Observational Study
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2025. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Clin Oncol. Jul 24, 2025; 16(7): 107495
Published online Jul 24, 2025. doi: 10.5306/wjco.v16.i7.107495
Bridging the deficit: Assessing knowledge gaps in thyroid cancer management amongst physicians in the Democratic Republic of Congo
John Bukasa-Kakamba, Ayrton I Bangolo, Nickson Poka, Christian Bompongo, Shruti Wadhwani, Nikita Wadhwani, Isis Kapinga Kalambayi, Manasse Bukasa Mutombo, Pierre Fwelo, Pascal Bayauli, Gael Menga, Andy Sifa, Cute Diazabakana, Guy Kingebeni, Mbuyi Mulumba, Djo Mambu, Richard Mfuke Bokondo, Jean-René M’Buyamba-Kabangu
John Bukasa-Kakamba, Manasse Bukasa Mutombo, Pascal Bayauli, Gael Menga, Cute Diazabakana, Jean-René M’Buyamba-Kabangu, Department of Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa 999069, Congo
Ayrton I Bangolo, Department of Hematology and Oncology, John Theurer Cancer Center at Hackensack University Medical Center, Hackensack, NJ 07601, United States
Nickson Poka, Department of Endocrinology, National Diabetes Control Program, Kinshasa 999069, Congo
Christian Bompongo, Department of Endocrinology, Diabetology and Nutrition, Ibn Rochd University Hospital, Casablanca 20100, Morocco
Shruti Wadhwani, Nikita Wadhwani, Department of Internal Medicine, Hackensack Meridian Health Palisades Medical Center, North Bergen, NJ 07047, United States
Isis Kapinga Kalambayi, Department of Ophthalmology, Avignon Hospital Center, Avignon 84000, France
Pierre Fwelo, Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics, and Environmental Sciences, UTHealth School of Public Health, Houston, TX 77030, United States
Andy Sifa, Department of Internal Medicine, Kimbuala Mother and Children’s Hospital, Kinshasa 999069, Congo
Guy Kingebeni, Department of Pathology, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa 999069, Congo
Mbuyi Mulumba, Department of Internal Medicine, Central Military Hospital, Kinshasa 999069, Congo
Djo Mambu, Department of Internal Medicine, Makala General Reference Hospital, Kinshasa 999069, Congo
Richard Mfuke Bokondo, Department of Internal Medicine, Ndjili General Reference Hospital, Kinshasa 999069, Congo
Co-first authors: John Bukasa-Kakamba and Ayrton I Bangolo.
Author contributions: Bukasa-Kakamba J and Bangolo AI contributed equally to this manuscript as co-first authors. Bukasa-Kakamba J, Bangolo AI, Poka N, Bompongo C, Wadhwani S, Wadhwani N, Kalambayi IK, Mutombo MB, Fwelo P, Bayauli P, Menga G, Sifa A, Diazabakana C, Kingebeni G, Mulumba M, Mambu D, and Bokondo RM wrote and edited the manuscript; M’Buyamba-Kabangu JR revised and approved the final version; all authors certify that they have contributed sufficiently towards data analysis and manuscript preparation. All authors have reviewed the final manuscript version and approves it for publication.
Institutional review board statement: The need for institutional review board approval was waived because no identifiable subject related data was used in the study. All responses obtained from the participating physicians were de-identified.
Informed consent statement: Informed consent was obtained from all physicians who participated in this study.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
STROBE statement: The authors have read the STROBE Statement-checklist of items, and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the STROBE Statement-checklist of items.
Data sharing statement: The original contributions presented in this study are included in the article. Further inquiries can be directed to the corresponding author(s).
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Ayrton I Bangolo, MD, Department of Hematology and Oncology, John Theurer Cancer Center at Hackensack University Medical Center, No. 92 2nd Street, Hackensack, NJ 07601, United States. ayrtonbangolo@yahoo.com
Received: March 25, 2025
Revised: April 21, 2025
Accepted: June 4, 2025
Published online: July 24, 2025
Processing time: 119 Days and 21 Hours
Abstract
BACKGROUND

Thyroid cancer incidence is rising globally, including the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Despite its increasing incidence, limited data exist on physicians’ knowledge of thyroid cancer management in the DRC.

AIM

To evaluate the knowledge levels of Congolese physicians regarding the diagnosis and treatment of thyroid nodules and cancers, and to identify existing gaps and areas for improvement.

METHODS

A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from June to August 2024, involving 369 physicians practicing in healthcare facilities across Kinshasa, DRC. Participants were selected using a multi-stage sampling method. Data were collected via a structured questionnaire covering thyroid cancer epidemiology, diagnostic methods, treatment approaches, and prognosis. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25, employing descriptive and inferential statistics, with a P value ≤ 0.05 being considered as statistically significant.

RESULTS

Overall response rate was 96.1%. Of all participants, 68% were female and 32% were male physicians. General practitioners constituted 84.8% of respondents, with an average age of 34 years. While 53.7% demonstrated adequate knowledge of hypothyroidism management post-thyroidectomy and 61.2% identified the approach for hypoparathyroidism, only 5.1% recognized the need for radiotherapy in metastatic thyroid cancer cases. Awareness of anaplastic thyroid cancer treatment was limited (6.5%), and 90.2% of physicians were unfamiliar with the surgical complications. Moderate understanding was noted in diagnostic protocols, with 44.2% correctly identifying repeat fine-needle aspiration timing in Bethesda I cases. Knowledge of molecular genetics, recurrence risks, and metastasis patterns was remarkably low.

CONCLUSION

This study highlights significant knowledge gaps among Congolese physicians regarding thyroid cancer management, especially about advanced treatment modalities and molecular genetics. Targeted educational programs and improved access to diagnostic tools are critical to bridging these deficits. Addressing these gaps can enhance the quality of thyroid cancer care and align clinical practices in the DRC with global standards.

Keywords: Thyroid cancer; Democratic Republic of Congo; Physician survey; Thyroid neoplasm; Questionnaire

Core Tip: Significant knowledge gaps regarding thyroid cancer management exist amongst Congolese physicians despite a marked increase in incidence of thyroid cancer. We surveyed 369 physicians in the Democratic Republic of Congo using a structured questionnaire and discovered remarkable deficits in proficiency regarding available molecular diagnostics and advanced treatment modalities. Moderate understanding was noted in certain domains. Nevertheless, only 6.5% physicians were aware of anaplastic thyroid cancer treatment algorithm, and 5.1% recognized the need for radiotherapy in metastatic cases. This study, therefore, underscores the need for implementation of actionable educational initiatives amongst physicians in the Democratic Republic of Congo to optimize thyroid cancer care.