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Purpose: Cancers are a growing cause of mortality especially in low- and middle-income countries in Africa. Rwanda is no exception. Two cancer centers currently provide care to the public, but there are both political and human interest in expanding access to tertiary cancer care. Improved geographic access could lead to both better patient outcomes and a better understanding of the existing cancer burden across Rwanda., Methods: To identify cost-aware ways of expanding geographic access, we adopt an optimization approach and identify expansion plans that minimize the average travel time to a cancer center across the country while remaining under a given monetary budget., Results: Three additional hospitals could reduce average travel times by 40%, with the largest decrease in travel times observed in populations with long travel times. However, such an expansion would require a 50% increase in the number of in-country oncologists. We find that oncologist scarcity, as opposed to monetary constraints, is likely to be a limiting factor for improved access to cancer care., Conclusion: We present an array of expansion plans and suggest that further modeling approaches that incorporate oncologist scarcity can help deliver better policy recommendations.

First described some 80 years ago, pelvic exenteration remain controversial interventions with variable results and ever-changing indications. The previous studies are not homogenous and have different inclusion criteria (different populations and different disease characteristics) and methodologies (including evaluation of results), making it extremely difficult to properly assess the role of pelvic exenteration in cancer treatment. This study aims to describe the indications of pelvic exenterations, the main prognostic factors of oncologic results, and the possible complications of the intervention. Methods: For this purpose, we conducted a retrospective study of 132 patients who underwent various forms of pelvic exenterations in the Institute of Oncology "Prof. Dr. Al. Trestioreanu" in Bucharest, Romania, between 2013 and 2022, collecting sociodemographic data, characteristics of patients, information on the disease treated, data about the surgical procedure, complications, additional cancer treatments, and oncologic results. Results: The study cohort consists of gynecological, colorectal, and urinary bladder malignancies (one hundred twenty-seven patients) and five patients with complex fistulas between pelvic organs. An R0 resection was possible in 76.38% of cases, while on the rest, positive margins on resection specimens were observed. The early morbidity was 40.63% and the mortality was 2.72%. Long-term outcomes included an overall survival of 43.7 months and a median recurrence-free survival of 24.3 months. The most important determinants of OS are completeness of resection, the colorectal origin of tumor, and the presence/absence of lymphovascular invasion. Conclusions: Although still associated with high morbidity rates, pelvic exenterations can deliver important improvements in oncological outcomes in the long-term and should be considered on a case-by-case basis. A good selection of patients and an experienced surgical team can facilitate optimal risks/benefits.

Overall, it is estimated that more than 3,500,000 patients have received Bevacizumab as part of systemic oncologic treatment. Bevacizumab and its biosimilars are currently marketed in over 130 countries. Given the wide usage of Bevacizumab in current oncological practice, it is very important to compare the "real-world" results to those obtained in controlled clinical trials. This study aims to describe the clinical experience of using Bevacizumab in a large cohort of cancer patients in "non-controlled real-world" conditions with regard to effectiveness, safety, and cost of therapy., Methods: For this purpose, we conducted an open, observational, retrospective study involving all patients treated for solid malignant tumors in the Bucharest Institute of Oncology with "Prof. Dr. Al. Trestioreanu" with Bevacizumab-based systemic therapy, between 2017 and 2021., Results: The study consisted of 657 treatment episodes in 625 patients (F/B = 1.62/1, with a median age of 57.6 years) which were treated for malignant tumors (majority colorectal, non-small cell lung, ovarian, and breast cancer). First-line treatment was administered in 229 patients, and the rest received Bevacizumab as second or subsequent lines of treatment. The overall response rate to Bevacizumab-based therapies was around 60-65% across all indication except for subsequent treatment lines in colorectal and ovarian cancers, where lower values were recorded (27.1%, and 31.5% respectively). Median PFS for the entire cohort was 8.2 months (95% CI 6.8-9.6), and the median OS was 13.2 months (95% CI 11.5-14.9). Usual bevacizumab-related toxicities were observed, including bleeding, hypertension, wound-healing complications, gastrointestinal perforation, other types of fistulas, septic complications, and thromboembolic events. Although the clinical benefits are undeniable, the addition of Bevacizumab to standard chemotherapy increased the overall treatment cost by 213%., Conclusions: Bevacizumab remains a high-cost therapy, but it can add to clinical benefits (like overall survival, progression-free survival, and response rate) when used in conjunction with standard chemotherapy. Similar results as those presented in various controlled trials are observable even on unselected cohorts of patients in the uncontrolled conditions of "real-world" oncological practice. Off-label usage is encountered in clinical practice, and this aspect should be monitored given the potential adverse effects of the therapy.

(1) Importance of problem: Breast cancer accounted for 685,000 deaths globally in 2020, and half of all cases occur in women with no specific risk factor besides gender and age group. During the last four decades, we have seen a 40% reduction in age-standardized breast cancer mortality and have also witnessed a reduction in the medium age at diagnosis, which in turn means that the number of mastectomies performed for younger women increased, raising the need for adequate breast reconstructive surgery. Advances in oncological treatment have made it possible to limit the extent of what represents radical surgery for breast cancer, yet in the past decade, we have seen a marked trend toward mastectomies in breast-conserving surgery-eligible patients. Prophylactic mastectomies have also registered an upward trend. This trend together with new uses for breast reconstruction like chest feminization in transgender patients has increased the need for breast reconstruction surgery. (2) Purpose: The purpose of this study is to analyze the types of reconstructive procedures, their indications, their limitations, their functional results, and their safety profiles when used during the integrated treatment plan of the oncologic patient. (3) Methods: We conducted an extensive literature review of the main reconstructive techniques, especially the autologous procedures; summarized the findings; and presented a few cases from our own experience for exemplification of the usage of breast reconstruction in oncologic patients. (4) Conclusions: Breast reconstruction has become a necessary step in the treatment of most breast cancers, and many reconstructive techniques are now routinely practiced. Microsurgical techniques are considered the "gold standard", but they are not accessible to all services, from a technical or financial point of view, so pediculated flaps remain the safe and reliable option, along with alloplastic procedures, to improve the quality of life of these patients.

