ecancermedicalsciencePub Date : 2025-06-12eCollection Date: 2025-01-01DOI: 10.3332/ecancer.2025.1926
Lavender Otom, Peter Oyiro, Elijah Ogola
{"title":"The practice of advance care planning among ambulatory cancer patients at a tertiary hospital in Kenya: descriptive cross-sectional survey.","authors":"Lavender Otom, Peter Oyiro, Elijah Ogola","doi":"10.3332/ecancer.2025.1926","DOIUrl":"10.3332/ecancer.2025.1926","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Advance care planning (ACP) is relevant in the care of cancer patients. Insight into the current practice of ACP can identify high-priority areas to direct interventions aimed at improving the process.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>To assess the practice of ACP among ambulatory cancer patients at a Kenyan hospital.</p><p><strong>Methodology: </strong>A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted at the ambulatory oncology clinic at a tertiary referral hospital. We recruited 387 study participants through consecutive sampling among heterogenous cancer patients. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect data, which was analysed by SPSS version 25 and through multivariable logistical regression.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Among 387 participants, 78.55% were females. The uptake of advance directives was low; only 27.13% of participants had appointed surrogate decision makers, while 1.5% had living wills. Few had discussed end-of-life wishes with family (28.68%) and doctors (19.63%). Only 27.39% had discussed life expectancy with a doctor. Among those who had not participated in ACP, most were willing to discuss life expectancy (71.9%); discuss end-of-life wishes with family (81.2%) and doctors (85.1%); complete advance directives (68%) and appoint surrogate decision makers (75.9%) in the next 1 month. Doctors were most preferred to initiate ACP discussions. Factors that positively correlated with uptake of advanced directives (ADs) included - ECOG status, discussion with family and with doctors.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The uptake of ADs among ambulatory cancer patients was low; additionally, self-reported participation in ACP was low. Our study highlights the need for widespread education initiatives and standardisation of the ACP process.</p><p><strong>Recommendations: </strong>There is a need for further studies and strategies to improve the participation in ACP and hence the quality of life among patients with malignancies in Kenya.</p>","PeriodicalId":11460,"journal":{"name":"ecancermedicalscience","volume":"19 ","pages":"1926"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2025-06-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12221252/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144552667","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}
ecancermedicalsciencePub Date : 2025-06-11eCollection Date: 2025-01-01DOI: 10.3332/ecancer.2025.1924
Joseph Daniels, Kofi Adesi Kyei, Nduhura Israel
{"title":"Management and survival outcomes of patients with lung cancer at a leading radiotherapy centre in Sub-Saharan Africa: a cross-sectional study.","authors":"Joseph Daniels, Kofi Adesi Kyei, Nduhura Israel","doi":"10.3332/ecancer.2025.1924","DOIUrl":"10.3332/ecancer.2025.1924","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Lung cancer is a major global health challenge that has a substantial impact on the health and well-being of many individuals. Despite the progress that has been made in its treatment globally, there is a paucity of reliable data on management and survival outcomes in sub-Saharan Africa.</p><p><strong>Aim: </strong>To describe the clinical profiles, management and survival outcomes of patients with lung cancer.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This research was a cross-sectional study conducted at a leading radiotherapy centre in Ghana. The study involved adult patients with lung cancer who received treatment over a 10-year period. A consecutive random sampling technique was used to select eligible participants for the study. Relevant data were extracted from patients' hospital-based medical records. Data were analysed with STATA (version 17). Kaplan-Meier survival analyses were used to estimate overall survival (OS) outcomes. Cox proportional hazards models were used to identify prognostic factors associated with survival outcomes.