Pathology and diagnosis is essential for determining cancer treatment, causes, and prevention strategies.

In many countries, health care systems are fragmented and cancer specialists are scarce. Patients travel far for biopsy and diagnosis, all the while, absorbing repeat journey and care costs. Limited diagnostic capacity at the specialist’s sites means delayed treatment. Each of these impediments means poor patient survival and increases the risk patients forego treatment altogether. Dr. Ng MD, Assistant Professor in the Department of Pathology at UCSF is championing diagnostic innovation to improve breast cancer outcomes in Tanzania and other limited capacity settings.

Dr. Ng and Dr. Edda Vuhahula, Muhibili University of Health and Allied Sciences, are launching a pilot project, funded by the UCSF Global Cancer Program, to reduce these obstacles.  In Dar es Salaam, they are researching integration of a minimally-invasive biopsy procedure called fine needle aspiration (FNA) with a new rapid tumor analysis test, a test that can return results in 2 hours. This sequence can provide breast cancer patients access to diagnosis and an appropriate treatment plan in a single day. With this kind of rapid turnaround, barriers to cure are dramatically reduced.

More pathology capacity through training

Whether it is through innovation or training, diagnostic capacity building is a key aim of Dr. Ng’s global work.  Between 2012 and 2030, breast cancer cases alone are expected to increase 84% in Tanzania. In September 2017, Dr. Ng, Dr. Ron Balassanian (Pathology) and Dr. Amie Lee (Radiology) joined forces with Dr. Vuhahula and other counterparts at MUHAS and Muhibili National Hospital to teach a series of diagnostic workshops and enhance diagnostic skills. Thirty-six Tanzanian pathologists and radiologists, consisting primarily of medical residents, were trained in FNA in addition to ultrasound (US) guided FNA and specimen preparation. US extends FNA’s utility to target challenging tumors. “