ecancermedicalscience最新文献

{"title":"Leukaemia-associated priapism in children (LAPC): reviewing clinical outcomes and management strategies.","authors":"Abhijit Shah, K R Surag, Anupam Choudhary, Kasi Viswanath, Avb Krishnakanth, Chaitanya Krishna, Padmaraj Hegde, S Gayathri, P M Swathi","doi":"10.3332/ecancer.2025.1860","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3332/ecancer.2025.1860","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Priapism is a prolonged penile erection for more than 4 hours unrelated to sexual stimulation. Rarely, it is the first clinical sign of an underlying haematological malignancy. A similar presentation is noted in childhood leukaemias. Although rare, it is known to occur and, if not managed early, can have poor long-term outcomes in terms of erectile function and psychosexual growth. We present a scoping review of leukaemia-associated priapism in children (LAPC).</p><p><strong>Methodology: </strong>We researched literature using PubMed, Google Scholar, Embase, Scopus and Cochrane databases from January 1990 to 2024. Applicable search limiters were applied, and grey literature was excluded.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 31 articles were finally included in the review, from which 51 cases of LAPC were isolated and studied. The average age was 11.5 years, with chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) being the most common malignancy (68.9%), and more than 71% of cases of CML with priapism were detected in the chronic phase. Twenty cases (39.2%) were managed with corporal lavage and sympathomimetic injections at the initial onset, with the rest managed with cytoreductive measures initially. Follow-up data revealed the death of three children, whereas, of those that survived, fourteen had preserved erectile functions after a variable period of time.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Priapism in children warrants a thorough physical examination focusing on organomegaly and a complete hemogram. Initial management should be two-pronged with a priapism-directed corporal-lavage approach and cytoreductive measures for better long-term outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":11460,"journal":{"name":"ecancermedicalscience","volume":"19 ","pages":"1860"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2025-02-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12010180/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143969032","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Germinal mutations among patients with breast cancer in Colombia: is BRCA3 coming?","authors":"Lisa Ximena Rodríguez Rojas, Liliana Doza Martínez, Jorge Andrés Olave Rodríguez, Sandra Eliana Murillo Rusynke, Paola Andrea Pérez Castellano, David Alexander Bolaños Beltrán, Helen Johana Ortiz Rojas, José Antonio Nastasi Catanese","doi":"10.3332/ecancer.2025.1859","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3332/ecancer.2025.1859","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in women and accounts for 25% of all cancers worldwide. The mechanisms by which it develops include germline (generally inherited) and somatic mutations. There are six mutations with the highest incidence in the Colombian population, called the Colombia profile, which is associated with the <i>BRCA1</i> and <i>BRCA2</i> genes. The aim of this study is to identify germline mutations in individuals with breast cancer, such as BRCA and other genes.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This study describes the frequency and type of variants in hereditary cancer genes associated with breast cancer detected by the next-generation sequencing of a panel of 111 hereditary cancer genes, including <i>BRCA1</i> and <i>BRCA2</i>.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>This analysis allowed the identification of variants associated with breast cancer in 307 patients from a population in southwestern Colombia, of which 19% had pathogenic and probably pathogenic mutations associated with hereditary cancer. According to the variant classification, it was found that the mutation frequency in BRCA1 was 17%, in BRCA2 was 14% and in the <i>ATM</i> gene was 12%; nevertheless, 57% of mutations were attributed to other genes such as <i>MUTYH, FANCM, FANCA</i> and <i>TP53</i>. Four patients were found to have the mutation c.3450delCAAG in the <i>BRCA1</i> gene, which is included in the Colombia profile.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>In summary, in the Colombian population, there is a great diversity of germline mutations in genes other than <i>BRCA1</i> and <i>BRCA2</i> that are associated with breast cancer. Studying mutations and variants of uncertain significance in <i>ATM</i> could improve understanding of how mutations in these genes contribute to cancer and whether <i>ATM</i> should be considered as <i>BRCA3</i>.</p>","PeriodicalId":11460,"journal":{"name":"ecancermedicalscience","volume":"19 ","pages":"1859"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2025-02-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12010175/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143986742","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Clinical presentation and treatment outcomes of gastric adenocarcinoma patients: a retrospective study from Ain Shams Clinical Oncology Department.","authors":"Mohamed Osama Alorabi, Mohamed El-Bassiouny, Dalia Abd El Ghany El Khodary, Mai Mohamed Ali Ezz El Din, Alaa Mohamed Mohamed Ahmed Elsayed, Christine Reda","doi":"10.3332/ecancer.2025.1861","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3332/ecancer.2025.1861","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Gastric adenocarcinoma (GAC) has a different epidemiological profile in Egypt than in other countries. It ranks 11th in incidence, with 3,285 new cases and 10th in mortality, with 2,469 cases. This retrospective study aims to analyze gastric cancer epidemiology and clinical outcomes in Egyptian patients at Ain Shams University Clinical Oncology Department.