Cancer Screening in the Developing World: Case Studies and Strategies from the Field(Geisel Series in Global Health and Medicine)

Worldwide, cancer is responsible for one in eight deaths-more than AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria combined. This global burden starkly illustrates the inequality between the developed and the developing world. While the majority of people living in developed countries receive timely treatment, those living in developing countries are not as fortunate and their survival rates are much lower-not only due to delays in diagnosis, but also to a lack of personnel, a paucity of treatment facilities, and the unavailability of many medications. Routine screening-a mainstay in the developed world-could greatly increase the likelihood of identifying individuals with early stage cancers and thus reduce the number of people who present with advanced disease. This book represents a critical addition to the literature of global health studies. Focusing on cervical, breast, and oral cancers, these case studies highlight innovative strategies in cancer screening in a diverse array of developing countries. The authors discuss common issues and share how obstacles-medical, economic, legal, social, and psychological-were addressed or overcome in specific settings. Each chapter offers an empirical discussion of the nature and scope of a screening program, the methodology used, and its findings, along with a candid discussion of challenges and limitations and suggestions for future efforts.

Table of Contents:
Foreword—David Weller Global Burden of Disease: A Short Overview—Madelon L. Finkel The Benefits and Challenges of Population-based Screening in Low- and Middle-Income Countries—Madelon L. Finkel Challenges in Screening for Cervical Cancer: Sharing Experiences from India—Shobha S. Krishnan Educate, Screen, and Treat Program for Cervical Cancer in Rural Tamil Nadu, India—Biswajit Paul and Rita Isaac Delivering a Screen and Treat Program in Rural Malawi: The Nkhoma Story—Christine Campbell and Heather A. Cubie A National Cervical Cancer Screening Program in Haiti—Kaitlin McCurdy, Grace Tillyard, Joseph Bernard, and Vincent DeGennaro Jr. Case Study: Introducing PCR Testing for High-Risk HPV in Honduras—Linda S. Kennedy and Gregory J. Tsongalis Oral Cancer Screening in Low- and Middle-Income Countries—A. Ross Kerr, Shelly Arora, and Paul M. Speight Mobile Health for Cancer Care and Control in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: Leveraging the Power of Mobile Technology to Improve Cancer Outcomes—Shreya Bhatt and Jay Evans The Case for the Integration of Palliative Care in Health Care Systems—Liz Grant Thoughts Going Forward—Madelon L. Finkel About the Contributors Index

About the Author :
MADELON L. FINKEL, PHD, is professor of healthcare policy and research and director of the Office of Global Health Education at Weill Cornell Medicine, the medical school of Cornell University. She is an epidemiologist who for many years has been engaged in cervical cancer screening in developing countries.