Abstract
A low resource setting (LRS) is defined as a health care system which does not meet
the criteria defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) or other national/international
organizations in the following areas: infrastructure, materials, and human resources.1 Patients encounter barriers which limit their access to care and services that are
considered standard of care. While LRS is most commonly associated with developing
countries, it is easy to overlook communities in developed countries which lack the
financial resources to afford basic health care. This article describes the societal
implications and barriers to care for both squamous intraepithelial lesions (SILs)
and anal cancer in LRS, the existing screening/surveillance approaches, available
treatment approaches to anal cancer, and it also discusses potential evidence-based
approaches to bridge the gap for these disparities in anal cancer care.
Keywords
squamous intraepithelial lesions - anal cancer - high-resolution anoscopy
