Global Cancer Research and Control Seminar Series – Breast Cancer Survival in sub-Saharan Africa

Dr. Valerie McCormack and Mr. Steady Chasimpha are epidemiologists based at the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine respectively. Their research is focused mostly on cancer epidemiology in sub-Saharan Africa, including on cancers contributing to excessive premature mortality in the region. This work includes contextual studies of the reasons – biological, societal and health systems – for low breast cancer survival as well as etiological research on esophageal cancer.

The African Breast Cancer Disparities in Outcomes study (ABC-DO) is a breast cancer cohort initiated in 2014 across 5 Sub-Saharan African countries and has quantified the factors that need to be tackled to avoid breast cancers. The study also provides unique information on quality of life and the intergenerational impact of cancer deaths.