KESHO

Advancing Cardio-Oncology in East Africa
2026-07-16 19:00 - 20:30 (Africa/Nairobi)
Advancing Cardio-Oncology in East Africa
From Evidence to Everyday Practice

Date: Thursday, 16th July 2026
Time: 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM EAT

Speakers

Dr. Anne Mwirigi;

Consultant Haematologist & Assistant Professor | Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi

Dr. Kieran Mwazo

Consultant Cardiologist | Head of the Cardiology Division | Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital, Mombasa

Dr. Joseph Abuodha

Consultant Medical Oncologist | Department of Haematology and Oncology | Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi
Moderator

Prof. Arjun Ghosh

Consultant Cardiologist | Barts Heart Centre, St. Bartholomew’s Hospital | London & University College London Hospital
Summary
This joint KESHO and Kenya Cardiac Society session explored how cardiovascular care can be integrated into cancer treatment from baseline assessment through active therapy and long-term survivorship.
A central theme was that advances in cancer treatment have created a growing population of survivors while also expanding the range of potential cardiovascular effects. Dr. Anne Mwirigi set the scene by tracing the evolution of cancer therapy and highlighting how conventional chemotherapy, targeted treatments and newer agents may affect the heart and vascular system in different ways.
Dr. Kieran Mwazo brought the discussion into the East African setting, emphasising that cancer and cardiovascular disease share several risk factors and frequently coexist. Baseline assessment, optimisation of existing cardiovascular disease and structured surveillance can help identify patients who need closer monitoring. ECG, echocardiography, global longitudinal strain, cardiac biomarkers and advanced imaging were discussed as tools for detecting treatment-related injury before it becomes clinically advanced.
Through clinical cases, Dr. Joseph Abuodha illustrated the complexity of decisions when cardiac toxicity develops during potentially life-prolonging cancer treatment. Bradyarrhythmias, changes in cardiac function and suspected treatment-related myocardial injury highlighted the need to consider both oncological benefit and cardiovascular risk rather than automatically prioritising one condition over the other. Shared decision-making and close collaboration between specialties were repeatedly emphasised.
The session also looked beyond individual cases to the systems needed for cardio-oncology in Kenya and the region, including integrated referral pathways, locally adapted protocols, workforce development and stronger data collection. Across the session, a consistent message emerged: cardio-oncology is about protecting cardiovascular health without unnecessarily compromising effective cancer treatment.
Key Takeaways

Cardiovascular assessment should begin before potentially cardiotoxic cancer treatment is started.
Modern cancer therapies can produce a broad range of cardiovascular effects beyond heart failure alone.
Risk-adapted surveillance using ECG, echocardiography, strain and biomarkers can support earlier detection of toxicity.
Treatment decisions should balance oncological benefit with cardiovascular risk through multidisciplinary and shared decision-making.
East Africa needs stronger cardio-oncology pathways, training, locally relevant protocols and regional data.

Continue the learning
This summary captures only part of the discussion. To request the full session recording, contact the KESHO Secretariat. KESHO members can access CME recordings and revisit expert-led sessions across haematology and oncology throughout the year. Join KESHO to access the full CME learning library.

Management of Treatment-Induced Neurotoxicity
2026-07-23 19:30 - 20:30
Management of Treatment-Induced Neurotoxicity session
23rd July 2026, 7–8:30 PM EAT,
Featuring Dr. Herman Ekea, Dr. Karishma Sharma, and Dr. Juzar Hooker

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Implementing Precision Oncology in LMICs
2026-07-30 19:30 - 20:30
Implementing Precision Oncology in LMICs:
From Diagnosis to Clinical Decision-Making
Date: 30th July 2026
Time: 7 PM – 8:30 PM EAT
Speaker
Prof. Shahin Sayed
Associate Professor & Consultant, Anatomical Pathology and Cytology, Department of Pathology, Medical College, Aga Khan University; Chair & Laboratory Director. Pathology, AKUH, N
The Diagnostic Foundations of Precision Oncology: Pathology, Biomarkers and Molecular Testing
Speaker
Prof. Chite Asirwa
Medical Oncologist & Hematologist; CEO, International Cancer Institute
Precision Oncology in LMICs: Current Landscape, Clinical Application and the Road Ahead
Moderator
Prof. Nicholas Abinya
Consultant Medical Oncologist, Nairobi Hospital Cancer Centre
Summary
This session examined what meaningful precision oncology looks like in low- and middle-income countries, connecting clinical decision-making with pathology, molecular diagnostics, patient factors, health-system capacity and access to treatment.
A central theme was that precision oncology is broader than genomic sequencing. Prof. Chite Asirwa described it as the integration of clinical, pathological, molecular, environmental and patient-specific information across diagnosis, prognosis, treatment selection and monitoring. Used well, this approach can reduce ineffective empirical treatment, limit unnecessary toxicity and direct limited resources towards interventions most likely to benefit the patient.
Prof. Shahin Sayed focused on the diagnostic foundations that make precision care possible. High-quality tissue, correct fixation and handling, validated assays, quality assurance and clinically useful reporting all determine whether a molecular result can be trusted. The discussion reinforced that advanced testing cannot compensate for weak foundational pathology, and that essential immunohistochemistry and biomarker testing remain an important starting point for many settings.
The session also addressed Africa’s underrepresentation in genomic datasets and the challenge of interpreting variants when locally relevant reference data are limited. Molecular results need clinical context and, where possible, multidisciplinary interpretation. Liquid biopsy and circulating tumour DNA were discussed as promising tools for selected applications, but standardisation, quality control and careful use remain important, particularly when considering screening.
Implementation was therefore framed as a phased health-system journey rather than a technology purchase. Strong pathology services, reliable essential biomarkers, regional molecular capacity, better patient navigation, financing and locally generated data must develop together. Across the session, a consistent message emerged: precision oncology has greatest value when a reliable test leads to a clinically meaningful decision and an accessible treatment pathway.
Key Takeaways