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We conducted a retrospective analysis of the complete medical records of patients with confirmed GAC at the Ain Shams University Clinical Oncology Department from January 2017 to December 2020.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>This study included 70 patients with GAC. The median age was 52.5 years, with nearly half of cases under 50 years and males representing 53% of the cohort. 70% of patients were from urban areas. Nearly one-third were smokers, with 57.1% having medical comorbidities, mainly diabetes mellitus, hypertension and viral hepatitis. Additionally, 25.7% had a positive family history of GAC. Most Common presenting symptoms were vomiting (42.9%) and abdominal pain (57.1%). 40% of tumours were in the gastric body, and 64.3% were diffuse-type GAC, with 64.3% classified as high grade (III). At presentation, the majority of cases were metastatic (55.7%), with 15.7% presenting with stage II disease and 28.6% with stage III. Most patients (72.8%) had an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group ≤2. Only 18.6% received neoadjuvant chemotherapy, while 48.6% underwent surgical resection with adequate lymph node dissection in 55.9% of cases. Adjuvant chemotherapy or chemoradiation was administered to 19 patients. The median overall survival (OS) was 11 months, 36 months for stage II, 17 months for stage III and 7 months for stage IV. Univariate analysis indicated that female gender, higher stage (Stage III-IV), higher grade (G IV), absence of neoadjuvant chemotherapy and intestinal type were significantly associated with increased mortality. However, multivariate analysis adjusting for these factors identified the advanced stage as a significant independent predictor of mortality.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study identified the distinct GAC profile of Egyptian patients, younger age, aggressive tumours and frequent metastases. These factors contributed to lower OS. Further research and targeted interventions are needed to improve outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":11460,"journal":{"name":"ecancermedicalscience","volume":"19 ","pages":"1861"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2025-02-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12010182/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143985471","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Global trends in the management of cancer through obesity reduction: a bibliometric based systematic literature review.","authors":"Muhammad Hassaan Wali, Hamza Javed, Nisar Ahmad, Ikram A Burney","doi":"10.3332/ecancer.2025.1857","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3332/ecancer.2025.1857","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The escalating prevalence of obesity poses increased risk for public health, including an increasing incidence of cancer. The association between obesity and cancer has become an area of increasing concern and investigation. Literature on the treatment of obesity leading to a reduction in the incidence of cancer and as an adjunct to cancer-directed therapy is beginning to emerge. We conducted a bibliometric analysis to study the current trends in published literature.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>The aims of the study were to explore the evolving landscape of obesity-related cancer management and identify the current areas of active research in the field.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We searched the SCOPUS database on December 11, 2023, to identify the content and patterns of the literature published on the subject of 'treatment of obesity to prevent or treat cancers' using keywords, '(obesity OR overweight OR 'Body Mass Index' OR 'body weight') AND (cancer OR neoplasm) AND (prevention OR 'bariatric surgery' OR 'weight loss' OR 'weight reduction')' in the title, abstract or the author-supplied keywords. After removing non-English and non-journal articles, a manual search was carried out to ensure relevance to the research question. The 'bibliometric package' version R 4.3.2 binaries for macOS 11 (Big Sur) and higher, signed and notarised packages, were used to extract data.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Over the study period, a total of 724 documents were published, 624 were subjected to manual screening and 95 were identified for analysis. An increase in the number of articles was seen from 2017 onward. 'Bradford's law' was applied, and 5 core journals published 33/95 (34.7%) of all articles and received 1,808/4,399 citations (41.1%). The vast majority of articles, reported on the use of bariatric surgery for weight reduction as a method for cancer prevention and as an adjunct to cancer-directed treatment.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The treatment of obesity seems to be emerging as a strategy for the prevention and treatment of cancer. The field is relatively new, publications have begun to emerge in the last 10 years, and there is a growing interest in bariatric surgery as a method to prevent obesity-related cancers.