World Cancer Day is Feb. 4. ASCP’s Center for Global Health Strengthens Efforts to Fight Cancer in Africa

Pathology and oncology are intertwined. As we approach World Cancer Day on February 4, ASCP continues its commitment to bring pathology training to underserved areas in Africa. Through its ongoing collaboration with Seattle-based BIO Ventures for Global Health’s (BVGH) African Access Initiative, ASCP recently completed a program of pathology training in cancer diagnosis in Francophone countries in Africa.

The online “virtual” training took place in late 2020 over an 11-week period and involved 425 participants – medical students, residents and seasoned pathologists -- from 20 francophone countries in Africa. The training, presented in French, covered the diagnosis of the most common cancers that are seen within this very diverse region, including breast, cervical, colorectal and prostate cancers.  

“This particular training focused on the skills that a pathologist needs to interpret slides and make a diagnosis,” said Daniel Seymour, program manager with BVGH. “There are few opportunities for post-graduate professional development within this field in French. The final session covered molecular pathology and targeted therapies, which is a new frontier within the discipline.”

Through BVGH’s African Access Initiative, the organization has developed connections with the various ministries of health throughout Africa, enabling it to work directly with hospitals that treat cancer patients and identify needs and improve access to medicine. For several years, BVGH has collaborated with ASCP, which provides the trainers with expertise in cancer diagnosis and a platform for presenting the training.

ASCP's World Cancer Day Activities
ASCP is a proud partner of the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), which is recognizing this year's World Cancer Day with its 21 Days of Impact Challenge. Click on the link for a list of World Cancer Day activities on an interactive map.  

In addition, ASCP is proud to be the host of the 2021 World Cancer Leaders’ Summit in Boston, Massachusetts, on Oct. 25-26, in collaboration with the UICC, the World Health Organization (WHO), the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). For information, click here.