Developing the Evidence Base to Inform Best Practice: A Scoping Study of Breast and Cervical Cancer Reviews in Low- and Middle-Income Countries.
BACKGROUND
Breast and cervical cancers have emerged as major global health challenges and disproportionately lead to excess morbidity and mortality in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) when compared to high-income countries. The objective of this paper was to highlight key findings, recommendations, and gaps in research and practice identified through a scoping study of recent reviews in breast and cervical cancer in LMICs.


METHODS
We conducted a scoping study based on the six-stage framework of Arskey and O'Malley. We searched PubMed, Cochrane Reviews, and CINAHL with the following inclusion criteria: 1) published between 2005-February 2015, 2) focused on breast or cervical cancer 3) focused on LMIC, 4) review article, and 5) published in English.


RESULTS
Through our systematic search, 63 out of the 94 identified cervical cancer reviews met our selection criteria and 36 of the 54 in breast cancer. Cervical cancer reviews were more likely to focus upon prevention and screening, while breast cancer reviews were more likely to focus upon treatment and survivorship. Few of the breast cancer reviews referenced research and data from LMICs themselves; cervical cancer reviews were more likely to do so. Most reviews did not include elements of the PRISMA checklist.


CONCLUSIONS
Overall, a limited evidence base supports breast and cervical cancer control in LMICs. Further breast and cervical cancer prevention and control studies are necessary in LMICs.
Clinical and Translational Research Institute, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, United States of America.
Margaret M
MM
Demment
Division of Community Health Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America.
Karen
K
Peters
Department of Family Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America.
J Andrew
JA
Dykens
Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, United States of America.
Ann
A
Dozier
Department of Medicine, Griffin Hospital & Yale University-Griffin Prevention Research Center, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America.
Haq
H
Nawaz
Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, United States of America.
Scott
S
McIntosh
Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America.
Jennifer S
JS
Smith
School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, Hawaii, United States of America.
Angela
A
Sy
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America.
Tracy
T
Irwin
Clinical and Translational Research Institute, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, United States of America.
Thomas T
TT
Fogg
Department of Community and Family Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, United States of America.
Mahmooda
M
Khaliq
Division of Population Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America.
Rachel
R
Blumenfeld
Division of Population Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America.
Mehran
M
Massoudi
Clinical and Translational Research Institute, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, United States of America; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York, United States of America.
Timothy
T
De Ver Dye
D035843:Biomedical Research; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D003906:Developing Countries; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic / Q000592:standards; D012196:Review Literature as Topic; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000628:therapy