</p>","PeriodicalId":11460,"journal":{"name":"ecancermedicalscience","volume":"19 ","pages":"1857"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2025-02-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12010181/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143982177","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The contribution of spirituality and religiousness to the quality of life of cancer patients treated with radiotherapy in Ghana: a cross-sectional study.","authors":"Joseph Daniels, Edwin Tekpertey Glover, Kofi Adesi Kyei","doi":"10.3332/ecancer.2025.1858","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3332/ecancer.2025.1858","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Cancer is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality globally. A significant proportion of all patients with cancer require radiotherapy as part of their treatment. Cancer can be very terrifying for patients undergoing radiotherapy, especially when it undermines their ability to hope or cope. In Ghana, where religious and spiritual beliefs play a significant role in many individuals' lives, understanding how these factors affect patients' well-being during cancer treatment is crucial. This study examined the contribution of spirituality and religiousness to the quality of life (QoL) of cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy in Accra, Ghana. Pre-validated questionnaires were used to collect data that were analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software (version 20). Patient interviews were also conducted and analysed thematically. Most of the respondents were female (<i>n</i> = 58, 65%), whereas 32 (35%) were male. The mean age of the respondents was 45.8 years (SD 12.9). All the participants of the study were religious and considered themselves to be either Christian (<i>n</i> = 82, 91.1%) or Muslim (<i>n</i> = 8, 8.9%). Approximately 93% of the participants relied on their spiritual beliefs to cope with cancer. Many patients reported that spirituality and religious coping are important aspects of their experience, potentially influencing their perceived QoL during radiotherapy. Most patients considered attention to spiritual concerns an important part of cancer care by doctors (88%) and nurses (85%). Five themes were identified from the analysis of the qualitative data. These themes indicated nuanced insights into how spirituality and religiousness influence the experiences of cancer patients. The findings of this study demonstrate the need to cater not only to bodily but also to emotional, social and spiritual needs that arise in the lives of cancer patients.</p>","PeriodicalId":11460,"journal":{"name":"ecancermedicalscience","volume":"19 ","pages":"1858"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2025-02-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12010178/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143987576","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Acute and long-term effects of chemotherapy on cognitive function among Indian breast cancer patients.","authors":"Priti Singh, Chaithanya Leon, Simran Kaur, Atul Batra, Prashant Tayade, Muthukrishnan Suriya Prakash, Ratna Sharma","doi":"10.3332/ecancer.2025.1856","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3332/ecancer.2025.1856","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Introduction: &lt;/strong&gt;Breast cancer (BC) is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Owing to early diagnosis and better therapeutic care, survivorship in these patients have improved tremendously. Chemotherapy, cornerstone in BC management have been associated with debilitating side effects including the effect on cognitive function, which significantly impairs the quality of life in these patients. Thus, it is imperative to understand the timeline and magnitude of the effects of chemotherapy on cognition to develop better management strategies. This is even more relevant in developing country like India, where there is inconspicuous absence of data in this regard.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Aim: &lt;/strong&gt;To study the acute and long-term effects of chemotherapy on the cognitive function in BC patients compared to chemotherapy naïve (Cx naïve) BC patients (disease controls) and matched healthy controls (HC) using subjective, objective questionnaires and neuropsychological tests (NPTs).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Methods: &lt;/strong&gt;The current cross-sectional study involved 120 participants, 30 each of Cx naïve BC patients, during chemotherapy BC patients (during Cx), post-chemotherapy BC patients (post Cx) and HC; all matched for age and education levels. Both subjective and objective assessments of cognitive functions were done in all the groups. Hindi Mental State Examination (HMSE) and FACT Cog questionnaire V3 were used for subjective assessment while Addenbrooke Cognitive Examination-III (ACE-III) questionnaire and domain specific computer based NPT (Wisconsin card sorting task (WCST) (learning), Flanker's (attention and interference) and &lt;i&gt;n&lt;/i&gt; back task (working memory) were done for objective assessment. The data were analysed for descriptive and inferential statistics, as appropriate using GraphPad Prism V9.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Results: &lt;/strong&gt;The subjective assessment using HMSE questionnaire revealed a significantly lower score in post Cx group as compared to HC (&lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt; &lt; 0.001); however, it was comparable in other groups. FACT Cog V3 questionnaire revealed significantly higher cognitive impairment among those during Cx compared to Cx naïve patients (&lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt; &lt; 0.001), post Cx BC patients (&lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt; &lt; 0.001) and HC (&lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt; &lt; 0.0001). Meanwhile, the objective assessment using ACE-III examination revealed significantly lesser scores among during Cx patients (&lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt; &lt; 0.001), and post Cx BC patients (&lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt; &lt; 0.0001) compared to HC group. In NPTs, WCST and &lt;i&gt;N&lt;/i&gt; back working memory task revealed significantly lower accuracy in Cx naïve versus post Cx (&lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt; = 0.0054, &lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt; = 0.0068, respectively) and HC versus post Cx (&lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt; = 0.0054, &lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt; = 0.0045, respectively), while