Challenges, Opportunities, and Priorities for Advancing Breast Cancer Control in Zambia: A Consultative Meeting on Breast Cancer Control

Abstract

In 2016, the Zambian government made cancer control a national priority and released a National Cancer Control Strategic Plan for 2016 to 2021, which focuses on malignancies of the breast, cervix, and prostate, and retinoblastoma. The plan calls for a collective reduction in the cancer burden by 50%. In support of this vision, Susan G. Komen sponsored a consultative meeting in Lusaka, Zambia, in September 2017 to bring together the country’s main breast cancer stakeholders and identify opportunities to improve breast cancer control. The recommendations generated during the discussions are presented. There was general agreement that the first step toward breast cancer mortality reduction should consist of implementation of early detection service platforms focused on women who are symptomatic. Participants also agreed that the management of all components of the national breast cancer control program should be integrated and led by the Ministry of Health. As much as possible, early detection and treatment services presently offered by the Cervical Cancer Prevention Program of Zambia and Cancer Diseases Hospital should be leveraged. Efforts are under way through multiple stakeholders to implement the following recommendations: development of national guidelines for the early diagnosis of breast cancer, training of breast surgeons, implementation of early detection and surgical treatment service platforms at the district-hospital level, and epidemiologic research, including the improvement of electronic recording mechanisms.