In the U.S., cancer diagnosis often involves costly biopsies and tests. In the south African country of Malawi, where the average annual income is around $300, patients can rarely afford such procedures — yet accurate diagnoses remain essential.
To help, staff of the long-standing UNC Project Malawi Cancer Program are in the first phase of developing a low-cost genetic tumor sequencing method for making cancer diagnosis. “That would be a game-changer and useful throughout the world,” said program co-director Dr. Yuri Fedoriw.
The Malawi Cancer Program, part of UNC Project Malawi, provides clinical care, pathology training and other services to the African nation.