Precision oncology integrates clinical, pathological, molecular and patient-specific information rather than genomics alone.
Accurate pathology, specimen quality and laboratory quality assurance are foundational to every precision treatment decision.
Essential biomarkers and immunohistochemistry should be strengthened before indiscriminate expansion into complex testing.
African genomic data and multidisciplinary interpretation are needed to improve the relevance of molecular results.
Testing has limited value when results cannot be linked to accessible treatment, making financing and patient navigation part of precision care.

Continue the learning
This summary captures only part of the discussion. To request the full session recording, contact the KESHO Secretariat. KESHO members can access CME recordings and revisit expert-led sessions across haematology and oncology throughout the year. Join KESHO to access the full CME learning library.

Ovarian Cancer in Focus
2026-08-06 19:30 - 20:30
Ovarian Cancer in Focus: Innovation, Care and Evolving Care

Moderator: Dr. Amina K. Habib
Speaker: Dr. Chris Gallagher
Date: 6 August 2026

Summary
This session examined recent developments in epithelial ovarian cancer, from the continuing challenge of earlier diagnosis to surgical decision-making, molecular stratification, maintenance therapy and emerging options for recurrent and platinum-resistant disease.
A central theme was the move towards increasingly biomarker-informed care. Dr. Chris Gallagher highlighted how BRCA1/2 mutations and homologous recombination deficiency are shaping treatment selection, particularly PARP inhibitor maintenance after response to platinum-based chemotherapy. The discussion reinforced that these therapies offer the greatest value when matched to tumour biology rather than applied broadly.
The session also explored the challenge of finding ovarian cancer earlier. Emerging approaches using circulating DNA fragments may improve future detection, but the evidence remains preliminary and requires wider validation. Surgical treatment was similarly framed around careful patient selection: the choice between upfront cytoreductive surgery and neoadjuvant chemotherapy should reflect disease extent, patient fitness and the likelihood of achieving complete resection.
For recurrent and difficult-to-treat disease, the discussion highlighted newer approaches including folate receptor alpha-targeted antibody-drug conjugates in platinum-resistant ovarian cancer and molecularly targeted strategies for low-grade serous disease. These developments are expanding treatment possibilities, although the role of immunotherapy remains less clearly established.
The discussion brought these advances into the African context, where access to BRCA and HRD testing, targeted therapies and newer medicines remains uneven. Molecular testing is most meaningful when it can inform an accessible treatment pathway. In recurrent disease especially, expected benefit must be weighed against toxicity, quality of life, patient fitness and financial burden.
Across the session, a consistent message emerged: ovarian cancer care is becoming increasingly defined by tumour biology, but improved outcomes still depend on appropriate surgery, access to molecular testing, careful patient selection and treatment pathways that reflect both evidence and real-world access.
Key Takeaways

Earlier detection remains a major unmet need, with emerging circulating DNA approaches still requiring further validation.
BRCA and homologous recombination status are increasingly important in guiding treatment selection.
Surgical sequencing should be individualised, with complete cytoreduction remaining an important treatment objective.
PARP inhibitors and newer targeted therapies are expanding options for selected patients, including those with recurrent or platinum-resistant disease.
In African settings, clinical benefit, treatment access, affordability and quality of life must remain central to decision-making.

Continue the learning
This summary captures only part of the discussion. To request the full session recording, contact the KESHO Secretariat. KESHO members can access CME recordings and revisit expert-led sessions across haematology and oncology throughout the year. Join KESHO to access the full CME learning library.

From Digital Diagnosis to Connected Cancer Care
2026-08-13 19:30 - 20:30
“From Digital Diagnosis to Connected Cancer Care”
CPD ACCREDITED
Date: 13th August 2026
Time: 7 PM – 8:30 PM EAT
Speaker: Dr. Arvind Rao
Professor, Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, University of Michigan
Talk: “From Digital Diagnosis to AI-Powered Cancer Care: Governance, LLMs, and the Connected Future”
Speaker: Dr. Joshua Kibera
Anatomical Pathologist, CEO/Founder – The Pathology Network
Talk: “Beyond the Algorithm: Building the Digital Diagnostic Infrastructure for AI-Enabled Precision Cancer Care”
Moderator: Dr. Anne Korir
Senior Research Scientist, Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI)

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