Background: Cancer incidence and mortality are rapidly rising in Africa. National Cancer Control Plans (NCCPs have contributed to a reduction in the burden of some preventable cancers, availing early diagnosis and adequate treatment modalities and palliative care, while sustaining them with sufficient monitoring systems. knowledge we undertook a cross-sectional survey across continental Africa to understand the presence of NCCPs, availability of early detection and screening policies and the status of health financing pertaining to cancer., Methods: Through an online survey, we approached key cancer care staff in 54 countries. Questions were themed in 3 main areas - Cancer registries and national cancer control plans (NCCPs) availability in countries, Cancer screening, diagnosis and management capacity, Financing in cancer care., Results: On 54 approached respondents, we received 32 responses. 88 % of responding countries have active national cancer registries, 75 % with NCCPs and 47 % with cancer screening policies and practices. Universal Health Coverage is available in 40 % of countries., Conclusion: Our study shows that there is a scarcity of NCCPs in Africa. Deliberate investment in cancer registry and clinical services is key to improving access to care and ultimately reduce cancer mortality in Africa., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

(1) Introduction: A Romanian woman is diagnosed with cervical cancer every two hours; the country ranks second in Europe in terms of the mortality and incidence rate of this disease. This paper aims to identify the main reasons that have led to this situation, focusing on the measures taken by the Romanian Ministry of Health for the prevention of this type of cancer-national programs for cervical cancer screening and HPV vaccination. (2) Materials and methods: We performed a study based on the available secondary data from the National Statistics Institute, World Health Organization and Bucharest Institute of Oncology in order to assess the burden associated with cervical cancer and place it in the context of known global and European incidence and mortality rates, thus evaluating the importance of this health issue in Romania. The second component of our study was a cross-sectional study. Here, we used a 14-question questionnaire applied to the women participating in the National Screening Program for Cervical Cancer and aimed to evaluate the women's level of knowledge about screening and HPV vaccination and their access cervical-cancer-specific healthcare services. (3) Results: The results of this research show that a high percentage of women postpone routine checks due to a lack of time and financial resources and indicate that a low level of knowledge about the disease and the specific preventive methods determines the low participation in screening and HPV vaccination programs implemented in Romania, contributing to the country's cervical cancer situation. (4) Conclusions: The national programs have complicated procedures, are underfunded and do not motivate healthcare workers enough. This, combined with the lack of information for the eligible population, adds up to an extremely low number of women screened and vaccinated. Our conclusion is that the Romanian Ministry of Health must take immediate action by conducting major awareness campaigns, implementing measures to make the programs functional and ensuring coherent funding.

The aim of our study is to present the particularities of a specific subset of gynecological cancer patients in Romania. We present a review of synchronous gynecological neoplasia (SGN) treated in the Bucharest Oncological Institute's surgery departments over a decade. Between 2012 and 2022, 7419 female patients with genital malignancies were treated. We identified 36 patients with invasive synchronous primary gynecological cancers (0.5%) and 12 cases with one primary gynecological and another primary invasive pelvic cancer (rectal/bladder). All recurrent, metastatic, or metachronous tumors detected were excluded. Demographic data, personal history, presenting symptoms, pathologic findings, staging, treatment, and evolution for each case were recorded. Usually, the most common SGN association is between ovarian and endometrial cancer of endometrioid differentiation (low-grade malignancies with very good prognosis). However, we noticed that, given the particularities of the Romanian medical system, the most frequent association is between cervical and endometrial, followed by cervical and ovarian cancers. Moreover, the cancer stage at diagnosis is more advanced. In countries with low HPV vaccination rate and low adherence to screening programs, SGNs can present as extremely advanced cases and require extensive surgery (such as pelvic exenterations) to achieve radicality. This multimodal treatment in advanced cases with high tumor burden determines a reduction in survival, time until progression, and quality of life.

(1) Background: Among new anti-angiogenesis agents being developed and ever-changing guidelines indications, the question of the benefits/safety ratio remains unclear. (2) Methods: We performed a systematic review combined with a meta-analysis of 23 randomized controlled trials (12,081 patients), evaluating overall survival (OS), progression free survival (PFS) and toxicity (grade ≥ 3 toxic effects, type, and number of all adverse effects. (3) Results: The analysis showed improvement of pooled-PFS (HR, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.64-0.78; I 2 = 77%; p < 0.00001) in first-line (HR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.78-0.93; p = 0.0003) or recurrent cancer (HR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.56-0.70; p < 0.00001) and regardless of the type of anti-angiogenesis drug used (Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitors, VEGF-receptors (VEGF-R) inhibitors or angiopoietin inhibitors). Improved OS was also observed (HR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.90-0.99; p = 0.03). OS benefits were only observed in recurrent neoplasms, both platinum-sensitive and platinum-resistant neoplasms. Grade ≥ 3 adverse effects were increased across all trials. Anti-angiogenetic therapy increased the risk of hypertension, infection, thromboembolic/hemorrhagic events, and gastro-intestinal perforations but not the risk of wound-related issues, anemia or posterior leukoencephalopathy syndrome. (4) Conclusions: Although angiogenesis inhibitors improve PFS, there are little-to-no OS benefits. Given the high risk of severe adverse reactions, a careful selection of patients is required for obtaining the best results possible.

Aim: We present and analyse the findings of a survey of the readiness of the healthcare systems in Eswatini, Guinea, Malawi, Rwanda, Uganda and Zambia, to implement the necessary measures for attaining the targets for cervical cancer control, set by The World Health Organization (WHO), by the year 2030., Methods: A questionnaire with 129 questions with preset answer options was completed in 2020, by ministries of health programme coordinators for non-communicable diseases, cancer control and/or reproductive health, and by WHO country offices, in the six countries selected., Results: The findings on demographics, burden of disease, governance and management, laboratory services, equipment, supplies and medicines, as well as on personnel and training are presented here. The burden of cervical cancer in the countries studied is considerable, according to The International Agency for Research on Cancer estimations. The incidence of the disease is augmented by the high prevalence of HIV infection, in most of the countries surveyed. Most of the population live in rural areas, where access to the health services is far from ideal. Facilities for screening with human papilloma virus tests and for histopathology are limited. One pathologist covers the diagnostic needs of between 0.5 and 4 million inhabitants. Most other categories of health professionals are under-represented, and the capacity to train them is inadequate., Conclusions: Strong country commitment and leadership, innovative solutions and extensive international cooperation would be needed to attain the targets of cervical cancer control set by WHO, in these countries., Competing Interests: None declared., (© the authors; licensee ecancermedicalscience.)

