A new study has revealed a grim reality for children diagnosed with brain tumors in Kenya. Only three in every ten children survive beyond two years without complications after diagnosis, painting a bleak picture for pediatric cancer care in the country.
Conducted at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) in Eldoret, the study examined 79 pediatric brain tumor cases between 2015 and 2022. The findings showed that only 13% of these children remained free of severe complications two years after diagnosis. This is a stark contrast to high-income countries, where the event-free survival rate for pediatric brain tumors generally falls between 25% and 70% at five years.
Brain tumors are among the most lethal cancers in children, and while survival rates have improved in developed nations due to early detection and advanced treatments, Kenyan children continue to face overwhelming challenges.
The study highlighted several critical reasons why children with brain tumors in Kenya have poorer outcomes compared to their peers in wealthier countries.
Late Diagnosis
One of the biggest obstacles is the delay in diagnosis. Many children arrive at the hospital when their tumors have already progressed, making treatment more complicated. Symptoms such as persistent headaches, vomiting, and difficulty walking are often mistaken for common illnesses like malaria or meningitis. By the time they reach a specialist, the tumor has often grown too large for effective intervention.
Treatment Abandonment
The study found that nearly half of the children stopped treatment prematurely. This is often due to financial struggles, the high cost of care, and the logistical challenges of traveling long distances to treatment centers. Many parents are unable to afford repeated hospital visits or simply lack information on the necessity of completing treatment.
A neurosurgeon involved in the study explained, “Some parents believe surgery alone is enough. They don’t realize that chemotherapy and radiotherapy are also essential for long-term survival.”
Limited Access to Essential Treatments
While surgery is often the first step in treatment, access to follow-up therapies such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy remains limited. Until 2021, MTRH did not even have a radiotherapy machine, forcing families to travel long distances for radiation treatment. For many, this was simply not an option.
Additionally, there are critical shortages of trained specialists. Kenya has a limited number of pediatric neurosurgeons, oncologists, and specialized nurses, making timely and high-quality care difficult to provide. Pathology services, essential for determining tumor types, are also inadequate.
One pediatric oncologist described the situation as “a system that is overwhelmed and under-resourced.”
Experts believe urgent action is required to improve survival rates for children with brain tumors in Kenya.
Raising awareness about brain tumor symptoms is crucial. Many cases go undiagnosed until the disease has advanced. Public education campaigns should target parents, teachers, and healthcare providers to improve early detection.
Treatment abandonment due to financial struggles is a major contributor to poor survival rates. Expanding public health insurance to cover all pediatric cancer treatments would prevent parents from giving up on care due to cost concerns.
There is an urgent need to train more pediatric neurosurgeons, oncologists, and support staff. The government and medical institutions should invest in capacity-building efforts to ensure children receive specialized care.
Developing national treatment guidelines for pediatric brain tumors could also improve care coordination and patient tracking.
According to the American Cancer Society, three out of four children diagnosed with brain tumors in developed nations survive at least five years after diagnosis. The stark contrast in Kenya highlights the urgent need for better healthcare infrastructure and financial support for families.
The World Health Organization estimates that over 1,000 children are diagnosed with cancer every day. While survival rates in high-income countries exceed 80%, only about 20% of children diagnosed with cancer survive in some low- and middle-income countries.
With early diagnosis, proper treatment, and increased government intervention, Kenya can change this reality and give more children a fighting chance. The key lies in better healthcare access, financial support, and continued investment in medical infrastructure.
