in such initiatives, as they advance knowledge, familiarity, confidence, partnerships, and leadership in cancer control.

Landscape of Global Oncology Research and Training at National Cancer Institute-Designated Cancer Centers: Results of the 2018 to 2019 Global Oncology Survey.

PURPOSE: The National Cancer Institute (NCI)-Designated Cancer Centers (NDCCs) are active in global oncology research and training, leading collaborations to support global cancer control. To better understand global oncology activities led by NDCCs, the NCI Center for Global Health collaborated with ASCO to conduct the 2018/2019 NCI/ASCO Global Oncology Survey of NDCCs. METHODS: Seventy NDCCs received a two-part survey that focused on global oncology programs at NDCCs and non-National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded global oncology projects with an international collaborator led by the NDCCs. Sixty-seven NDCCs responded to the survey. Data were coded and analyzed by NCI-Center for Global Health staff. RESULTS: Thirty-three NDCCs (47%) reported having a global oncology program, and 61 (87%) reported a collective total of 613 non-NIH-funded global oncology projects. Of the NDCCs with global oncology programs, 17 reported that trainees completed rotations outside the United States and the same number enrolled trainees from low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). Primary focus areas of non-NIH-funded projects were research (469 [76.5%]) and capacity building or training (197 [32.1%]). Projects included collaborators from 110 countries; 68 of these were LMIC. CONCLUSION: This survey shows that there is a substantial amount of global oncology research and training conducted by NDCCs and that much of this is happening in LMIC. Trends in these data reflect those in recent literature: The field of global oncology is growing, advancing scientific knowledge, contributing to building research and training capacity in LMIC, and becoming a recognized career path. Results of the 2018 Global Oncology Survey can be used to foster opportunities for NDCCs to work collaboratively on activities and to share their findings with relevant stakeholders in their LMIC collaborator countries.