Background: Africa is home to many countries with the highest incidence of cervical cancer in the world. It is encouraging to see that the efforts to prevent and manage this disease are intensifying across the continent. The World Health Organization (WHO) has, in the last years, led a world-wide initiative to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health problem, starting by setting clear targets for 2030., Aim: To assist those African countries with the largest burden of cervical cancer, to reach the set targets, as a first step, WHO initiated a baseline capacity assessment in African high burden countries. We present and discuss the results thereof in this paper., Method: The countries selected for the baseline evaluation were Eswatini, Guinea, Malawi, Rwanda, Uganda and Zambia. The data were collected by a mailed questionnaire in English, with 129 questions, most of them with preset answer options. It was answered by national coordinators of non-communicable diseases, cancer control or reproductive health programmes in the ministries of health and by the WHO country representatives. Based on the answers, suggestions were made towards optimising the efforts for cancer control., Results: Except for Eswatini and Guinea, vaccination against the human papilloma virus (HPV) has reached between 74% and 98% of girls in the age bracket. The main method for cervical screening is still inspection with acid acetic. HPV testing, recommended by WHO, is being introduced slowly. The numbers of women screened are not yet nearing the required levels. Between 30% and 70% of the cervical cancers diagnosed are being treated with palliative intent. A deficit of personnel was reported for all professions involved in cervical cancer care., Conclusions: Guinea will need assistance to implement HPV immunisations and expand screening. In all six countries surveyed, steps should be taken to introduce or scale up the more precise HPV screening instead of acid acetic inspection of the cervix, to replace the current cryoablation of the preinvasive lesions of the cervix with thermal ablation and to increase the capacity for screening. Solutions need to be found for covering the dearth in gynaecological oncologists and radiotherapy installations and personnel., Competing Interests: None declared., (© the authors; licensee ecancermedicalscience.)

Background: The health of populations living in extreme poverty has been a long-standing focus of global development efforts, and continues to be a priority during the Sustainable Development Goal era. However, there has not been a systematic attempt to quantify the magnitude and causes of the burden in this specific population for almost two decades. We estimated disease rates by cause for the world's poorest billion and compared these rates to those in high-income populations., Methods: We defined the population in extreme poverty using a multidimensional poverty index. We used national-level disease burden estimates from the 2017 Global Burden of Disease Study and adjusted these to account for within-country variation in rates. To adjust for within-country variation, we looked to the relationship between rates of extreme poverty and disease rates across countries. In our main modeling approach, we used these relationships when there was consistency with expert opinion from a survey we conducted of disease experts regarding the associations between household poverty and the incidence and fatality of conditions. Otherwise, no within-country variation was assumed. We compared results across multiple approaches for estimating the burden in the poorest billion, including aggregating national-level burden from the countries with the highest poverty rates. We examined the composition of the estimated disease burden among the poorest billion and made comparisons with estimates for high-income countries., Results: The composition of disease burden among the poorest billion, as measured by disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), was 65% communicable, maternal, neonatal, and nutritional (CMNN) diseases, 29% non-communicable diseases (NCDs), and 6% injuries. Age-standardized DALY rates from NCDs were 44% higher in the poorest billion (23,583 DALYs per 100,000) compared to high-income regions (16,344 DALYs per 100,000). Age-standardized DALY rates were 2,147% higher for CMNN conditions (32,334 DALYs per 100,000) and 86% higher for injuries (4,182 DALYs per 100,000) in the poorest billion, compared to high-income regions., Conclusion: The disease burden among the poorest people globally compared to that in high income countries is highly influenced by demographics as well as large disparities in burden from many conditions. The comparisons show that the largest disparities remain in communicable, maternal, neonatal, and nutritional diseases, though NCDs and injuries are an important part of the "unfinished agenda" of poor health among those living in extreme poverty., Competing Interests: The authors have declared no competing interests.

Purpose: In this study, we aimed to investigate trends in the age-standardized and age-specific incidence rates in two distinct regions (the northern and southern areas) of South Africa covered by a population-based cancer registry. In addition, trends in coverage of the cervical cancer screening program were assessed using routine health service data., Methods: Occurrences (topography C53.0-C53.9) for the period 1998-2012 were extracted from a cancer registry database from which basic descriptive statistics and frequencies were analyzed for all variables using CanReg4. Trends over time were estimated using a direct standardization method and world standard population as a reference. Screening coverage annualized figures for women age ≥ 30 years by sub-health district were extracted from the District Health Information System., Results: In the northern area, annual age-standardized incidence rates per 100,000 women increased from 24.0 (95% CI, 21.1 to 27.0) in 1998-2002 to 39.0 (95% CI, 35.6 to 42.5) in 2008-2012, with a screening coverage rate of 15% by 2012. In contrast, no increase was observed in incidence in the southern area, with rates of 20.0 (95% CI, 18.5 to 21.4) in 1998-2002 and 18.8 (95% CI, 16.2 to 21.4) in 2008-2012, and the southern area had a higher screening coverage of 41% in 2012. Overall, the percentage distribution of stage at diagnosis showed that 28.5% of occurrences were diagnosed at disease stages I and II and 35%, at III and IV; 36% had with missing stage information (2003-2012). In 77% of occurrences, a histologically verified diagnosis was made, compared with only 12.3% by cytology., Conclusion: This study has demonstrated an almost two-fold increase in the incidence rate in the northern area but little change in the southern area of the cancer registry.

The WHO Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer launched in 2018 will translate into an additional one million lives saved or a survival rate of at least 60% for children with cancer to be attained by 2030. This new target represents a doubling of the global cure rate for children with cancer. African children with cancer will be amongst the global group which will benefit from an improved cancer care and better outcome., Competing Interests: Competing interestsThe author declare that they have no competing interests., (© The Author(s). 2019.)

