The Management of Hematologic Malignancies in Lower-Income Countries

With many lower-income countries reporting a growing incidence of hematologic malignancies, the need to improve the management of these disorders in these settings is becoming increasingly important. The management of hematologic malignancies in these low-resource settings poses specific challenges, and many recent studies have highlighted the varying epidemiological characteristics of hematologic malignancies in different parts of the world.

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), which is the standard-of-care treatment for many hematologic malignancies, is not always readily available in low-income or lower-middle-income countries where limited resources mean that basic healthcare programs compete for government funding. Costs associated with establishing HSCT programs and with HSCT procedures themselves are often inhibitory, and cutting-edge treatments such as novel immunotherapies are largely inaccessible.

Furthermore, the characteristics of hematological malignancies can vary significantly in different countries. For example, many studies have reported that the average age at presentation of patients with multiple myeloma, Hodgkin lymphoma, chronic myeloid leukemia and chronic lymphocytic leukemia is around ten years less in several countries in sub-Saharan Africa than that reported in European and American literature. Possible explanations for these disparities include increased incidences of HIV and EBV infection, and increased exposure to pesticides and artificial fertilizers.

The aim of this collection is to collate studies advancing our understanding of the unique needs and specific challenges of the management of patients with hematologic malignancies in lower-income countries in order to improve the delivery of care and optimize treatment approaches for these patient populations.

This collection will accept manuscripts on, but not limited to, the following research areas:
- The management of hematologic malignancies in lower-income countries in clinical practice
- Clinical trials results from trials or cohorts based in lower-income countries
- Studies of the incidence or epidemiology of hematological malignancies in lower-income countries
- Studies exploring the pathophysiology of hematologic malignancies in patient populations in lower-income countries

Important Note: Manuscripts consisting solely of bioinformatics, computational analysis, or predictions of public databases which are not accompanied by validation (independent cohort or biological validation in vitro or in vivo) will not be accepted in any of the sections of Frontiers in Oncology.