Ifeoma Okoye MBBS, FWACS, FMCR
Professor of Radiology and Director
University of Nigeria Centre for Clinical Trials
College of Medicine, University of Nigeria
Title: Deepening Collaboration with Stanford & Pennsylvania, Toward Developing Joint Strategies to Close the ‘Cancer Care’ & ‘Clinical Trial Volume’ Gap in LMICs
Abstract
In this seminar I will be addressing the dire cancer survival outcomes in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), with a particular focus on Sub-Saharan Africa. Cancer survival rates in Sub-Saharan Africa are alarmingly low. According to the World Health Organization, cancer deaths in LMICs account for approximately 70% of global cancer fatalities. In Nigeria, the five-year survival rate for breast cancer, one of the most common cancers, stands at a disheartening 10-30%, compared to over 80% in high-income countries. This stark disparity highlights the urgent need for sustained comprehensive cancer interventions in our region.
Here, I will discuss the pivotal role in the cancer control sphere, of a new software, ONCOSEEK, capable of early detecting 11 types of Cancers! It’s particular emphasis on the Patient Perspective, which aligns with our ethos of need for holistic patient care. In addition I will discuss recent developments on collaborative effort with the Gevaert lab at Stanford University and the University of Pennsylvania.