Background: Children with Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) have excellent survival rates in high-income countries, but there are minimal outcome data in South African patients. Differing approaches to treatment are used in centres across South Africa, and the South African Children's Cancer Study Group (SACCSG) embarked on a programme to audit outcomes to improve survival rates., Patients and Methods: A multicentre study was conducted to analyse outcomes and prognostic factors of children with HL in South Africa. Ten dedicated South African paediatric oncology units participated in a retrospective data review. All patients with HL treated consecutively between January 2000 and December 2010 were included. Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox regression model were employed to determine survival rates and prognostic factors., Results: Two hundred and ninety-four patients were eligible for inclusion. The median age at presentation was 9.6 years (range 2.9-18.8); 55.4% of the patients presented with Stage III and IV disease and 9.9% were human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive. First-line therapy consisted of adriamycin, bleomycin, vinblastine and dacarbazine (ABVD) in 158 patients, vincristine, procarbazine/etoposide, prednisone and doxorubicin in 97 and adriamycin, bleomycin, vincristine and dacarbazine-chlorambucil, vinblastine, prednisone and procarbazine in 23 patients. The 5-year overall survival (OS) was 79% (95% confidence interval 73-84%). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that HIV infection (P = 0.018) and Ann Arbor Stage III and IV disease (P = 0.006) conferred a poor prognosis, while treatment with ABVD was associated with higher survival rates (P = 0.028)., Conclusion: OS rates are encouraging for a middle-income country, although economic disparities continue to impact negatively on outcomes. Study results will form the basis for the development of national protocol and continued advocacy to rectify disparities., (© 2017 The Authors. Pediatric Blood & Cancer published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Background: Global inequalities in access to health care are reflected in differences in cancer survival. The CONCORD programme was designed to assess worldwide differences and trends in population-based cancer survival. In this population-based study, we aimed to estimate survival inequalities globally for several subtypes of childhood leukaemia., Methods: Cancer registries participating in CONCORD were asked to submit tumour registrations for all children aged 0-14 years who were diagnosed with leukaemia between Jan 1, 1995, and Dec 31, 2009, and followed up until Dec 31, 2009. Haematological malignancies were defined by morphology codes in the International Classification of Diseases for Oncology, third revision. We excluded data from registries from which the data were judged to be less reliable, or included only lymphomas, and data from countries in which data for fewer than ten children were available for analysis. We also excluded records because of a missing date of birth, diagnosis, or last known vital status. We estimated 5-year net survival (ie, the probability of surviving at least 5 years after diagnosis, after controlling for deaths from other causes [background mortality]) for children by calendar period of diagnosis (1995-99, 2000-04, and 2005-09), sex, and age at diagnosis (<1, 1-4, 5-9, and 10-14 years, inclusive) using appropriate life tables. We estimated age-standardised net survival for international comparison of survival trends for precursor-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) and acute myeloid leukaemia (AML)., Findings: We analysed data from 89 828 children from 198 registries in 53 countries. During 1995-99, 5-year age-standardised net survival for all lymphoid leukaemias combined ranged from 10·6% (95% CI 3·1-18·2) in the Chinese registries to 86·8% (81·6-92·0) in Austria. International differences in 5-year survival for childhood leukaemia were still large as recently as 2005-09, when age-standardised survival for lymphoid leukaemias ranged from 52·4% (95% CI 42·8-61·9) in Cali, Colombia, to 91·6% (89·5-93·6) in the German registries, and for AML ranged from 33·3% (18·9-47·7) in Bulgaria to 78·2% (72·0-84·3) in German registries. Survival from precursor-cell ALL was very close to that of all lymphoid leukaemias combined, with similar variation. In most countries, survival from AML improved more than survival from ALL between 2000-04 and 2005-09. Survival for each type of leukaemia varied markedly with age: survival was highest for children aged 1-4 and 5-9 years, and lowest for infants (younger than 1 year). There was no systematic difference in survival between boys and girls., Interpretation: Global inequalities in survival from childhood leukaemia have narrowed with time but remain very wide for both ALL and AML. These results provide useful information for health policy makers on the effectiveness of health-care systems and for cancer policy makers to reduce inequalities in childhood cancer survival., Funding: Canadian Partnership Against Cancer, Cancer Focus Northern Ireland, Cancer Institute New South Wales, Cancer Research UK, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Swiss Re, Swiss Cancer Research foundation, Swiss Cancer League, and the University of Kentucky., (Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY license. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Background: There is limited information about the challenges of cancer management and attempts at improving outcomes in Africa. Even though South and North Africa are better resourceds to tackle the burden of breast cancer, similar poor prognostic factors are common to all countries. The five-year overall Survival rate for breast cancer patients does not exceed 60% for any low and middle-income country (LMIC) in Africa. In spite of the gains achieved over the past decade, certain characteristics remain the same such as limited availability of breast conservation therapies, inadequate access to drugs, few oncology specialists and adherence to harmful socio-cultural practices. This review on managing breast cancer in Africa is authored by African oncologists who practice or collaborate in Africa and with hands-on experience with the realities., Methods: A search was performed via electronic databases from 1999 to 2016. (PubMed/Medline, African Journals Online) for all literature in English or translated into English, covering the terms "breast cancer in Africa and developing countries". One hundred ninety were deemed appropriate., Results: Breast tumors are diagnosed at earlier ages and later stages than in highincome countries. There is a higher prevalence of triple-negative cancers. The limitations of poor nursing care and surgery, inadequate access to radiotherapy, poor availability of basic and modern systemic therapies translate into lower survival rate. Positive strides in breast cancer management in Africa include increased adaptation of treatment guidelines, improved pathology services including immuno-histochemistry, expansion and upgrading of radiotherapy equipment across the continent in addition to more research opportunities., Conclusion: This review is an update of the management of breast cancer in Africa, taking a look at the epidemiology, pathology, management resources, outcomes, research and limitations in Africa from the perspective of oncologists with local experience.

The African Organization for Research and training in Cancer (AORTIC) bases the following position statements on a critical appraisal of the state on cancer research and cancer care in Africa including information on the availability of data on cancer burden, screening and prevention for cancer in Africa, cancer care personnel, treatment modalities, and access to cancer care.

Background: The burden of Kaposi sarcoma (KS) in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected children and adolescents on combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) has not been compared globally., Methods: We analyzed cohort data from the International Epidemiologic Databases to Evaluate AIDS and the Collaboration of Observational HIV Epidemiological Research in Europe. We included HIV-infected children aged <16 years at cART initiation from 1996 onward. We used Cox models to calculate hazard ratios (HRs), adjusted for region and origin, sex, cART start year, age, and HIV/AIDS stage at cART initiation., Results: We included 24 991 children from eastern Africa, southern Africa, Europe and Asia; 26 developed KS after starting cART. Incidence rates per 100 000 person-years (PYs) were 86 in eastern Africa (95% confidence interval [CI], 55-133), 11 in southern Africa (95% CI, 4-35), and 81 (95% CI, 26-252) in children of sub-Saharan African (SSA) origin in Europe. The KS incidence rates were 0/100 000 PYs in children of non-SSA origin in Europe (95% CI, 0-50) and in Asia (95% CI, 0-27). KS risk was lower in girls than in boys (adjusted HR [aHR], 0.3; 95% CI, .1-.9) and increased with age (10-15 vs 0-4 years; aHR, 3.4; 95% CI, 1.2-10.1) and advanced HIV/AIDS stage (CDC stage C vs A/B; aHR, 2.4; 95% CI, .8-7.3) at cART initiation., Conclusions: HIV-infected children from SSA but not those from other regions, have a high risk of developing KS after cART initiation. Early cART initiation in these children might reduce KS risk., (© The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, e-mail journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Background: Little is known on the risk of cancer in HIV-positive children in sub-Saharan Africa. We examined incidence and risk factors of AIDS-defining and other cancers in pediatric antiretroviral therapy (ART) programs in South Africa., Methods: We linked the records of 5 ART programs in Johannesburg and Cape Town to those of pediatric oncology units, based on name and surname, date of birth, folder and civil identification numbers. We calculated incidence rates and obtained hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) from Cox regression models including ART, sex, age and degree of immunodeficiency. Missing CD4 counts and CD4% were multiply imputed. Immunodeficiency was defined according to World Health Organization 2005 criteria., Results: Data of 11,707 HIV-positive children were included in the analysis. During 29,348 person-years of follow-up 24 cancers were diagnosed, for an incidence rate of 82 per 100,000 person-years (95% CI: 55-122). The most frequent cancers were Kaposi sarcoma (34 per 100,000 person-years) and non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (31 per 100,000 person-years). The incidence of non AIDS-defining malignancies was 17 per 100,000. The risk of developing cancer was lower on ART (HR: 0.29; 95% CI: 0.09-0.86), and increased with age at enrollment (>10 vs. <3 years: HR: 7.3; 95% CI: 2.2-24.6) and immunodeficiency at enrollment (advanced/severe versus no/mild: HR: 3.5; 95% CI: 1.1-12.0). The HR for the effect of ART from complete case analysis was similar but ceased to be statistically significant (P = 0.078)., Conclusions: Early HIV diagnosis and linkage to care, with start of ART before advanced immunodeficiency develops, may substantially reduce the burden of cancer in HIV-positive children in South Africa and elsewhere.

