Evaluating the readiness for ultra-hypofractionated prostate and breast radiotherapy in sub-Saharan Africa: a strategic needs-assessment of six leading African institutions

被引：0

作者：

Weygand, Joseph ^{[1
]}

Hao, Yao ^{[2
]}

Awol, Munir ^{[3
]}

Joseph, Adedayo ^{[4
,5
]}

Kibudde, Solomon ^{[6
]}

Malloum, Abba ^{[7
,8
]}

Ngoma, Twalib A. ^{[9
,10
]}

Adeneye, Samuel ^{[4
,5
]}

Awusi, Kavuma

Kisukari, Jumaa ^{[10
]}

Mkhize, Thokozani ^{[11
,12
]}

Tendwa, Maureen Bilinga ^{[13
]}

Ainsworth, Victoria ^{[14
]}

Ajose, Azeezat ^{[5
]}

Swanson, William ^{[15
]}

Avery, Stephen ^{[16
]}

Bhatia, Rohini ^{[15
]}

Chinegwundoh, Frank ^{[17
,18
]}

Deville, Curtiland ^{[19
]}

Huq, Mohammed Saiful ^{[20
,21
]}

Li, Heng ^{[19
]}

Lehmann, Joerg ^{[22
,23
,24
]}

Njeh, Christopher F. ^{[25
]}

Wijesooriya, Krishni ^{[26
]}

Ngwa, Wilfred

Graef, Katy ^{[27
]}

Simons, Janine ^{[28
]}

Balogun, Onyinye ^{[29
]}

Incrocci, Luca ^{[28
]}

机构：

[1] Dartmouth Coll, Quantitat Biomed Sci Program, Lebanon, NH 03766 USA

[2] Washington Univ, Sch Med, Dept Radiat Oncol, St Louis, MO 63130 USA

[3] Addis Ababa Univ, Sch Med, Dept Oncol, Addis Ababa 1165, Ethiopia

[4] Univ Lagos, Coll Med, Dept Radiat Biol Radiotherapy & Radiodiag, Lagos, Nigeria

[5] Lagos Univ, NSIA LUTH Canc Ctr, Teaching Hosp, Lagos 100001, Nigeria

[6] Uganda Canc Inst, Kampala 759125, Uganda

[7] Univ KwaZulu Natal, ZA-4041 Durban, South Africa

[8] Inkosi Albert Luthuli Cent Hosp, Dept Neurosurg, Durban, South Africa

[9] Muhimbili Univ Hlth & Allied Sci, Dept Clin Oncol, Dar Es Salaam 11000, Tanzania

[10] Ocean Rd Canc Inst, Dar Es Salaam 11000, Tanzania

[11] Univ KwaZulu Natal, ZA-4041 Durban, South Africa

[12] Inkosi Albert Luthuli Cent Hosp, Dept Vasc Surg, Durban, South Africa

[13] South Africa Hlth Prod Regulatory Author, Pretoria, South Africa

[14] Univ Massachusetts Lowell, Dept Phys & Appl Phys, Lowell, MA 01854 USA

[15] Emory Univ, Dept Radiat Oncol, Atlanta, GA 30322 USA

[16] Univ Penn, Dept Radiat Oncol, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA

[17] Barts Hlth NHS Trust, Dept Urol, London E1 2ES, England

[18] City St Georges Univ London, London SW17 0RE, England

[19] Johns Hopkins Univ, Dept Radiat Oncol & Mol Radiat Sci, Baltimore, MD 21218 USA

[20] Univ Pittsburgh, Sch Med, Dept Radiat Oncol, Pittsburgh, PA 15260 USA

[21] UPMC Hillman Canc Ctr, Pittsburgh, PA 15260 USA

[22] Calvary Mater Newcastle, Dept Radiat Oncol, Newcastle 2298, Australia

[23] Univ Newcastle, Sch Informat & Phys Sci, Newcastle, NSW 2308, Australia

[24] Univ Sydney, Inst Med Phys, Sydney 2006, Australia

[25] Indiana Univ, Sch Med, Indianapolis, IN 47405 USA

[26] Univ Virginia, Sch Med, Dept Radiat Oncol, Charlottesville, VA 22903 USA

[27] BIO Ventures Global Hlth, Seattle, WA 98121 USA

[28] Erasmus Univ, Med Ctr, NL-3015 CE Rotterdam, Netherlands

[29] Weill Cornell Med, Dept Radiat Oncol, New York, NY 10021 USA

来源：

ECANCERMEDICALSCIENCE | 2025年 / 19卷

基金：

美国国家卫生研究院;

关键词：

ultra-hypofractionated radiotherapy; radiotherapycapacity building; sub-Saharan Africa; prostate cancer; breast cancer; needs assessment; RADIATION-THERAPY; UK STANDARDIZATION; RANDOMIZED-TRIAL; FIDUCIAL MARKERS; RECTAL TOXICITY; CANCER; MOTION; INTRAFRACTION; RADIOBIOLOGY; MULTICENTER;

D O I：

10.3332/ecancer.2025.1853

中图分类号：

R73 [肿瘤学];

学科分类号：

100214 ;

摘要：

Sub-Saharan Africa (sSA) continues to face a critical shortage in radiotherapy resources, exacerbating the region's growing cancer burden. One potential strategy that can partially offset this problem is the increased adoption and broader implementation of ultra-hypofractionated radiotherapy (UHFRT), whereby a smaller number of treatment sessions are required since each session administers higher doses of radiation (to an equivalent biological dose) compared to conventional fractionation. UHFRT techniques have been widely adopted in Europe and North America, particularly for prostate and breast treatments, but differences in the available technology and demographics and biology in sSA necessitate rigorous evaluation of the existing infrastructure and clinical workflows before its widespread implementation in these settings. This study makes a first attempt to interrogate the readiness of six leading sSA institutions for the transition toward UHFRT treatment regimens. The survey was structured into five sections which assessed (1) general clinical capacity and infrastructure, (2) the clinical breast cancer treatment program, (3) the clinical prostate cancer treatment program, (4) medical physics support and quality management and (5) research capacity. The survey responses revealed a strong willingness among African clinicians to adopt UHFRT treatment regimens and generally sufficient supporting infrastructure (i.e., equipment, staffing, quality assurance programs and research support) already in place. However, some technical gaps were identified such as the lack of employment of breath-hold techniques in treating breast cancer and nonutilisation of fiducial markers and perirectal spacers in treating prostate cancer. All six responding institutions expressed enthusiasm to participate in a training course aimed at addressing these technical gaps. These findings underscore the potential for the successful implementation of breast and prostate cancer UHFRT in sSA, provided that targeted training and technical support are delivered. Addressing the identified gaps will be critical in ensuring the safe and effective adoption of this advanced treatment technique across the region.

引用

页数：36

共 97 条

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