Publications by authors named "Lydia Businge"
Article Synopsis
- Head and neck cancer (HNC) is a growing health issue in Rwanda, with a study analyzing data from 1001 patients revealing that 82% had squamous cell carcinoma and a mean age of diagnosis at 51.1 years, predominantly in males.
- The study utilized p16 immunohistochemistry to assess HPV prevalence, finding that 22% of cases were p16-positive, with 19% testing positive for HPV, particularly HPV16.
- It concluded that there is an urgent need for improved cancer testing and data collection in Rwanda to better understand and combat HNC, especially focusing on oropharyngeal cases and associated risk factors.
Assessing the risk of cancer among people living with HIV (PLHIV) in the current era of antiretroviral therapy (ART) is crucial, given their increased susceptibility to many types of cancer and prolonged survival due to ART exposure. Our study aims to compare the association between HIV infection and specific cancer sites in Rwanda. Population-based cancer registry data were used to identify cancer cases in both PLHIV and HIV-negative persons.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThere are marked disparities in cancer survival in low-income countries compared to high-income countries, yet population-based data in the first is largely lacking. In this study, data from the national cancer registry of Rwanda were examined for 542 patients diagnosed with eight of the most common cancers of adults stomach (C16), colorectum (C18-20), liver (C22), breast (female) (C50), cervix (C53), ovary (C56), prostate (C61), and non-Hodgkin lymphomas (C82-85) between 2014 and 2017. Subjects were randomly selected for active followed-up to calculate 1-, 3-, and 5-year observed and relative survival (RS) by cancer type and stage.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFStage at diagnosis and survival by stage for the leading childhood cancers in Rwanda.
Pediatr Blood Cancer
July 2024
Background: The lack of accurate population-based information on childhood cancer stage and survival in low-income countries is a barrier to improving childhood cancer outcomes.
Methods: In this study, data from the Rwanda National Cancer Registry (RNCR) were examined for children aged 0-14 diagnosed in 2013-2017 for the eight most commonly occurring childhood cancers: acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, Hodgkin lymphoma (HL), Burkitt lymphoma (BL), non-Hodgkin lymphoma excluding BL, retinoblastoma, Wilms tumour, osteosarcoma and rhabdomyosarcoma. Utilising the Toronto Childhood Cancer Stage Guidelines Tier 1, the study assigned stage at diagnosis to all, except HL, and conducted active follow-ups to calculate 1-, 3- and 5-year observed and relative survival by cancer type and stage at diagnosis.
Objective: As antiretroviral therapy (ART) has been widely scaled up in Rwanda, life expectancies among people with HIV (PWH) have increased. With increasing viral suppression, AIDS-defining cancers (ADCs) typically decrease; however, as the PWH population ages, non-AIDS-defining cancers (NADCs) will be expected to increase. The aim of this study was to compare cancer diagnoses between PWH and patients without HIV in Rwanda and to describe the changes in the number and types of cancer over time.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- A scoping review was conducted to identify the barriers and facilitators to cervical cancer screening and breast cancer diagnosis in Sub-Saharan Africa, focusing on patient, provider, and systemic levels.
- Key themes identified include patient knowledge, provider education, access to services, trust, and community values, while barriers are mainly lack of patient awareness and inadequate resources for providers.
- To improve cancer care, the review suggests increased political and financial support, further research on health systems, and emphasizes the importance of addressing specific challenges within national contexts.