​New study shows need to update oncology infrastructure in the country.

In new findings led by researchers at the American Cancer Society, Martin-Luther University in Germany, and many other institutes worldwide, fewer than one in 20 patients diagnosed with potentially curable colorectal cancer (CRC) received standard of care in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The study showed that 55% of CRC patients in SSA survived two years after a diagnosis of their disease, compared to 84% of patients in the United States, and the risk of dying from CRC was 67% higher in patients diagnosed in low-income countries than those diagnosed in middle-income countries. See chart above. The findings are published in JNCCN—Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, and the news was shared on X /Twitter.

“The burden of colorectal cancer is increasing in Sub-Saharan Africa, however, little was known about treatment and survival in the region,” said Dr. Ahmedin Jemal, senior vice president, surveillance & health equity science at ACS and senior author of the paper. “These findings underline the urgent need to improve healthcare infrastructure, including the oncology and surgical workforce, and drug availability in the region to increase survival for CRC and other cancer patients.”

“To our knowledge, this is the first study to examine receipt of treatment and survival among patients with CRC in a population-based setting and from multiple centers in SSA,” added Jemal. “For policymakers and institutions in SSA, we hope our study results can be an important basis for targeted and meaningful investments and measures to improve the outcomes and survival of patients with CRC in the region.”