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In all, there were 118 patients with a male predominance of 53.4%. The mean age was 59.4 years (± 13), with a significant proportion being geriatric (> 60 years) (48.3%). Also, there were more nonsmokers than smokers (57.6% versus 33.9%), with only 6.8% having a positive family history for cancer. Notably, 4.2% had a history of treatment for pulmonary tuberculosis, while ~75% were diagnosed at advanced stages of lung cancer (stage IVA = 48.3% and IVB = 27.1%). Most patients were diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) (94.9%). Management was essentially palliative (65.3%), and with the use of systemic therapy (72.3%). Only 3.4% and 1.7% received targeted and immunotherapy, respectively. Patients <60 years had better OS compared with those ≥ 60 years (<i>p</i> = 0.771). Similarly, patients with NSCLC had better OS than patients with small cell lung cancer (<i>p</i> = 0.001). A good Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status was a predictor of better OS (<i>p</i> = 0.004).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The predominance of advanced-stage disease, reliance on palliative care, systemic chemotherapy and disparities in access to advanced therapies highlight significant challenges faced by healthcare providers. Addressing these barriers through targeted interventions, infrastructure investments and policy changes could significantly improve lung cancer outcomes in the region. A focus on early detection, comprehensive diagnostics and equitable access to advanced treatments is essential for enhancing survival rates and quality of life for lung cancer patients in this region.</p>","PeriodicalId":11460,"journal":{"name":"ecancermedicalscience","volume":"19 ","pages":"1924"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2025-06-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12221260/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144552662","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}
ecancermedicalsciencePub Date : 2025-06-11eCollection Date: 2025-01-01DOI: 10.3332/ecancer.2025.1925
Sergine Cindy M Zeufack, Jackton Omoto, Antony Owaya, Everlyn Adoyo, Mercy Rop, Cirillus Ogollah Osongo, Lisa Rahangdale, Craig R Cohen, Chemtai Mungo
{"title":"Feasibility of incorporating the Pocket colposcope into nurse-led cervical cancer screening programs in Western Kenya.","authors":"Sergine Cindy M Zeufack, Jackton Omoto, Antony Owaya, Everlyn Adoyo, Mercy Rop, Cirillus Ogollah Osongo, Lisa Rahangdale, Craig R Cohen, Chemtai Mungo","doi":"10.3332/ecancer.2025.1925","DOIUrl":"10.3332/ecancer.2025.1925","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The use of handheld colposcopy in nurse-led cervical cancer screening programs could enhance screening quality and diagnostic accuracy, especially in high-burden regions like sub-Saharan Africa. This study assessed the feasibility of using the Pocket colposcope (Calla Health Foundation, Durham, NC) among healthcare providers in western Kenya. Feasibility was defined in terms of acceptability and image quality. A mixed-methods approach was employed, involving healthcare providers from three clinics offering cervical cancer screening. These providers used the Pocket colposcope more than once within 2 months of the survey. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to explore provider experiences and the device's acceptability, which was measured using Likert scale questions based on Sekhon's Theoretical Framework of Acceptability (TFA). This framework evaluates affective attitude, burden, ethicality, perceived effectiveness, intervention coherence, self-efficacy and opportunity cost. Additionally, expert gynecologists assessed the quality of cervical images from visual inspection with acetic acid and/or human papillomavirus-positive patients (<i>n</i> = 123), rating them on a scale of 1 to 3. Interobserver agreement was assessed using Cohen's kappa. Quantitative and qualitative data were analysed using STATA 18.0 and Dedoose 9.0.17, respectively. Among the eight providers interviewed, including five nurses, the average experience in cervical cancer screening was 4.2 years. The Pocket colposcope received a mean acceptability score of 4.18 (SD = 0.27) out of five based on the seven TFA constructs. Qualitative findings highlighted positive aspects, such as better cervix visualisation, improved post-treatment monitoring, easier external consultations and enhanced patient education. However, challenges incl‑uded camera and software issues and limited personnel for documentation. Image quality was rated 2.23 out of 3, with fair interobserver agreement (Cohen's kappa 0.36, <i>p</i> < 0.001). The study concluded that the Pocket colposcope is acceptable in nurse-led cervical cancer screening programs but emphasised the need for improvements in image quality and technology reliability. Expanding training could further enhance its utilisation.</p>","PeriodicalId":11460,"journal":{"name":"ecancermedicalscience","volume":"19 ","pages":"1925"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2025-06-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12221255/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144552660","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}
