AMAFRICA, a patient-navigator program for accompanying lymphoma patients during chemotherapy in Ivory Coast: a prospective randomized study

Abstract

Background Previous studies have indicated that accompanying socially undeserved cancer patients through Patient Navigator (PN) or PN-derived procedures improves therapy management and reassurance. At the Cancer Institute of Toulouse-Oncopole (France), we have implemented AMA (Ambulatory Medical Assistance), a PN-based procedure adapted for malignant lymphoma (ML) patients under therapy. We found that AMA improve adherence to chemotherapy and safety. In low-middle income countries (LMIC), refusal and abandonment were documented as major adverse factors for cancer therapy. We reasoned that AMA could improve clinical management of ML patients in LMIC. Methods This study was set up in the Abidjan University Medical Center (Ivory Coast) in collaboration with Toulouse. Hundred African patients were randomly assigned to either AMA or control group. Main criteria of judgment were refusal and abandonment of CHOP or ABVD chemotherapy. Results We found that AMA was feasible and has significant impact on refusal and abandonment. However, only one third of patients completed their therapy in both groups. No differences were noted in terms of complete response rate (CRR) (16% based on intent-to-treat) and median overall survival (OS) (6 months). The main reason for refusal and abandonment was limitation of financial resources. Conclusion Altogether, this study showed that PN may reduce refusal and abandonment of treatment. However, due to insufficient health care coverage, its ultimate impact on OS remains limited.

Implementation and Evaluation of Educational Videos to Improve Cancer Knowledge and Patient Empowerment

“…In Malawi, we have shown that low cancer health literacy is a leading cause of treatment abandonment among children and adolescents, and this has also been observed elsewhere in adults and children in SSA. 1,2,[5][6][7] In high-income settings, standardized patient cancer education is often facilitated through a comprehensive educational session by a nurse educator at the time of diagnosis. Educational videos and other technologybased educational interventions for cancer-specific patient education have been successful in these settings.…”