Factors influencing early detection of lung cancer in patients in low‑ and middle‑income countries: a scoping review protocol

Cancer is a leading cause of mortality globally. It is increasingly becoming a public health concern in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and a major societal and economic problem worldwide. Approximately three quarters of all cancer-related deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), with lung cancer being the most frequently diagnosed cancer in 2022. Given the poor health outcomes associated with late diagnosis, early detection for lung cancer should be prioritized to rekindle hope for improved health outcomes. This is a scoping review protocol paper aimed at mapping evidence on factors influencing early identification of lung cancer in patients in low and middle-income countries. In conducting the proposed scoping review, we will follow the methodological framework proposed by Arksey and O’Malley and recommendations by Levac et al. We will also be guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR): checklist and explanation. The following electronic databases will be searched: PubMed, Cochrane Library, Scopus, CINAHL, EMBASE, and Google Scholar. The following grey literature sources will be searched: conference proceedings, other relevant government reports, and dissertations/thesis. Key themes from the literature will be extracted and analysed using thematic analysis supported by NVivo version 14. Evidence gathered will be used towards advocating for early screening of patients suspected of lung cancer. This review is exempt from ethical approval as it uses data that is in the public domain. Additionally, there will be no human or animal participants in this review; hence, informed consent is not required. The results will be published in peer-reviewed journals, in print, and through conference presentations.