ecancermedicalsciencePub Date : 2025-06-05eCollection Date: 2025-01-01DOI: 10.3332/ecancer.2025.1923
{"title":"Cancer awareness in the State of Kerala in India.","authors":"","doi":"10.3332/ecancer.2025.1923","DOIUrl":"10.3332/ecancer.2025.1923","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Kerala is experiencing a rising cancer burden driven by demographic transitions and unhealthy lifestyle patterns. Recognising the urgent need to address these challenges, the Association of Medical and Pediatric Oncologists of Kerala conducted a comprehensive survey to evaluate public awareness regarding cancer risk factors, prevention strategies and screening practices. The survey, conducted between October and December 2024, employed a mixed-method approach using online and door-to-door data collection to ensure inclusivity across diverse demographic groups. The findings revealed a high general awareness of cancer symptoms and risk factors. However, significant gaps persisted in knowledge about preventive measures such as vaccination and genetic testing. Despite heightened awareness, screening rates remained low. The survey findings underscore the importance of tailored educational interventions to address misconceptions, promote preventive behaviours and enhance access to affordable screening and treatment services. Lessons from this study hold relevance for global oncology programs, offering opportunities for bidirectional learning to enhance cancer awareness and prevention initiatives worldwide.</p>","PeriodicalId":11460,"journal":{"name":"ecancermedicalscience","volume":"19 ","pages":"1923"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2025-06-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12221253/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144552656","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}
ecancermedicalsciencePub Date : 2025-06-03eCollection Date: 2025-01-01DOI: 10.3332/ecancer.2025.1920
Abhinav Ramraja, Hariharasudhan Saravananb
{"title":"A comparative analysis of cancer stage classification systems for registries.","authors":"Abhinav Ramraja, Hariharasudhan Saravananb","doi":"10.3332/ecancer.2025.1920","DOIUrl":"10.3332/ecancer.2025.1920","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Cancer stage at diagnosis is a critical determinant of survival outcomes and a key metric for population-based cancer surveillance. Despite the existence of several cancer staging classifications implemented in registries worldwide, their relative utility remains poorly understood. This review provides a comprehensive and comparative evaluation of the principles, data requirements and practical utility of the traditional tumor-node-metastasis (TNM), Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Result Summary, Condensed TNM, Essential TNM, registry-derived and extent-of-disease staging systems. It also introduces a conceptual framework for evaluating these systems, in order to aid registries in selecting context-appropriate staging methods. Our appraisal, focusing primarily on aspects pertaining to data collection and consolidation, recognises that while the traditional TNM system offers the highest clinical and prognostic value, its complexity leads to poor completeness in population-based registries, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Simplified alternatives can achieve higher completion rates but offer limited clinical utility. A balanced approach jointly incorporating clinical value and practical feasibility is essential, highlighting the need for hybrid solutions to support cancer registration. Electronic aids such as staging applications and natural language processing or AI-driven tools can streamline staging by automating data extraction, minimising errors and inferring missing components. Future efforts must prioritise accessible, multilingual platforms to standardise surveillance and improve accuracy in resource-limited settings.</p>","PeriodicalId":11460,"journal":{"name":"ecancermedicalscience","volume":"19 ","pages":"1920"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2025-06-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12221257/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144552652","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}
ecancermedicalsciencePub Date : 2025-06-03eCollection Date: 2025-01-01DOI: 10.3332/ecancer.2025.1921
