Lab-in-a-Box.

Abstract

Noncommunicable diseases, including malignancies, represent an increasing proportion of the global human disease burden, but low- and middle-income countries lack the necessary infrastructure to diagnose and treat the rising number of patients with cancer. African Strategies for Advancing Pathology devised the lab-in-a-box to guide rapid deployment of anatomic pathologic services in sub-Saharan Africa. This framework defines essential elements of a laboratory network, providing the full spectrum of cancer care, and explores the many barriers to creating fully functional laboratory networks in resource-limited settings. For global cancer care access and quality to advance, multiple stakeholders must commit to common goals and objectives and develop a comprehensive, sustainable system. African Strategies for Advancing Pathology will continue aligning stakeholders and advocating for meaningful policy changes to create positive, measurable, and long-lasting impact on global cancer care.