Clinical Presentation and Management Outcomes of Pancreatic Cancer in African Countries: A Scoping Review.

BACKGROUND

Pancreatic cancer remains one of the most lethal malignancies globally. In Africa, the burden is poorly characterized due to fragmented data and limited resources.

OBJECTIVES

This scoping review aimed to map published data on pancreatic cancer across the continent, identify reporting gaps, and highlight implications for research and policy.

METHODS

A systematic search was conducted across PubMed, OVID Medline, CINAHL, ERIC, and Scopus for articles published between January 1995 and June 2025. Inclusion criteria focused on clinical data, treatment modalities, and survival outcomes of pancreatic cancer in African populations.

RESULTS

Twenty studies spanning 1995-2023,representing 26,850 patients, were identified. Research output was geographically uneven, concentrated in South Africa, Egypt, Morocco. The weighted mean age at diagnosis was 59.2 years. Primary symptoms included Jaundice, abdominal pain, and weight loss. Advanced-stage presentation dominated, with stage III-IV accounting for > 70% of reported cases. Staging data were missing for nearly 40% of the total cohort, and complete treatment pathways were reported in fewer than half of studies. Surgical resection rates remain low (< 15% in most cohorts), and access to adjuvant chemotherapy is inconsistent. Survival data were rarely available, with median overall survival is notably poor, ranged between 3 and 12 months.

CONCLUSION

Pancreatic cancer in Africa is characterized by late-stage presentation and limited therapeutic options. Improving outcomes requires enhanced diagnostic infrastructure and region-specific clinical registries to guide evidence-based interventions.