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.

AORTIC (OAREC), the Pan - African organization aiming to unite African scientists in the fight against cancer on the continent, held its 2015 conference in November, in Marrakesh. It was an opportunity to evaluate the progress made, to strengthen scientific collaborations and to draw the future battle lines against cancer on the continent.

Epidemiological studies around the world were analysed recently by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, demonstrating a positive correlation between consumption of red meat and processed meat and colorectal cancer. In South Africa (SA) there is a great variation in the incidence of this type of cancer between various ethnic groups, related to diet and other risk factors. Strengthening the SA cancer registry and co-ordinated research on diet and cancer are required to provide specific answers for our population.

Background: Childhood cancer is an emerging problem in Africa. Its extent is hazy because data are scarce, but it should be addressed. This is the first report from the South African Children's Tumour Registry (SACTR), which covers the whole of South Africa (SA). It provides minimal estimates of cancer incidence and discusses the challenges of cancer surveillance and control in a child population in a middle-income country. Only about 2% of the African population is covered by cancer registries producing comparable incidence data., Objective: To present and interpret incidence patterns and trends of childhood cancer over a 21-year period. The results should raise awareness of the problem of childhood cancer in an African population and provide sensible data for taking this problem in hand., Methods: All eligible and validated cancer cases registered in the SACTR over the period 1987-2007 and classified according to the International Classification of Childhood Cancer were included. Population data were retrieved from official sources and estimated for the population subcategories. Incidence rates were standardised to the world standard and time trends were evaluated using joinpoint models, adjusting for sex and age., Results: Based on the 11,699 cases, the overall age-standardised average annual incidence rate was 45 per million. Threefold differences in the overall incidence rates were observed between the ethnic groups, ranging from 116 for whites to 37 for black Africans, and they differed by diagnostic group. Differences between the nine provinces of SA relate to the ethnic composition and prevailing socioeconomic status. The overall incidence rate declined by 1.2% per year for the whole country (p<0.01). However, the decline was mainly observed during the first few years of the study period, after which rates stabilised or increased., Conclusions: Diagnosis and notification of childhood cancer should improve. The differences in incidence between ethnic groups suggest the priorities for cancer control.

Purpose: According to predictions from the International Agency for Research on Cancer, over the next 5 years, the annual number of new cases of cancer in Africa will grow to more than one million. Together with the immense loss in human life, there is a considerable economic setback attached to this number. However, most African nations are far from adequately scaling up their capacity to control cancer., Methods: This study reviews the published data on the existing cancer control resources in Africa. It is, to our knowledge, the first combined effort looking at all resources available on the continent regarding cancer care., Results: The total number of 102 cancer treatment centers, including general oncology centers, gynecologic oncology or other single-organ malignancy units, and pediatric oncology and palliative care establishments, is not sufficient to cover the increasing needs of the African population affected by cancer. In addition, the continental average total health expenditure per capita amounts to only US$82., Conclusion: This review could serve as a starting point for devising realistic solutions meant to improve the prevention and management of malignant disease on the African continent., Competing Interests: The following represents disclosure information provided by authors of this manuscript. All relationships are considered compensated. Relationships are self-held unless noted. I = Immediate Family Member, Inst = My Institution. Relationships may not relate to the subject matter of this manuscript. For more information about ASCO's conflict of interest policy, please refer to www.asco.org/rwc or jco.ascopubs.org/site/ifc. Daniela Cristina StefanNo relationship to disclose

Introduction: Wilms tumor (WT) or nephroblastoma is the commonest childhood cancer in Rwanda. Nephroblastoma is regarded as one of the successes of pediatric oncology with long-term survival approaching 90%. The Objectives to evaluate the feasibility of treating childhood cancer using the nephroblastoma example and to calculate its cost of treatment in Rwanda., Methods: Prospective study over a 2 year period: 01 Jan 2010- 31 December 2011. A questionnaire was completed by all participants in the study and the following variables were collected at Kigali University Teaching Hospital: age at diagnosis, gender, transport cost, cost of investigations, staging, treatment and outcome, cost of hospitalization, type of medical, surgical, radiological interventions and their costs, number of admissions per patient and factors related to non compliance to treatment. All patients had a confirmed diagnosis on histopathology examination. The cost for treatment was calculated for early and late stage and was expressed in USA dollars. Analysis was done with SPSS 16.0., Results: There were 25 patients diagnosed and treated for WT during the study period. Almost half of the patients 14/25 (56%) had advanced disease, seven children (28%) had stage IV, seven children stage III, six patients (24%) with stage II, while the remaining five (20%) had stage I with high risk tumor. The direct cost of management ranged from1,831.2 USD for early disease to 2,418.7 USD for advanced disease. The cost of transport, investigations and drugs were recorded as main contributing factors to the feasibility and cost of the treatment in 80% of the responses, followed by late presentation (56%) and poor compliance to treatment., Conclusion: Most challenges are related to unaffordable treatment and late presentation. The management of WT is feasible in Rwandan setting but efforts should be made in order to improve awareness of childhood cancer, early diagnosis and access to care. The government of Rwanda is committed to improve cancer care in the country and organized the first pediatric international oncology conference in Kigali, in March 2012 to develop National protocols for the top five most common cancers in children.