no significant difference was found in Flanker's task. Furthermore, in WCST there were significantly higher scores present in total reaction time in post Cx compared to Cx naïve: &lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt; = 0.00444 and HC: &lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt; = 0.0003). In Flanker's task reaction","PeriodicalId":11460,"journal":{"name":"ecancermedicalscience","volume":"19 ","pages":"1856"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2025-02-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12010176/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143988377","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Radiation safety: knowledge, attitudes, practices and perceived socioeconomic impact in a limited-resource radiotherapy setting.","authors":"Kofi Adesi Kyei, Hannah Boateng Addo, Joseph Daniels","doi":"10.3332/ecancer.2025.1855","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3332/ecancer.2025.1855","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Healthcare workers in teaching-hospital settings face numerous occupational hazards, necessitating comprehensive safety protocols to protect both staff and patients. Radiation safety is particularly critical in regions like sub-Saharan Africa, where the sharp rise in radiological procedures and radiation treatments demands stringent protocols to mitigate health risks. The study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices related to radiation safety among healthcare workers in a limited-resource setting, as well as evaluate the perceived socioeconomic impact of implementing radiation safety protocols. The research was a quantitative case study of one of the largest radiotherapy centres in Africa. Participants were selected using a stratified random sampling technique. Data were collected using a modified structured questionnaire based on the validated International Atomic Energy Agency radiation safety knowledge, attitudes and practice questionnaire. Data were analysed with the Statistical Package for Social Sciences software. Both descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were performed. Data were summarized using frequencies, percentages, means and standard deviations. The study involved 78 participants, comprising 13 physicians, 40 nurses and 25 other health workers. In all, 53.8% were males, whereas 46.2% were females. The mean age was 24.9 years (SD 4.7) ranging from 23 to 47 years. A significant majority (82%) were knowledgeable about effective ways of reducing radiation exposure. All participants considered radiation safety extremely important, with 55% feeling extremely confident in their ability to practice radiation safety measures. The majority (92%) believed that radiation safety was a shared responsibility within the organization. Only 51% frequently checked radiation safety equipment. There was a strong consensus that these protocols positively affect healthcare worker well-being (a mean score of 4.49) and benefit patient care (a mean score of 4.45). Implementation of workplace safety protocols was perceived to improve worker well-being (B = 0.337 and <i>p</i> = 0.001) and benefit patient care (B = 0.391 and <i>p</i> = 0.014). The study highlights a high level of knowledge and positive attitudes towards radiation safety among healthcare workers in a limited-resource radiotherapy setting. While most participants recognized the importance of radiation safety and its shared responsibility, less than half regularly checked safety equipment. There were significant perceptions of the socioeconomic benefits of implementing safety protocols.</p>","PeriodicalId":11460,"journal":{"name":"ecancermedicalscience","volume":"19 ","pages":"1855"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2025-02-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12010179/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144001018","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluation of radiation treatment plan quality in head and neck cancer: a comparative analysis of RapidArc technique with flattening filter and flattening filter-free photon beams.","authors":"Atul Mishra, Sumanta Manna, Kailash Kumar Mittal, Sharad Singh, Neha Yadav","doi":"10.3332/ecancer.2025.1854","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3332/ecancer.2025.1854","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Aim: </strong>This study aims to evaluate the treatment plan quality for oral cavity cancers in the head and neck region using the RapidArc (RA) technique with both flattening filter (FF) and flattening filter-free (FFF) photon beams.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>In this analytical study, treatment plans for 12 patients originally planned with a 6 MV FF photon beam were recreated using the RA technique with a 6 MV FFF photon beam. Identical beam parameters and planning objectives were maintained for both sets of plans to facilitate comparison. All plans were evaluated based on planning indices and doses to organs at risk (OAR).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A significant dose variation was found in the minimum (D_min) and mean (D_mean) doses of the high-risk planning target volume between FF and FFF photon beam RA plans. However, the dose distribution for the low-risk planning target volume was equivalent between the two techniques. The FFF-RA plans demonstrated superior conformity and homogeneity indices compared to the FF plans, with these differences being statistically significant. In addition, the FF-RA plans showed higher doses to the parotid glands, eyes and lenses than the FFF plans. The FFF plans also showed significantly shorter beam-on treatment times and a higher gamma passing index rate compared to the FF plans.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>In contrast to the FF photon beam, an FFF photon beam-oriented RA plan provides significant OAR sparing without losing the quality of the treatment plan. High monitor units and beam on time are major highlights of the RA plan with FFF beam.