Berenice Freile, Andrés Rodriguez, Greta Catani, Marcos Bortz, Luisina Bruno, Juan M O'Connor, Federico Esteso
{"title":"Targeted therapies in neoadjuvant treatment for gastroesophageal cancer.","authors":"Berenice Freile, Andrés Rodriguez, Greta Catani, Marcos Bortz, Luisina Bruno, Juan M O'Connor, Federico Esteso","doi":"10.3332/ecancer.2025.1921","DOIUrl":"10.3332/ecancer.2025.1921","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Gastroesophageal cancers are among the most prevalent cancers globally and represent the third leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Surgical resection remains the primary curative approach for localised and locally advanced stages, but its effectiveness is limited for locally advanced diseases, evidenced by a low 5-year survival rate of around 25%. High relapse rates post-surgery, particularly in Western populations, necessitate the use of neoadjuvant, adjuvant or perioperative strategies involving chemotherapy and radiation to improve surgical outcomes. Neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy has demonstrated a significant improvement in overall survival. Recent advances have identified several target genes and pathways involved in the pathogenesis and progression of these cancers, leading to the development of targeted drugs, including immunotherapy, anti-HER-2 antibodies and anti-vascular endothelial growth factor receptor antibodies. These targeted therapies are emerging as promising interventions for better patient outcomes and personalised treatment approaches and, therefore, could eventually evolve into a novel therapeutic regimen for gastroesophageal cancer.</p>","PeriodicalId":11460,"journal":{"name":"ecancermedicalscience","volume":"19 ","pages":"1921"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2025-06-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12221259/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144552666","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}
ecancermedicalsciencePub Date : 2025-06-03eCollection Date: 2025-01-01DOI: 10.3332/ecancer.2025.1922
Amanda Acioli de Almeida Robatto, Erika Andrade Rocha, Renata Colombo Bonadio, Denis Artico Galhera, Carolina Teixeira Muratori, Admir Andre Belo Bueno, Abraão Ferreira Lopes Dornellas, Luciana Bastos Valente Alban, Carolina Ribeiro Victor, Maria Ignez Freitas Melro Braghiroli, Marília Polo Mingueti E Silva, Camila Soares Araujo, Carlos Frederico Sparapan Marques, Caio Sergio Rizkallah Nahas, Karim Yaqub Ibrahim, André Tsin Chih Chen, Paulo Marcelo Gehm Hoff, Camila Motta Venchiarutti Moniz
{"title":"Anal cancer impact among people with HIV infection - a matched cohort study.","authors":"Amanda Acioli de Almeida Robatto, Erika Andrade Rocha, Renata Colombo Bonadio, Denis Artico Galhera, Carolina Teixeira Muratori, Admir Andre Belo Bueno, Abraão Ferreira Lopes Dornellas, Luciana Bastos Valente Alban, Carolina Ribeiro Victor, Maria Ignez Freitas Melro Braghiroli, Marília Polo Mingueti E Silva, Camila Soares Araujo, Carlos Frederico Sparapan Marques, Caio Sergio Rizkallah Nahas, Karim Yaqub Ibrahim, André Tsin Chih Chen, Paulo Marcelo Gehm Hoff, Camila Motta Venchiarutti Moniz","doi":"10.3332/ecancer.2025.1922","DOIUrl":"10.3332/ecancer.2025.1922","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Pivotal studies with curative chemoradiation (CRT) in anal cancer did not include HIV-positive (HIV+) patients. HIV status impact remains unknown in this scenario.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In this retrospective matched cohort study, electronic medical records were reviewed at Sao Paulo State Cancer Institute between 2010 and 2021 patients with anal cancer T1-4 N0-1 M0 by AJCCVIII were selected. For each HIV+ patient, one or two HIV-negative (HIV-) cases were matched by age, stage (T, N) and ECOG. The primary endpoint was OS, estimated using Kaplan-Meir and compared with the log-rank test.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>122 patients were selected, 45 being HIV+. The median follow-up was 37 months. Most patients, <i>n</i> = 119 (98%), received concomitant CRT and had ECOG 0/1 (<i>n</i> = 116, 95%). Stage III corresponded to 69% of the patients (<i>n</i> = 85). Positive nodes were detected in 76 patients (62%). No difference was observed in complete clinical response (cCR) post-CRT (68% in HIV+ versus 63% in HIV-; <i>p</i> = 0.6). Median recurrence-free survival (RFS) was not reached; 3-year RFS rates were 60.7% in HIV+ versus 63.1% in HIV- [hazard ratio (HR) 1.20, 95% CI 0.66-2.17, <i>p</i> = 0.538]. Median OS was not reached; 3-year OS was 66.4% HIV+ versus 72.2% in HIV- (HR 1.23, 95% CI 0.61-2.47, <i>p</i> = 0.546). HIV+ pts presented significantly more hospital admissions due to toxicity, 30% (<i>n</i> = 12/40) versus 13% (<i>n</i> = 10/74) (<i>p</i> = 0.049). No difference between groups was found for colostomy (<i>p</i> = 0.69) and salvage surgery (<i>p</i> = 1).