Background: Very little is known about the regional variation in the incidence of childhood malignancies in Africa. The aim of the study was to perform a comprehensive analysis of the distribution of childhood cancer in Sub-Saharan Africa and compare the results to the Globocan estimations., Methods: A letter of invitation to participate was sent to all registry centers in Africa registered with the International Agency for Research on Cancer and to all African centers registered with AORTIC and SIOP Africa, requesting similar information as in CanReg 4. Childhood cancers were defined as those occurring below the age of 15 years. The data requested was from 2000 to 2010. The malignancies were classified and coded according to the International Classification of Childhood Cancer, 2004 system. Data obtained were analyzed using EpiInfo and Statistica 10 software. Information regarding the estimation of the numbers and incidence of the top 5 childhood cancers in specific countries was obtained from Globocan Web site., Results: There were 21 centers included in the study from 18 Sub-Saharan African countries. The data analyzed differed from center to center and included cases from 1985 to 2011. The proportion of childhood cancer out of all cancers ranged between 1.4% in Ghana to 10.0% in Rwanda. In Southern Africa, Kaposi sarcoma was the most common malignancy in children in Mozambique (15.8% of all cases) and the second most common in Zambia (15.6%) and in Malawi (12.4%). In Eastern Africa, Uganda recorded Kaposi sarcoma as the most common tumor in children (22.0%), while two Kenyan centers reported mainly Burkitt lymphoma (25.1 and 37.1%, respectively). In Central Africa, Congo classified retinoblastoma as the most common childhood cancer with an incidence of 20.1%. In Western Africa, Non-Hodgkin lymphoma was the most common in Ghana (53.6%), in Ivory Coast (73.6%) and in Mali (32.7%). Nephroblastoma remains the most common solid tumor in Africa exceeding 10% of total pediatric cancers in many countries (Rwanda 21.3%, Senegal 22%, Ivory Coast 14.5%, Mali 17.6%, Congo 15.5%, etc)., Conclusion: Unlike developed countries, lymphomas, nephroblastoma, Kaposi sarcoma and retinoblastoma were the most common pediatric tumors in Africa. Globocan estimations despite bringing significant contribution to the registration map cannot replace the data from local hospital and population-based registries. All efforts should be directed in developing functional and reliable childhood cancer registries across the African continent., (© The Author [2015]. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Background: Information about pediatric oncology in most of Africa is not widely available. The aim of this study was to provide an overview of childhood cancer and resources for patient care in a cross-section of African hospitals., Methods: Between 2011 and 2013, 49 health professionals involved in the care of children with cancer, from 38 hospitals in 29 African countries, were asked to respond to a questionnaire about the types and number of childhood cancers seen in their facilities; types and numbers of health care professionals; diagnostic, therapeutic, and palliative capabilities; survival statistics and compliance with treatment; support from parent groups; opportunities for ongoing medical training; and perceived challenges to care delivery., Results: New diagnoses annually ranged from 10 to 350, with nephroblastoma, leukemia, retinoblastoma, and Burkitt lymphoma being the most common in most centers. Care was provided often by nonpediatric oncologists. Radiotherapy was available in 21/38 hospitals, palliation in 27/38, and tumor registries in 21/38 centers., Conclusions: Capabilities for care of children with cancer varied widely. Recommendations for improving care are discussed.

Background. Nephroblastoma is the commonest renal tumour seen in children. It has a good prognosis in developed countries with survival rates estimated to be between 80% and 90%, while in Africa it remains low. Method. Retrospective study of patients diagnosed with nephroblastoma who are seen at 4 paediatric oncology units, representing 58.5% of all South African children with nephroblastoma and treated following SIOP protocol between January 2000 and December 2010. Results. A total of 416 patients were seen at the 4 units. Over 80% of our patients were African and almost 10% of mixed ethnicity. The most common stage was stage 4. The median survival was 28 months after diagnosis with the mixed ethnicity patients recording the longest duration (39 months) and the white patients had the shortest median survival. The overall 5-year survival rate was estimated to be 66%. Stage 2 patients did significantly better (85%). Conclusions. Our patients are similar with regard to gender ratio, median age, and age distribution as described in the literature, but in South Africa the more advanced stage disease seen than in other developed countries is translated into low overall survival rate.

Summary: Systematic studies comparing the outcomes of cancer treatment between children with and without HIV are scarce. The literature seems to suggest that, even with present therapeutic advances, prognosis is poor with HIV infection. The aim of this Review was to assess scientific publications from 1990 to present, addressing the difficulties associated with treatment of cancer in children with AIDS and the adaptive changes in therapy. Although much progress has been achieved, further research is needed about antiretroviral and cytotoxic drug interactions, the optimum use of supportive therapy including stem cells and bone marrow transplant, the timing of the initiation of highly active antiretroviral therapy, and the optimum use of protease inhibitors., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Rationale: To determine the outcome of patients with nephroblastoma in a South African hospital., Objective: To determine if there is a difference in the outcome of patients with nephroblastoma comparing two treatment protocols SIOP (Société International D'Oncologie Pédiatrique Protocol) versus NWTS (National Wilms' Tumour Study Protocol)., Methods and Results: A retrospective audit of 25 years (1983-2007), of children diagnosed with nephroblastoma in Tygerberg Hospital. One hundred and seven patients were included in the study and 98 were analyzed. The average age at diagnosis was 3.8 years. Most patients (37%) presented with stage 1 of the disease, followed by patients with stage 3 (27%). Most patients were treated according to the SIOP protocol (61%). Gender and race did not influence the outcome. Patients with stage 1 and 2 of the disease had the best outcome (76% versus 43% for stages 3 and 4). The SIOP group had a better outcome than the NWTS group (p value 0.001). The two groups had an equal distribution of the stage of presentation. The tumor volumes were bigger in the NWTS group (1004cm3 compared to 613cm3). Nutritional status did not influence the outcome although more patients were underweight for age in the SIOP group. The statistical methods used were: Kaplan Meier, Gehan's Wilcoxon Test, Chi -square test and the Fisher exact test., Discussion: Contrary to the other studies, patients treated according to the SIOP protocol had a statistically significant better outcome. Larger collaborative studies are needed to investigate this result in Africa.

Background: The epidemiology of Burkitt Lymphoma (BL) shows that the endemic type is mainly confined to equatorial Africa and has a very close association with the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), while the sporadic variant shows only a 20% association with EBV and is seen mainly in Europe and North America. An immunodeficent form of BL has been described more recently. This study aimed to describe the epidemiological characteristics and survival of children presenting with BL to Tygerberg Hospital, Cape Town, in South Africa., Methods: A retrospective, descriptive study reviewed all pediatric cases of Burkitt lymphoma at Tygerberg Hospital Oncology Unit between 1 January 1995 and 31 December 2010. The following data were analysed: age at diagnosis, gender, anatomic site, race, socio-economic demographic (rural vs. urban), treatment protocol, side effects, viral characteristics and survival. All cases were confirmed by histology and reviewed by a tumour board., Results: A total of 51 patients with Burkitt lymphoma were analysed from 1995 to 2010. Their age ranged from 2 to 14 years (mean of 6.8 years).The male to female ratio was 3.6/1. Most of the patients lived in an urban setting (52.9%). The initial presenting tumour site was abdominal in most cases (76.4%). The majority of patients (90%) were treated with the LMB protocol. Neutropenic sepsis, mucositis and gastroenteritis were the top 3 side effects while receiving therapy (58.8%, 50.9% and 31.3% respectively). The overall survival rate was 64.7%. A documented positive HIV1 test was found in 11% of the total number of patients. The stage of the disease at the time of presentation strongly influenced the outcome with only 41.6% of stage 4 patients surviving (p = 0.03)., Conclusions: The patients seen at Tygerberg Hospital, South Africa presented typically with the sporadic variant of Burkitt Lymphoma. The patients presented with large abdominal masses and in an advanced stage of the disease.

