A scoping review of the management of prostate cancer in Africa

Abstract

Prostate cancer is one of the most frequently diagnosed cancers in men
and a major cause of cancer-related deaths in men, globally. The management
of prostate cancer in Africa is unique; most patients present with
advanced disease as result of a largely under-developed healthcare delivery.
However, due to the underdeveloped healthcare system in Africa,
there are unique limitations to delivering these treatments. Thus, the need
for this scoping review on the management of prostate cancer in Africa.
Aim: To give an account of the pattern of presentation, histological types,
investigative and treatment modalities of prostate cancer in Africa. A literature
search through PubMed, Google Scholar, and African Journal Online
on the management of prostate cancer in Africa was conducted. Results are
then reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic
Review and Meta-analyses extension for Scoping Review. Forty-three articles
fully satisfied the inclusion criteria and were used for this review.
The commonest presentation of prostate cancer was lower urinary
tract symptoms, followed by bone pain and urinary retention in that order.
Adenocarcinoma was the commonest histological type for 98.5% of the
study. A total 23.3% of patients had hormonal treatment which was the commonest
treatment option. Chemotherapy and open radical prostatectomy
were used in 17.7 and 12.9% cases respectively. The use of robot-assisted
radical prostatectomy was not an option of care noted in the review. The
findings of this study highlight the need for integration of modern investigative
modalities and treatment options for prostate cancer in Africa.