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Anal carcinoma HIV+ patients treated with CRT presented similar cCR, RFS and OS compared with HIV- patients. Optimal therapy should be attempted in the HIV+ population; however, close clinical monitoring due to higher hospital admission is required.</p>","PeriodicalId":11460,"journal":{"name":"ecancermedicalscience","volume":"19 ","pages":"1922"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2025-06-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12221251/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144552655","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":"Exploring women's knowledge and their perception of risk of uterine cancer in Lagos, Nigeria: a multi-facility based cross-sectional study.","authors":"Adeyemi Adebola Okunowo, Rukayat Omolola Salawu-Giwa, Oluwaseun Emmanuel Familusi, Salimat Abisoye Yusuf-Awesu, Fadekemi Ooreoluwapo Gabriel-Raji","doi":"10.3332/ecancer.2025.1919","DOIUrl":"10.3332/ecancer.2025.1919","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>The absence of an established screening strategy to effectively detect uterine cancer (UC) at its early stage and the favourable outcome associated with early disease has put a premium on the need for increased public knowledge of UC to raise awareness about the risk of the disease and encourage the prompt presentation of suspicious symptoms and early diagnosis to improve health outcomes and survival.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>We, therefore, sought to explore the knowledge of UC symptoms, risk factors, risk-reducing health measures and their perceived risk of developing the disease among women in Lagos, Nigeria.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The study was a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted among 555 community women who attended government-owned secondary health facilities in three randomly selected Local Government Areas in Lagos, Nigeria. Information on sociodemographic and reproductive characteristics, awareness and knowledge about UC, its symptoms, risk factors, risk-reducing health measure, and perception of the risk of having UC were collected using an interviewer-administered questionnaire to assess women's knowledge and their perception of risk of UC. Data analysis was done using SPSS version 23.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Though 58.4% of the respondents were aware of UC, only 27.4%, 34.9% and 39.3% had good knowledge of the risk factors, symptoms and risk-reducing health measures of UC, respectively. The overall knowledge about UC was low with 25.0% having good knowledge about UC, while only 11.2% believed they may be at risk of developing UC. Being 25 years and below in age [adjusted odd ratio (AOR) = 2.55, CI = 1.36-4.77, <i>p</i> = 0.003], having at least a secondary education (AOR = 1.67, CI = 1.06-2.91, <i>p</i> = 0.046), being unmarried (AOR = 2.69, CI = 1.39-5.21, <i>p</i> = 0.003), a Christian (AOR = 1.89, CI = 1.09-3.27, <i>p</i> = 0.023), knowing someone with UC (AOR = 6.62, CI = 3.12-14.01, <i>p</i> < 0.001) and discussion with a doctor about UC (AOR = 5.72, CI = 3.43-9.53, <i>p</i> < 0.001) significantly predicted good knowledge of UC. Similarly, being 25 years and below in age (AOR = 2.49, CI = 1.20-5.17, <i>p</i> = 0.014), being a Muslim (AOR = 3.08, CI = 1.58-5.99, <i>p</i> = 0.001), knowing someone with UC (AOR = 3.11, CI = 1.27-7.57, <i>p</i> = 0.013) and having good knowledge of UC (COR = 5.88, CI = 2.80-12.35, <i>p</i> < 0.001) significantly influenced perception of the risk of developing UC.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Women's knowledge of UC and their perceived risk of developing the disease is very low in Lagos, Nigeria. Age, education, marital status, religion, knowing someone with UC and discussion with a doctor significantly influenced their knowledge and perceived susceptibility to the disease. There is a need for strategic educational interventions to address the knowledge gaps to improve health outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":11460,"journal":{"name":"ecancermedicalscience","volume":"19 ","pages":"1919"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12185878/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144483640","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}
ecancermedicalsciencePub Date : 2025-05-29eCollection Date: 2025-01-01DOI: 10.3332/ecancer.2025.1917
