Dr. Anderson on the Unmet Need in Low- and Middle-Income Breast Cancer Care

Benjamin O. Anderson, MD, a surgical oncologist at the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, discusses the biggest unmet need for patients with breast cancer in low- and middle-income countries.

The biggest need is to address the system’s obstacles, states Anderson. In countries with fewer resources, financial constraints are a big issue that needs to be managed. However, an even more significant problem is the systematic disorganization that is common in limited resource environments.

This is a problem because prior to 2011, infectious diseases were thought to be the primary health issue in low- and middle-income countries, explains Anderson. What is happening globally is that this is being overtaken by non-communicable diseases (NCDs), meaning heart disease, lung disease, diabetes, and cancer. The World Health Organization has been tasked by the United Nations to address the NCDs.

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