Cancer Diseases Hospital

University Teaching Hospital (UTH), Lusaka, Zambia

Public Hospital

Serves Eastern Africa

The Cancer Diseases Hospital (CDH) is a public hospital in Lusaka, Zambia. CDH is a comprehensive cancer care center affiliated with the University of Zambia Teaching Hospitals and serves an average of 3,000 patients per year across Zambia and neighboring countries. The hospital has 250 beds and a clinical staff of 250. CDH has not previously hosted clinical trials, but some of its staff have been involved in clinical trials elsewhere. AC3T’s cancer clinical trials capacity data show that CDH performs well across all dimensions; though the hospital’s diagnostic imaging and laboratory services are lacking some capabilities.

Links to previous clinical trials:

N/A

Site Capabilities

Clinical Trial Experience

Therapeutic area interests:

  • Cancer
  • Infectious disease
  • Institution has received grant(s) from:

  • National Funder(s)
  • International Funder(s)
  • Sponsors for previous clinical trials include:

  • Academic
  • Government
  • Industry
  • Investigator-initiated
  • Previous clinical trials conducted:

  • Behavioral
  • Diagnostic
  • Drug – biologic
  • Drug – small molecule
  • Epidemiological
  • Observational
  • Surgical
  • Vaccine
  • Study phase capabilities:

  • Phase I
  • Phase II
  • Phase III
  • Phase IV
  • Pediatric research capabilities:

  • No
  • Institution Regulatory/Research Ethics Committees

    Frequency of meetings: Twice monthly

    Application turnaround time (IRB/IEC): 1-2 weeks

    Average time from receipt of final protocol to review and approval of study by all relevant committees: 3-4 weeks

    Additional compliance:

  • IRB/IEC in compliance with IC E6(R2) in terms of composition, functions, and operations guidelines
  • Institution and/or local regulation mandates the distribution of study safety reports to IRB/IEC
  • Institution Staffing Resources

    Staff typeStaff available (y/n) and specialty experience
    Research coordinatorYes
    Research nurseYes
    Research data managerNo
    Quality assurance managerNo
    BiostatisticiansYes
    Database programmersYes
    EpidemiologistsYes
    PathologistsYes
    PharmacistsYes

    Institution Diagnostic Capabilities

  • Institution has personnel capable of performing diagnostic biopsies
  • Biopsies performed on-site:

  • Core needle biopsy
  • Endoscopic biopsy
  • Fine needle aspirate
  • Liquid biopsy
  • Sentinel lymph node biopsy
  • Skin biopsy
  • Surgical biopsy
  • Laboratory basics:

  • Institution has a laboratory on site
  • Institution sends diagnostic samples to external laboratory
  • Institution’s laboratory has been inspected or audited
  • Laboratory accreditations:

  • None
  • Tests performed on-site:

  • Complete blood count (CBC) with differential
  • Comprehensive metabolic-chemistry panel (CMP)
  • Routine urinalysis
  • Antibody tests
  • Antigen tests
  • Antimicrobial susceptibility and sensitivity
  • Bacterial smear and culture
  • Flow cytometry
  • Fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH)
  • Fungal culture
  • Genetic testing
  • Histology
  • Immunohistochemistry (IHC)
  • Laboratory-developed tests (LDTs)
  • Microscopy
  • Ova and parasite (O&P) test
  • PCR and/or RT-PCR
  • Other nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs)
  • Viral culture
  • Viral load
  • Imaging capabilities:

  • Computed tomography (CT)
  • Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
  • Positron emission tomography (PET)
  • Nuclear imaging
  • Ultrasound
  • X-ray
  • Pediatric imaging
  • Institution Research Systems, Recordkeeping, and Data Management

  • Institution adheres to informed consent processes compliant with ICH E6(R2)
  • Institution follows ICH E6(R2) for collection and storage of source documentation for paper and/or electronic records
  • Institution stores patient records/source documents (paper/electronic) in a secured, limited access location during and after the trial
  • For source documents collected via electronic data capture, institution has a validated system and site procedures that follow ICH E6(R2) 5.5 guidelines
  • Institution has process in place for proper storage, archiving, and retrieval of essential study document per ICH 8.1
  • Institution study monitors have full access to source documents or certified copies of source documents (if electronic) if direct access can’t be obtained
  • Institution has a finance administration team
  • Institution undergoes routine financial audits
  • Institution Pharmacy