Shola Blessing Olorunniyi, Chidiebere Ndukwe Ogo
{"title":"Predictors of late diagnosis of prostate cancer among men of African ancestry receiving care at urology clinic, Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta.","authors":"Shola Blessing Olorunniyi, Chidiebere Ndukwe Ogo","doi":"10.3332/ecancer.2025.1917","DOIUrl":"10.3332/ecancer.2025.1917","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Prostate cancer (CaP) is a significant global health challenge, ranking as a leading cause of cancer mortality among men, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. In Nigeria, CaP accounts for 37.5% of new cancer cases and a high mortality rate, largely attributed to late-stage diagnoses. While early detection through screening methods such as digital rectal examination (DRE) and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing can improve survival outcomes, barriers persist, especially among men of African ancestry who are at higher risk from age 40. This study explores the reasons behind delayed screening and late diagnosis in Sub-Saharan Africa, identifying barriers using the health belief model as a framework; hence, the research explored key constructs: perceived susceptibility, severity, benefits, barriers (cues to action) and self-efficacy. This cross-sectional study specifically examines these predictors among adult males attending a urology clinic in Abeokuta, Nigeria. A simple random sampling technique was used to recruit 128 study participants. The study found that, despite empirical evidence highlighting increased susceptibility to CaP from the age of 40, most participants perceived themselves as not at risk, indicating a significant lack of awareness. This low perceived susceptibility negatively impacts health-seeking behaviours, including early screening. Participants generally acknowledged the severity of CaP, which should ideally motivate preventive actions. However, many found decision-making about screening and undertaking annual DRE or PSA tests challenging, reflecting low self-efficacy. While participants recognised the benefits of preventive measures, barriers such as embarrassment, fear of pain and lack of physician recommendations were reported. Notably, the absence of screening recommendations by healthcare providers emerged as a significant gap, despite guidelines advocating early screening for men of African ancestry. These findings underscore the need for targeted interventions to raise awareness, enhance self-efficacy, address procedural concerns and encourage proactive physician involvement in recommending screenings to mitigate the high prevalence of late-stage diagnoses of CaP.</p>","PeriodicalId":11460,"journal":{"name":"ecancermedicalscience","volume":"19 ","pages":"1917"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12185866/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144483646","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}
ecancermedicalsciencePub Date : 2025-05-29eCollection Date: 2025-01-01DOI: 10.3332/ecancer.2025.1918
F Z Abdelli, S Ouaddane Alami, S Khalfi, K Soussy, W Hassani, F Z Farhane, Z Alami, T Bouhafa
{"title":"Pineal gland seminoma: unusual localisation investigated through a case report and a literature review.","authors":"F Z Abdelli, S Ouaddane Alami, S Khalfi, K Soussy, W Hassani, F Z Farhane, Z Alami, T Bouhafa","doi":"10.3332/ecancer.2025.1918","DOIUrl":"10.3332/ecancer.2025.1918","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Germinoma (called seminoma in the testis and dysgerminoma in the ovary) is the neoplastic side of the primitive germ cell. It may be of gonadal or extragonadal origin, although intracranial location remains rare (between 0.5% and 3.2% in adults), 2/3 of which are located in the pineal region. We report a case of a patient with a seminoma of the pineal gland. Symptoms included headache, vomiting and diplopia. The work-up was negative. The patient was initially treated with bleomycin, etoposide and platinum protocol chemotherapy. The tumour was deemed inaccessible to surgery, which is why the patient underwent three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy with a dose of 24 Gy in 12 fractions to the tri-ventricular system, followed by a 16 Gy boost to the pineal region. Pineal neoplasms are rare. Its prognosis has been considerably improved thanks to a multidisciplinary approach. However, radiotherapy remains a good alternative approach.</p>","PeriodicalId":11460,"journal":{"name":"ecancermedicalscience","volume":"19 ","pages":"1918"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12185864/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144483645","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}