The paucity of epidemiological data and challenges of diagnosis in myeloid neoplasms in sub‐Saharan Africa: A call for action?

Abstract

The global burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) is substantial. In 2019, NCDs resulted in over 1620 million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) and 42 million deaths, with 77% of mortality in low-and middle-income countries (LIMCs) [1]. Neoplasms ranked fourth in the global burden of NDCs, surpassed only by cardiovascular, respiratory, and injuries, with 24.5 million incident cases and 9.6 million deaths due to cancer worldwide in 2017 [2]. Of these, neoplasms of the haematopoietic system constitute nearly 10% of all malignancies in sub-Saharan Africa, resulting in significant morbidity and mortality [3]. The number of new cases of haematological malignancies in this region is estimated to increase by 70% by the year 2030 [3,4]. According to the Global Burden of Disease Cancer Collaboration report that covered 2007 to 2017 [5], the global incidence rates of all cancers increased by 33.4%; chronic lymphocytic leukaemia increased by 40.5%, non-Hodgkin Lymphoma by 38.8%, multiple myeloma by 37.6%, acute lymphoblastic leukaemia by 29.3%, acute myeloid leukaemia by 23.2%, Hodgkin lymphoma by 15.2%, chronic myeloid leukaemia by 4.3% and other leukaemias by 8.9%.The 2001 World Health Organization (WHO) classification of haematopoietic and lymphoid neoplasms [6], with its subsequent editions and revisions, provided the first classification for haematological malignancies that incorporated clinical, genetic, immunophenotypic, as well as morphological information into a single scheme. In the latest revision in 2022 [7], neoplasms of the haematopoietic system were Sustainable Development Goal: Ensure Healthy lives and Promote Well-Being for All at All Ages.