An international team of oncology experts gathered in Accra, Ghana, for a series of meetings to update cancer treatment recommendations in the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Harmonized Guidelines for Sub-Saharan Africa.
Background
The NCCN Harmonized Guidelines offer color-coded tiers of treatment recommendations based on resource availability. They cover more than 40 different cancer types—in addition to screening, supportive care, and specific population concerns—and have been used nearly 70,000 times since 2017. The NCCN Harmonized Guidelines have been endorsed by the Federal Ministries of Health and leading cancer centers in Ethiopia, Liberia, Malawi, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia.
The meeting was the latest event from a long-standing collaboration between the African Cancer Coalition, American Cancer Society (ACS), NCCN, and the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) that collectively form the group Allied Against Cancer. Together, the organizations are focused on providing context-appropriate, evidence-based cancer care strategies to address the unique challenges faced across the region.
“The Sub-Saharan Africa region is dealing with a rising rate of cancer incidence. Standardizing care based on the latest, evidence-based, expert consensus–driven recommendations helps ensure consistency in treatment and enables better planning for how to use available resources,” emphasized Henry Ddungu, MBChB, MMed, a senior consultant of Hematology/Oncology at the African Cancer Coalition. “We can ensure [patients] with cancer receive the most effective treatment by harnessing local expertise combined with global best practices,” he continued.
Overview of Updated Guidelines
During the meeting, the updates to the NCCN Harmonized Guidelines for Sub-Saharan Africa focused on caring for hematologic malignancies and pediatric cancers, including acute lymphoblastic leukemia, acute myeloid leukemia, B-cell lymphomas, chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma, chronic myeloid leukemia, Hodgkin lymphoma, multiple myeloma, pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia, pediatric aggressive B-cell lymphomas, pediatric central nervous system cancers, and Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinemia/lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma.
Conclusions
“Since the launch of Allied Against Cancer and publication of the first NCCN Harmonized Guidelines for Sub-Saharan Africa in 2017, we have grown to include guidelines covering more than 90% of adult cancer incidences, and most pediatric cancers,” highlighted Anu Agrawal, MD, Vice President of Global Cancer Support at the ACS. “We are proud of the work we’ve accomplished collaboratively and excited to see continued progress in cancer care across the region,” he added.
“As we strive for health equity across the globe, it is vital that health-care providers are equipped with the best tools and resources to deliver optimal care for a variety of different settings,” underscored Crystal S. Denlinger, MD, FACP, Chief Executive Officer of the NCCN. “These guidelines are a critical step for helping cancer care professionals stay current on the latest advancements in treatment. They provide a roadmap for ideal options while also taking into account the challenges that exist when delivering care in resource-limited settings,” she concluded.
The NCCN Harmonized Guidelines for Sub-Sahara Africa can be accessed at nccn.org.
