Essential medicines for breast cancer in low and middle income countries

BMC Cancer

Research Article

Y. T. Bazargani¹  A. de Boer¹  Aukje K. Mantel-Teeuwisse¹  H. G. M. Leufkens¹  J. H. M. Schellens² 

[1] Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Clinical Pharmacology, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, David de Wied building, Universiteitsweg 99, 3584 CG, Utrecht, The Netherlands;Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Clinical Pharmacology, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, David de Wied building, Universiteitsweg 99, 3584 CG, Utrecht, The Netherlands;Division of Clinical Pharmacology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands;

关键词: Breast Cancer;    Advanced Breast Cancer;    Early Breast Cancer;    Essential Medicine;    Essential Medicine List;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12885-015-1583-4

 received in 2014-12-18, accepted in 2015-07-27,  发布年份 2015

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundBreast cancer is the most common type of cancer among women worldwide. In low and middle-income countries (LMICs), appropriate selection of medicines on national essential medicines lists (NEMLs) is a first step towards adequate access to treatment. We studied selection of systemic treatments for breast cancer on NEMLs and assessed its alignment with treatment guidelines for different types of early and advanced breast cancer. Furthermore, influence of country characteristics on the selection was investigated.MethodNEMLs from 75 LMICs were studied for inclusion of all components of therapy in each stage of breast cancer according to international consensus guidelines. The results were then grouped by income level, WHO region and the NEMLs’ release date. Non parametric tests were used for statistical analysis.ResultsUnlike HER2-targeted therapies (<10 %), aromatase inhibitors (12 %) and taxanes (28 %); tamoxifen and first generation chemotherapeutic regimens (e.g., anthracycline-based regimens) were frequently found in the NEMLs (71–78 %). Consequently, all components of treatment for “Luminal A” early breast cancer and non HER2 overexpressed advanced breast cancer were found on the NEMLs of over 70 % of countries. However, 40 % of the low income countries did not have all the components of therapy for any type of early breast cancer in their NEMLs, and adequate treatment of HER2 overexpressed breast cancer was hardly possible with the current selections. Recent NEMLs were more aligned with the guidelines (p < 0.05). Eastern Mediterranean and African regions less frequently incorporated all components of breast cancer treatment in their NEMLs.ConclusionAlignment of selection with guidelines’ recommendations was inconsistent for different types of early and advanced breast cancer in NEMLs. Regular updates and more attention to clinical guidelines is therefore recommended.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© Bazargani et al. 2015