Establishment of a brain tumor consortium of Africa: Advancing collaborative research and advocacy for brain tumors in Africa

Lateef A Odukoya; Kwadwo Darko; Francis Zerd; Nathalie C Ghomsi; Gloria Kabare; David O Kamson; Jeanette E Eckel-Passow; Robert B Jenkins; Gaspar J Kitange; Andrea O Akinjo; Kabir B Badmos; Olufemi Bankole; Olufemi E Idowu; Claire Karekezi; Elias Edrick; Chukwuyem Ekhator; Victoria M Katasi; Desmond A Brown; Jason Huse; Henry Llewellyn; Margreth Magambo; Michael Magoha; Umaru Barrie; Advera Ngaiza; Arsene D Nyalundja; Minda Okemwa; Lawrence Osei-Tutu; Bernard Petershie; W Elorm Yevudza Jr; Charles C Anunobi; Liadi Tiamiyu; Gbetoho Fortuné Gankpe; Kashaigili Heronima; Dominique Higgins; Kristin Schroeder; Teddy Totimeh; James Balogun; Beverly Cheserem; Arnold B Etame; Ekokobe Fonkem

doi:10.1093/noajnl/vdae198

Establishment of a brain tumor consortium of Africa: Advancing collaborative research and advocacy for brain tumors in Africa

Neurooncol Adv. 2024 Nov 16;6(1):vdae198. doi: 10.1093/noajnl/vdae198. eCollection 2024 Jan-Dec.

Authors

Lateef A Odukoya¹, Kwadwo Darko², Francis Zerd³, Nathalie C Ghomsi⁴, Gloria Kabare⁵, David O Kamson⁶, Jeanette E Eckel-Passow⁷, Robert B Jenkins¹, Gaspar J Kitange⁸, Andrea O Akinjo⁹, Kabir B Badmos⁹, Olufemi Bankole¹⁰, Olufemi E Idowu¹¹, Claire Karekezi¹², Elias Edrick¹³, Chukwuyem Ekhator¹⁴, Victoria M Katasi¹⁵, Desmond A Brown¹⁶, Jason Huse¹⁷, Henry Llewellyn¹⁸, Margreth Magambo¹⁹, Michael Magoha²⁰, Umaru Barrie²¹, Advera Ngaiza²², Arsene D Nyalundja²³, Minda Okemwa²⁴, Lawrence Osei-Tutu²⁵, Bernard Petershie²⁶, W Elorm Yevudza Jr²⁷, Charles C Anunobi⁹, Liadi Tiamiyu²⁸, Gbetoho Fortuné Gankpe²⁹, Kashaigili Heronima³⁰, Dominique Higgins³¹, Kristin Schroeder³², Teddy Totimeh³³, James Balogun³⁴, Beverly Cheserem⁵, Arnold B Etame³⁵, Ekokobe Fonkem³⁶

Affiliations

¹ Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, New York, USA.
² Department of Neurosurgery, Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra, Ghana.
³ Mortuary and Forensic Department, Benjamin Mkapa Hospital, Dodoma, Tanzania.
⁴ Department of Neurosurgery, Université Félix Houphouet Boigny, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.
⁵ Neurosurgery Department, Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi, Kenya.
⁶ Department of Oncology and Neurology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
⁷ Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, New York, USA.
⁸ Division of Neuro-Oncology Research, The Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota, Austin, Minnesota, USA.
⁹ Anatomic and Molecular Pathology, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos, Nigeria.
¹⁰ Neurosurgery Unit, Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria.
¹¹ Neurosurgery Unit, Department of Surgery, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital and Lagos State University College of Medicine Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria.
¹² Neurosurgery Unit, Department of Surgery, Rwanda Military Referral and Teaching Hospital, University of Rwanda, Kigali, Rwanda.
¹³ Department of Pathology, Catholic University of Health and Allied Sciences, Mwanza, Tanzania.
¹⁴ Department of Neuro-Oncology, New York Institute of Technology, College of Osteopathic Medicine, New York, New York, USA.
¹⁵ Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, Mulago National Referral Hospital, Mulago, Uganda.
¹⁶ Department of Neurological Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.
¹⁷ Department of Pathology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA.
¹⁸ Department of Global Health & Social Medicine, King's College London, London, UK.
¹⁹ Department of Radiology, Bugando Medical Centre, Mwanza, Tanzania.
²⁰ Department of Surgery, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya.
²¹ Department of Neurosurgery, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA.
²² Department of Anatomical Pathology, Muhimbili National Hospital, Muhimbili, Tanzania.
²³ Center for Tropical Diseases and Global Health, Faculty of Medicine, Université Catholique de Bukavu, Bugabo, Democratic Republic of Congo.
²⁴ Department of Human Pathology, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya.
²⁵ Paediatric Oncology Unit, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana.
²⁶ Department of Pathology, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana.
²⁷ Department of Neurosurgery, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York, USA.
²⁸ Department of Neurological Surgery, Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta, Nigeria.
²⁹ Department of Neurosurgery, Centre National Hospitalier Universitaire Hubert Koutoukou, Cotonou, Benin.
³⁰ Department of Oncology, Bugando Medical Centre, Mwanza, Tanzania.
³¹ Department of Neurosurgery, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
³² Pediatric Oncology, Bugando Medical Centre, Mwanza, Tanzania.
³³ Department of Surgery, Accra Medical Centre, Accra, Ghana.
³⁴ Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.
³⁵ Department of Neuro-Oncology, Moffitt Cancer Centre, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA.
³⁶ Department of Neurology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconson, USA.

Abstract

Background: Brain tumors represent a significant global health challenge, with rising incidence and mortality impacting individuals worldwide and contributing to cancer-related morbidity and mortality. In Africa, this burden is exacerbated by limited access to advanced diagnostics, treatment options, and multidisciplinary care, compounded by the absence of standardized cancer registration and tumor biobanking. The introduction of molecular diagnostics, as outlined in the 2021 World Health Organization central nervous system (CNS) tumor classification, adds complexity to brain tumor management, particularly in regions with scarce resources.

Methods: To address these issues, the Brain Tumor Consortium for Africa (BTCA) was established in 2023, bringing together experts to improve CNS tumor diagnosis, patient care, and research. The initial project, conducted via an electronic questionnaire, aimed to assess neuro-oncology capacity across Sub-Saharan Africa.

Results: The study revealed significant gaps, with a limited number of institutions incorporating molecular subtyping into their diagnostic algorithms. The consortium's efforts focus on enhancing local data use, informing public policy, and promoting collaboration to advance neuro-oncology practices in Africa. By fostering a network enlisting the expertise of collaborators in the fields of neurosurgery, neurology, neuropathology, anatomic pathology, and medical and radiation oncology, the BTCA seeks to improve brain tumor management through better diagnostics, infrastructure, and policy advocacy. Future directions include expanding molecular diagnostic capabilities, standardizing brain tumor biobanking, enhancing data collection, and advocating for improved brain tumor care in national health agendas.

Conclusions: The BTCA represents a pioneering model of collaboration and innovation in addressing the unique challenges of brain tumor care in Africa.

Keywords: CNS tumor registry; brain tumors; global neurosurgery; molecular subtyping; sub-Saharan Africa.