Prevalence and severity of ocular surface Neoplasia in African nations and need for early interventions

Abstract

Ocular surface squamous neoplasia (OSSN) is a common ocular surface tumor with an increased incidence in African countries (3.4 and 3.0 cases/year/100,000). Despite its potential for vision loss and death, OSSN remains largely neglected by both eye and HIV care programs in Africa. The purpose of this review is to identify the barriers to timely diagnosis and early interventions for OSSN in Africa. PubMed searches were conducted targeting previous use of topical chemotherapy (interferon alpha 2b, Mitomycin-C, 5-Fluorouracil) and Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination in Africa. We found that OSSN is a significant vision and life-threatening health problem in Africa leading to significant loss of vision, as well as facial disfigurement and social stigma. We did not find any reports on the use of topical interferon, Mitomycin-C or HPV vaccination for OSSN in Africa. One report on the use of topical 5-FU for OSSN in Africa was found. Common barriers to early detection and management of OSSN in Africa include lack of sufficient laboratory infrastructure, lack of trained healthcare personnel, lack of compliance with follow-up visits, cost of topical chemotherapies, and cultural preferences for traditional medicines. In conclusion, OSSN is a significant vision and life-threatening health problem in Africa. There is not much literature on prevention or treatment options for early stages of OSSN in Africa. The use of topical chemotherapy as early interventions and judicious use of smart phone Apps to help with remote diagnosis of early OSSN should be further explored.

PD-L1/PD1 Expression, Composition of Tumor-Associated Immune Infiltrate, and HPV Status in Conjunctival Squamous Cell Carcinoma

“…Patients with locally advanced and/or recurrent conjunctival SCC with orbital invasion may require orbital exenteration, a radical and debilitating surgery. Invasive conjunctival SCC with orbital invasion is endemic in parts of Africa and leads to significant morbidity 12,32,33. Thus, new treatments are needed to effectively prevent recurrence and preserve ocular function.…”

Functions of Traditional Chinese Medicine Combined with Recombinant Human Interferon α2b in Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasias Patients

“…Recombinant human interferon, which is a protein in nature, can bind to interferon receptors on the surface of affected tissues and exert antiviral effects, which can interfere with viral replication, thereby inhibiting viral synthesis, enhancing the phagocytosis of macrophages to strengthen the immune function of patients, regulate progesterone levels in the body, and improve the internal environment of the patient's vagina [ 17 ].…”

Benigne und maligne Bindehauttumoren in Diagnostik und Therapie

“…Ursächlich für diese unterschiedliche Epidemiologie sind die Risikofaktoren für die Erkrankung. Hierzu gehören im Wesentlichen UVLicht-Exposition, HIV-Infektion und als Kofaktor eine HPV-Infektion (Übersicht bei [39]).…”