  • Pharmacy on site
  • Pharmacy has secure, limited access storage area with daily temperature monitoring and backup generator
  • Pharmacy has standard processes in place to ensure proper receipt, handling, and storage of investigational study drug/vaccine and comparators
  • Pharmacy has standard processes in place to ensure proper dispensing
  • Pharmacy has standard processes in place to ensure proper labeling that maintains the study blind
  • Pharmacy has standard processes in place to ensure proper drug/vaccine accountability, retrieval, and return or destruction of unused product
  • Institution has a secure, limited-access investigational drug/vaccine storage area with daily temperature monitoring
  • Institution’s pharmacy has a backup generator sufficient to run necessary equipment, refrigerators, freezers, etc.
  • Institution Equipment

  • Protocol for managing anaphylactic shock
  • Institution has a blood bank
  • Institution carries out blood transfusions for patients that need it
  • Functioning IV infusion pumps
  • Functioning basic life support equipment (crash cart)
  • Functioning electrocardiogram (EKG)
  • Availability of banked blood at institution:

  • Always available
  • Occasionally available
  • Rarely available
  • Institution performs the following routine blood screening tests on banked blood:

  • HIV
  • HBV
  • HCV
  • HPV
  • HTLVI
  • HTLVII
  • Syphilis
  • Additional information:

  • Institution’s equipment is calibrated and maintained per manufacturer’s guidelines
  • Institution’s equipment calibration and maintenance is documented
  • Institution’s laboratory has a secure, limited access biological specimen storage area with daily temperature monitoring
  • Institution’s laboratory has a backup power source, with alarm, sufficient to run necessary equipment, refrigerators, freezers, etc.
  • Institution maintains and uses a diagnostic imaging protocol manual
  • Laboratory maintains and uses a laboratory protocol manual
  • Laboratory maintains and uses a laboratory protocol manual
  • Program-Specific Capabilities

    Institution Cancer Treatment Capabilities and Equipment

  • Treats cancer patients
  • Performs surgical excisions
  • Administers chemotherapy
  • Uses radiation therapy
  • Radiotherapy machines on site:

  • Linear accelerator
  • Cobalt 60
  • Brachytherapy machine
  • Institution Infectious Disease Treatment Capabilities and Equipment

  • This institution is not interested in infectious disease clinical trials

  • Investigators at Cancer Diseases Hospital

    Mwando Fidelia Chitula, M.D.

    Senior Registrar, Clinical Oncology

  • Cancer

  • Overview

    Dr. Mwando Fidelia Chitula is a Senior Registrar in Clinical Oncology at Cancer Diseases Hospital. She assists in running Unit 2, where she manages patients with breast cancer, lymphoma, malignant melanoma, and multiple myeloma. Her research and clinical trial interests include breast, cervical, gastrointestinal, and prostate cancers, and lymphoma.

    Formal Clinical Trial Training*

  • Formal GCP Training
  • Experience Conducting or Participating in Clinical Trials: No

    Mizi Kashweka, M.D.

    Senior Registrar, Clinical Oncology

  • Cancer

  • Overview

    Dr. Mizi Kashweka is a Senior Registrar in Clinical Oncology at Cancer Diseases Hospital, where she manages patients with genitourinary and gynecological cancers and Kaposi’s sarcoma. Her research and clinical trial interests include cervical, endometrial, ovarian, and prostate cancers, and lymphoma. Dr. Kashweka is developing a research protocol focused on social determinants of health and bridging cancer care gaps for patients in Zambia.

    Formal Clinical Trial Training*

  • Formal GCP Training
  • Experience Conducting or Participating in Clinical Trials: Yes


    *Definitions

    • HSP – Human Subjects Protection
    • GCP – Good Clinical Practice
    • GCLP – Good Clinical Laboratory Practice