Distribution of the workforce involved in cancer care: a systematic review of the literature

Trapani, Dario; Murthy, Samskruthi; Boniol, Mathieu; Booth, Christopher M.; Simensen, Victoria Charlotte; Kasumba, Moses; Giuliani, Rosa; Curigliano, Giuseppe; Ilbawi, André

doi:10.1016/j.esmoop.2021.100292

Cited by 24 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…The estimated number of radiation oncologists per 100 patients with cancer for HICs, HMICs, and LMICs were 0.25, 0.19, and 0.04, respectively. 5 No data for LICs were reported. Formal country-wise estimates for radiation oncology workforce are available for multiple countries.…”

Section: Where Do We Stand?mentioning

confidence: 99%

Access to Radiation Therapy: From Local to Global and Equality to Equity

Laskar

Sinha

Krishnatry

et al. 2022

JCO Global Oncology

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The discipline of radiation oncology is the most resource-intensive component of comprehensive cancer care because of significant initial investments required for machines, the requirement of dedicated construction, a multifaceted workforce, and recurring maintenance costs. This review focuses on the challenges associated with accessible and affordable radiation therapy (RT) across the globe and the possible solutions to improve the current scenario. Most common cancers globally, including breast, prostate, head and neck, and cervical cancers, have a RT utilization rate of > 50%. The estimated annual incidence of cancer is 19,292,789 for 2020, with > 70% occurring in low-income countries and low-middle–income countries. There are approximately 14,000 teletherapy machines globally. However, the distribution of these machines is distinctly nonuniform, with low-income countries and low-middle–income countries having access to < 10% of the global teletherapy machines. The Directory of Radiotherapy Centres enlists 3,318 brachytherapy facilities. Most countries with a high incidence of cervical cancer have a deficit in brachytherapy facilities, although formal estimates for the same are not available. The deficit in simulators, radiation oncologists, and medical physicists is even more challenging to quantify; however, the inequitable distribution is indisputable. Measures to ensure equitable access to RT include identifying problems specific to region/country, adopting indigenous technology, encouraging public-private partnership, relaxing custom duties on RT equipment, global/cross-country collaboration, and quality human resources training. Innovative research focusing on the most prevalent cancers aiming to make RT utilization more cost-effective while maintaining efficacy will further bridge the gap.

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Section: Where Do We Stand?mentioning

confidence: 99%

Access to Radiation Therapy: From Local to Global and Equality to Equity

Laskar

Sinha

Krishnatry

et al. 2022

JCO Global Oncology

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“…Resources are severely lacking in all aspects of cancer surgery in LMICs. Low‐resource health care systems commonly lack adequate cancer management resources across all aspects of cancer surgery, including limited cancer workforce personnel 48 and few cancer specialty hospitals 23 . Furthermore, patients who undergo surgical cancer treatment in low‐resource areas tend to have higher rates of severe postoperative complications 49 and mortality 50 .…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Global cancer surgery in low‐resource settings: A strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats analysis

Sadler

Torio

Golby

2023

Cancer

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Global cancer surgery is an essential and complex component of oncologic care. This study aims to describe global cancer surgery literature since the 2015 Lancet Commission on Global Surgery and Cancer Surgery and perform a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis. A systematic search was performed in PubMed of global cancer surgery articles. Themes were extracted from the included studies based on the following criteria: (1) performed in low‐ or low‐middle–income countries, (2) published during or after 2015, (3) published in peer‐reviewed journals, (4) written in the English language, and (5) accessible to the authors. Themes were further grouped into strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT analysis). The search strategy identified 154 articles published from 1992 to 2022. Forty‐six articles were included in the qualitative synthesis and SWOT analysis. Recurring themes included local epidemiologic studies, local innovations and feasibility studies, prioritizing quality of life outcomes, multidisciplinary team approaches, limited resources, health system gaps, lack of economic analyses, diverse cancer management strategies and priorities, inter‐setting collaboration, research expansion, the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, and unchecked technological advancements. These strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats were described and related to the themes of research, surgical systems strengthening, economics and financing, and political framing of the 2015 Lancet Commission on Global Cancer Surgery. SWOT analyses of global cancer surgery may be helpful in suggesting future strategies for this expanding field. Plain language summary Cancer surgery is a resource‐intensive yet essential component of cancer care. In the face of projected growth of cancer burden, the present gap in cancer surgery care in low‐resource settings with stressed health care and surgical infrastructure risks further exacerbation. We present a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats analysis of recent global cancer surgery literature pertaining to low‐resource settings.

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“…Overall, there is a critical shortage of the cancer workforce, including cancer surgeons, and this paucity of surgeons will not meet the global cancer burden by 2030 1–5,38 . Several strategies are essential to address this issue and can include: expanding educational training programs at the global level through global and national financing mechanisms, market‐labor economic policies, investing in educational institutions, improving content and quality of training curriculums at the local level, and promoting diversity within the surgical workforce.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Education of the cancer surgical workforce: Gaps, priorities, and strategies

Murthy,

Are

2023

Journal of Surgical Oncology

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Cancer is a leading cause of noncommunicable disease‐related mortality. The predicted number of new cancer cases will increase from 19.3 million in 2020 to 30.2 million by 2040. To mitigate the cancer burden, it is critical to build capacity of the cancer workforce, especially in systems with limited resources. We provide a global overview of gaps and implementation strategies that can increase the quality and quantity of the global surgical cancer workforce.

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Distribution of the workforce involved in cancer care: a systematic review of the literature

Cited by 24 publications

References 29 publications

Access to Radiation Therapy: From Local to Global and Equality to Equity

Access to Radiation Therapy: From Local to Global and Equality to Equity

Global cancer surgery in low‐resource settings: A strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats analysis

Education of the cancer surgical workforce: Gaps, priorities, and strategies

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