The Pathology Program is directed at improving or building pathology services in developing countries through education and training. Priority for education and training is given to centers where collaborative projects involving the treatment of patients are on-going. The program aims to:
- Propagate and refine modern diagnostic techniques and approaches suitable to countries with limited resources
- Provide on-site consultation services to assist in the assessment of diagnostic services and provide advice on how they can be improved
- Develop standard methods of submitting clinical information about specific patients and providing standardized reports
- Promote the use of telepathology to improve the quality of diagnoses and to provide education, particularly in areas that have inadequate numbers of pathologists
- Provide central pathology review on all cases entered on INCTR protocols, ideally as part of the eligibility assessment.
The program works closely with the Clinical Research Program.
- INCTR Pathologists Meet with Pathologists in Tanzania
Projects/Activities
Central Pathology Review
The Pathology Program team has performed central pathology review for patients entered on the INCTR study, “The Treatment and Characterization of Burkitt Lymphoma in Africa”. This review was done by a determination of the concordance between the original histopathology diagnosis and the consensus diagnosis made by an expert panel of pathologists. The reviews were performed on-site and provided an opportunity for the Pathology Program team to assess and evaluate diagnostic services and resources. The strategy for the coming years will be to formulate and implement standards for diagnosis and classification of lymphomas, to introduce immunophenotyping, and to forge partnerships for capacity building between African institutions and institutions in developed countries.
- iPath – Telepathology
Implementation of iPath
Digital imaging and the use of i-Path, a web based program developed at the University of Basel for the purposes of pathology training, histopathology review and consultation have been implemented in selected centers participating in the African Burkitt Lymphoma treatment protocol and also in other institutions in Africa. At the present time, there are 40 consultants in pathology who provide on-line assistance to the institutions in Africa.
Contacts:
- Director: Dr. Lorenzo Leoncini
- Co-Director: Dr. Manzoor Ahmad
- Director of Pathology Education and iPath, Dr. Nina Hurwitz
- Medical Director, AMCC, iPath (Francophone Africa), Dr. Martine Raphaël
- Contact INCTR for more information at info@inctr.be