Introduction: Childhood cancer is relatively rare, but there is a very good chance of cure. While overall survival rates of >70% are reported from developed countries, survival is much less likely in developing countries and unknown in many countries in Africa., Objective: To analyse survival rates of childhood cancers in two South African paediatric oncology units., Methods: This retrospective review included all children (0 - 15 years) admitted with a malignancy at two paediatric oncology units (Universitas Hospital Academic Complex in Bloemfontein, Free State, and Tygerberg Hospital in Cape Town, Western Cape) between 1987 and 2011. The protocols used in the units were similar, and all the diagnoses were confirmed histologically., Results: There were 3 241 children, 53.5% of whom were males. Median follow-up was 17 months. The most common cancers were leukaemia (25.0%), brain tumours (19.5%), lymphoma (13.0%) and nephroblastoma (10.0%). The prevalences of neuroblastoma and retinoblastoma were similar at 5.8% and 5.7%, respectively. Overall survival was calculated to be 52.1%. Lymphoma and nephroblastoma had the highest survival rates at 63.9% and 62.6%, respectively. Brain tumours had the lowest survival rate at 46.4%. A comparison between ethnic groups showed white children to have the highest survival rate (62.8%); the rate for children of mixed racial origin was 53.8% and that for black children 48.5%., Conclusions: Overall survival rates for children admitted to two paediatric cancer units in South Africa were lower than data published from developed countries, because many children presented with advanced disease. New strategies to improve cancer awareness are urgently required.

Introduction: Childhood cancer is rare and comprises only 1% of all cancers. The current incidence of childhood cancer in Namibia, as in many other African countries, is not known. The aim of this research was to assess the paediatric cancer incidence between 2003-2010 at Windhoek Central Hospital, the only pediatric oncology-referring centre in Namibia and to compare with the previous calculated incidence in the country 20 years ago., Methods: A retrospective, descriptive review of the paediatric oncology cases presenting to Windhoek Central Hospital between 2003 and 2010 was undertaken, and data regarding age, sex, cancer type, area of residence were extrapolated. In this study due to the appearance of the HIV epidemic, an HIV incidence was also calculated., Results: The incidence rate of all paediatric recorded cancers was 29.4 per million. Leukaemias (22.5%) and retinoblastomas (16.2%) were the most common tumours, with renal tumours, soft tissue sarcomas and lymphomas following in frequency. HIV incidence of children with malignancy was 6.8%., Conclusion: The incidence rates of cancers in this study are remarkably lower compared to a similar study done in the country 20 years ago. Many cancers are still not diagnosed or reported, and others are not treated in the country. The institution of a "twinning programme" between the paediatric haematological/oncological departments in Windhoek and Tygerberg Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa, will contribute to improvement of childhood cancer cases. This twinning programme includes the formation of a cancer registry.

Objectives: In 2008 the South African Children's Cancer Study Group decided to review the epidemiology, management, and chemotherapy response of HIV-positive children with malignancy., Methods: This is a retrospective analysis of data collected from the records of HIV-positive children diagnosed with malignancy at 7 university-based pediatric oncology units serving 8 of the 9 provinces in South Africa., Results: Two hundred eighty-eight HIV-positive children were diagnosed with 289 malignancies between 1995 and 2009. Age at diagnosis ranged from 17 days to 18.64 years; median 5.79 years. Of the 220 HIV-associated malignancies, there were 97 Kaposi sarcomas, 61 Burkitt lymphomas, 47 other B-cell lymphomas including 2 primary central nervous system lymphomas, 12 Hodgkin lymphomas, and 3 leiomyosarcomas. Sixty-nine patients presented with non-AIDS-defining malignancies. More than 80% presented with advanced disease. Most patients (76.7%) were naive to antiretroviral therapy; 22.2% did not have access because it only became available in public hospitals in 2004. One hundred ninety-seven children were treated with curative intent; 91 received palliative care due to advanced malignancy and/or advanced HIV disease. Nearly one third had coexisting pathology, mostly tuberculosis. Overall survival for the whole group was 33.7%, but was 57.8% for those treated with antiretroviral therapy and chemotherapy., Conclusions: The study shows more Kaposi sarcoma and fewer primary central nervous system lymphomas among HIV-positive children than that is reported in the developed world, but confirms a higher incidence of non-Burkitt B-cell lymphoma than in HIV-negative children. The high number of non-AIDS-defining malignancies underscores the prevalence of HIV-AIDS in South Africa. The overall survival should improve with universal access to antiretrovirals and earlier diagnosis.

Background: Children with HIV and cancer show an excess of non-Hodgkin lymphoma and leiomyosarcoma when compared with children with malignancy but without HIV. This study aimed at: (1) comparing the distribution of various cancers in South African children with malignancies and HIV versus children with malignancies but without HIV and (2) comparing the outcomes after therapy., Procedure: This is a retrospective comparative study of 84 black children with cancer and HIV, consecutively admitted at Tygerberg Children's Hospital, Cape Town and Universitas Hospital, Bloemfontein, between 1995 and 2010, compared with 570 HIV-negative black children with malignant diseases, consecutively admitted at the 2 hospitals, between 2002 and 2010. Variables studied included age, sex ratio, number of cases of each malignancy, length of follow-up, treatment abandonment, and mortality. The statistical significance was tested with the Student t test and χ test for P≤0.05. Kaplan-Meyer survival curves were constructed., Results: The most frequent cancer was Kaposi sarcoma (39.3%), seen exclusively in children with HIV. Burkitt lymphoma was found more often (20.2%) in the HIV-positive group than in the HIV-negative one (2.8%, P<0.0001). Leiomyosarcoma, described as the second most frequent neoplasm encountered in HIV-positive children, was found in this series only once. The survival figures are much worse in the HIV-positive group: 26.2% versus 47.7% (P<0.0001), mainly due to drug toxicity., Conclusions: Kaposi sarcoma and Burkitt lymphoma occurred more often in children with HIV. These children have a lower tolerance of chemotherapy, even when combined with HAART.

Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) was described for the first time in 1832 by Sir Thomas Hodgkin, who is considered the father of the disease. This lymphoma occupies a special place among childhood malignancies, due to its high rate of cure. HL is described as one of the most common haematological malignancies in African children. Despite high rates of survival achieved in resource rich countries, the outcome in Africa is not as rewarding as many challenges are encountered. This paper reviews published African studies on childhood HL in order to delineate the amplitude of this health problem and its African specifics, in the quest for effective ways to improve the outcome of the children diagnosed with this disease., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The creation and implementation of national cancer control plans is becoming increasingly necessary for countries in Africa, with the number of new cancer cases per year in the continent expected to reach up to 1·5 million by 2020. Examples from South Africa, Egypt, Nigeria, Ghana, and Rwanda describe the state of national cancer control plans and their implementation. Whereas in Rwanda the emphasis is on development of basic facilities needed for cancer care, in those countries with more developed economies, such as South Africa and Nigeria, the political will to fund national cancer control plans is limited, even though the plans exist and are otherwise well conceived. Improved awareness of the increasing burden of cancer and increased advocacy are needed to put pressure on governments to develop, fund, and implement national cancer control plans across the continent., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Introduction. In 2010 more than 3 million children with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) were living in Sub-Saharan Africa. The AIDS epidemic has contributed to an abrupt increase of the frequency of Kaposi sarcoma (KS), especially in Southern Africa. There is a need to describe the clinical features of this disease, its management, and its outcome in HIV positive children in Southern Africa. The aim of the study is to describe two different populations with HIV and KS from two African hospitals in Namibia and South Africa. Material and Methods. A retrospective descriptive study of patients with KS who presented to Tygerberg Hospital (TH) and Windhoek Central Hospital (WCH) from 1998 to 2010. Demographic data, HIV profile, clinical picture of KS, and survival were documented. Results. The frequency of KS declined from 2006 to 2010 in TH but showed an increase in the same period in WCH. Children in TH were diagnosed at a much younger age than those in WCH (44.2 months versus 90 months). Cutaneous lesions were the most common clinical presenting feature, followed by lymphadenopathy, intrathoracic and oral lesions. Conclusions. The clinical characteristics of KS in South Africa and Namibia differ in many aspects between the 2 countries.

Background: There is insufficient research into the state of paediatric oncology in African countries., Objectives: The purpose of this study was to analyse the state of paediatric oncology between 1995 and 2004 in Côte d'Ivoire., Methods: This retrospective descriptive study analysed all patients under the age of 18 who were diagnosed with cancer in Côte d'Ivoire over a period of 10 years (January 1995 - December 2004) with regard to demographics, types of pathology, delay in diagnosis and treatment, treatment modalities, abandonment of treatment and survival rate., Results: Of 405 patients diagnosed with cancer, 331 were included in the study. Burkitt's lymphoma was the most common malignancy (73.6%), followed by nephroblastoma (14.5%) and acute leukaemia (4%). Delay in diagnosis occurred in 38.7% of cases and ranged from 1 to 3 months; the average delay from diagnosis to starting treatment was 18 days. An abdominal mass and swelling of the jaw were the most common clinical presentations. Almost half of the patients (48.6%) were lost to follow-up and over a third (39.3%) died shortly after admission owing to advanced disease. The overall survival rate was 9.4%., Conclusions: Cancer in children in Côte d'Ivoire was dominated by Burkitt's lymphoma. The rate of loss to follow-up of almost 50% is grounds for concern. The overall survival rate of 9.4% is very low, but such figures are not uncommon for African countries. Collaboration within the Franco-African Group of Paediatric Oncology has contributed to improving the management of children with cancer.

The South African Children's Tumour Registry was established 25 years ago as it was essential to collect data on malignant disease in the paediatric population that can be used for statistical research in an efficient and sustainable way. The Registry is a useful and significant repository of specific paediatric data, along with the recently revitalised National Cancer Registry, to serve the needs of the cancer research community.

The role of protective immunity to Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) malaria in Burkitt lymphoma (BL) is unknown. We investigated the association between BL and antibodies reactive to SE36 antigen, a recombinant protein based on P. falciparum serine repeat antigen 5 gene, targeted by protective malaria immune responses. Cases were children (0-14 years) enrolled at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra, Ghana, during 1965-1994 with BL confirmed by histology or cytology (92% of cases). Controls were apparently healthy children enrolled contemporaneous to the cases from the nearest neighbor house to the case house and were age,- sex-frequency-matched to the cases. Anti-SE36 IgG antibodies were measured using enzyme-linked absorbent immunoassays (ELISAs). SE36 titers were estimated by extrapolating ELISA optical density readings to a standard fitting curve. Anti-SE36 titers were log-transformed for analysis. Odds ratios (ORs) and two-sided 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were estimated using unconditional logistic regression. The mean log endpoint dilution titers were 0.63 logs lower in cases than in controls (8.26 [SD 1.68] vs. 8.89 [SD 1.75], Student's t-test, p = 0.019). Lower titers were observed in cases than controls aged 0-4 years (p = 0.05) and in those aged 5-14 years (p = 0.06). Low and medium tertiles of anti-SE36 IgG antibodies were associated with increased OR for BL ([OR 1.67, 95% CI 1.21-2.31] and [OR 1.33, 95% CI 0.96-1.86], respectively, p(trend) = 0.002) in analyses adjusting for age, sex, calendar period and test plate. Our findings suggest that compared to similarly aged children enrolled from the same community, children with BL in Ghana have lower antibodies to SE36 antigen., (Copyright © 2011 UICC.)

Background: There is insufficient research into the clinical presentation and outcome after treatment in children with Burkitt's lymphoma (BL) who are also HIV infected, by comparison with those who are not infected., Patients and Methods: This retrospective study analyzed 15 HIV infected children with BL by comparison with 30 children with BL but not infected with HIV. These children were admitted consecutively in two South African hospitals from 1995 to 2004. The primary localization of the tumor, stage, treatment, relapse and overall survival were the main areas of interest. The distributions of studied variables in the two groups were tested for significance with statistic methods., Results: The distribution by age, sex and stage of disease was not significantly different between the two samples. The primary site of tumor was, in both groups, more often in the abdomen than in the head, neck or other areas (53% of HIV positive cases and 80% of HIV negative cases). The chemotherapy protocol was in almost all cases LMB. The mortality ratio was significantly higher in the HIV positive group: 73% (11 out of 15 cases) versus 23% (7/30) -p=0.002, while the length of follow-up was significantly shorter for the HIV infected children (average 30 months versus 48 months, p=0.01)., Conclusions: The HIV infection worsens significantly the prognosis of children with BL, in spite of anti-retroviral and cytostatic treatment., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)