The first BGICC consensus and recommendations for breast cancer awareness, early detection and risk reduction in low- and middle-income countries and the MENA region

Elghazaly H 1 , Aref AT 2 , Anderson BO 3 , Arun B 4 , Yip CH 5 , Abdelaziz H 1 Show all authors , Ghosn M 6 , Al-Foheidi M 7 , Cardenosa G 8 , Leung JWT 9 , Gado N 1 , Balch CM 10 , Sabry M 1 , Ezz Elarab L 1 , Giuliano AE 11 , El-Zawahry HM 12 , Abdel Karim K 1 , Nasr A 13 , Maki H 14 , Chung H 9 , Saadeddin A 15 , Abdelwahab MM 1 , Al Tahan FM 16 , Chalabi N 17 , Frolova M 18 , Kamal RM 19 , Shehata MA 20 , Bahie Eldin N 1 , Elghazawy H 1

Affiliations 

  • 1 Clinical Oncology Department, Ain shams University, Cairo, Egypt
  • 2 School of Public health, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
  • 3 Breast Health Global Initiative, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
  • 4 The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
  • 5 Subang Jaya Medical Centre, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • 6 Hematology and Oncology Department, Saint Joseph University, Beirut, Lebanon
  • 7 Princess Noorah Oncology Center/College of Medicine, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
  • 8 Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, Winston Salem, North Carolina, USA
  • 9 Breast Imaging Department, Division of Diagnostic Imaging, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
  • 10 Surgical Oncology Department, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
  • 11 Surgical Oncology Division, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, USA
  • 12 Medical Oncology Department, National Cancer Institute, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
  • 13 Radiotherapy Department, National Cancer Institute, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
  • 14 Khartoum Oncology Specialized Center, Khartoum, Sudan
  • 15 King Abdullah Specialized Children's Hospital, Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
  • 16 Cancer Control Program, Ministry of Health, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
  • 17 Radiology Department, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
  • 18 NN Blokhin National Medical Research Center of Oncology, Moscow, Russia
  • 19 Radiology Department, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
  • 20 Clinical Oncology Department, Menoufia University, Shebin Elkom, Egypt
Int J Cancer, 2021 08 01;149(3):505-513.
PMID: 33559295 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.33506

Abstract

In low-middle income countries (LMICs) and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, there is an unmet need to establish and improve breast cancer (BC) awareness, early diagnosis and risk reduction programs. During the 12th Breast, Gynecological & Immuno-oncology International Cancer Conference - Egypt 2020, 26 experts from 7 countries worldwide voted to establish the first consensus for BC awareness, early detection and risk reduction in LMICs/MENA region. The panel advised that there is an extreme necessity for a well-developed BC data registries and prospective clinical studies that address alternative modalities/modified BC screening programs in areas of limited resources. The most important recommendations of the panel were: (a) BC awareness campaigns should be promoted to public and all adult age groups; (b) early detection programs should combine geographically distributed mammographic facilities with clinical breast examination (CBE); (c) breast awareness should be encouraged; and (d) intensive surveillance and chemoprevention strategies should be fostered for high-risk women. The panel defined some areas for future clinical research, which included the role of CBE and breast self-examination as an alternative to radiological screening in areas of limited resources, the interval and methodology of BC surveillance in women with increased risk of BC and the use of low dose tamoxifen in BC risk reduction. In LMICs/MENA region, BC awareness and early detection campaigns should take into consideration the specific disease criteria and the socioeconomic status of the target population. The statements with no consensus reached should serve as potential catalyst for future clinical research.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

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