</p>","PeriodicalId":11460,"journal":{"name":"ecancermedicalscience","volume":"19 ","pages":"1854"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2025-02-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12010177/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143976674","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Feasibility and preliminary effects of a socio-spiritual intervention for adults with cancer and their family caregivers: a pilot randomised controlled trial.","authors":"Israel O Gabriel, Debra K Creedy, Amanda McGuire, Elisabeth Coyne","doi":"10.3332/ecancer.2025.1851","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3332/ecancer.2025.1851","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Despite significant psychosocial-spiritual needs adversely affecting the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of adults living with cancer and their family caregivers in sub-Saharan Africa, there is a dearth of culturally tailored interventions to address these needs. This study evaluates the feasibility of a socio-spiritual intervention designed for adults with cancer and their family caregivers in sub-Saharan Africa, and preliminarily examines its impact on family/social support, spiritual needs, information needs, health literacy and HRQoL.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This study employed a single-site randomised controlled trial design. Eighty-eight dyads were randomly assigned to either a socio-spiritual intervention (<i>n</i> = 44 dyads) or usual care (<i>n</i> = 44 dyads). The intervention group participated in a 4-week face-to-face training programme with usual care, whereas the control group received only usual care over the same period.</p><p><strong>Result: </strong>A total of 82 dyads completed the study (40 dyads in the intervention group and 42 dyads in the control group). The eligibility and acceptance rates were >85%, retention was >90% and treatment fidelity was high (between 88.5% and 94.6%). In terms of intervention effects, the intervention was helpful in reducing needs and improving HRQoL of adults with cancer (<i>F</i> (13, 65) = 24.50, <i>p</i> < 0.001; Wilks' Lambda = 0.17) and their family caregivers (<i>F</i> (13, 65) = 14.27, <i>p</i> < 0.001; Wilks' Lambda = 0.26).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This pilot study established the feasibility of a face-to-face training programme for adults with cancer and their families, as well as its potential for improving HRQoL of this population.This study's findings imply that by supporting individuals with cancer and their family caregivers as a unit of care, both individual needs and components of HRQoL can be maintained or even improved. In current practice in Nigeria, only patients' needs are routinely addressed; caregivers often are left on their own to obtain information and support to deliver complex care in the home.</p>","PeriodicalId":11460,"journal":{"name":"ecancermedicalscience","volume":"19 ","pages":"1851"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2025-02-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12010129/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143982675","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Paediatric urachal rhabdomyosarcoma: the role of radiotherapy about a case report and review.","authors":"Salem Ouaddane Alami, Fatima-Zahra Abdelli, Samia Khalfi, Zenab Alami, Touria Bouhafa","doi":"10.3332/ecancer.2025.1852","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3332/ecancer.2025.1852","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>This report discusses the case of a 10-year-old girl diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) of the urachus, a rare form of soft tissue cancer in paediatric oncology. RMS, representing 3%-4% of paediatric cancers, arises from primitive muscle cells and requires a multidisciplinary treatment approach. The goal of this case is to enhance understanding of radiotherapy's role in treating RMS in children, particularly in rare sites like the urachus.</p><p><strong>Case: </strong>The patient, with no significant medical history, presented with right lower abdominal pain and was found to have a large abdominal mass. Imaging revealed a massive necrotic tumour and pulmonary metastases. The tumour was initially deemed unresectable, and a biopsy confirmed RMS. Chemotherapy was initiated using the RMS 2005 protocol, which resulted in a 70% tumour reduction. Surgical resection was then performed, and the patient received radiotherapy targeting both the primary tumour and metastases. The treatment showed no significant side effects and follow-up for a year showed no signs of recurrence.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>RMS is a paediatric malignancy with poor survival rates in high-risk and recurrent cases. The urachal origin of RMS is extremely rare, with few cases reported in the literature. Management includes chemotherapy, surgery and radiotherapy. While no known tumour markers exist, associations with genetic conditions like neurofibromatosis and Li-Fraumeni syndrome have been observed. Treatment aims to cure the disease while minimizing morbidity, with surgery typically preceded by chemotherapy to reduce tumour size.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>While RMS is the most common soft tissue tumour in children, urachal RMS remains rare. Treatment involves surgery and radiotherapy, but further research is needed to establish standardized treatment protocols for such tumours.</p>","PeriodicalId":11460,"journal":{"name":"ecancermedicalscience","volume":"19 ","pages":"1852"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2025-02-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12010124/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144062856","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}