Knowledge and practice of breast self-examination among breast cancer patients in Damascus, Syria.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer (BC) represents an important cause of cancer death, its incidence rate has been rising gradually in the Arab world, and in Syria, BC is the most common cancer and the leading cause of cancer death; its prognosis gets better as we detect it early in its first stages. So, it is very important to implement one or more early detection methods such as Breast Self-Examination (BSE), Clinical Breast Examination (CBE), and mammography. BSE represents an effective method to find out changes in breast structure when they happen. This study investigates the knowledge of BSE and its practice in BC patients. METHODS: A quantitative cross-sectional study in Al-Bairouni hospital in Damascus-Syria was carried out using face-to-face interviews based on a structured questionnaire, which consisted of 4 sections. The data were subjected to statistical analysis using various analytical tests, including the independent t-test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and Chi-square test. RESULTS: Five hundred patients were interviewed. Only 27.4% of patients had a good knowledge of BSE, 17.4% had average knowledge, and 55.2% had low knowledge of BSE. The factors that have an impact on the knowledge of BSE were: family breast cancer history (first and second-degree relatives), education, and the region of living (between governorates). The effect of knowledge of BSE on its practice was positive. However, only 24.8% of patients have been practicing BSE; the reasons for not practicing BSE were: no one has told the patient about it (64.8% of cases), and the patient does not have any symptoms relating to the breast (21.4%).Breast cancer was identified through breast self-examination (BSE) in 15.6% of cases. CONCLUSION: There is a low degree of knowledge and little practice of BSE among Syrian breast cancer patients. Family breast cancer history, governate, occupation, and level of education had a statistically significant effect on knowledge scores of BSE, unlike age and social status. So, some steps should be taken to increase awareness about BSE among Syrian females.

Breast self-examination among female medical students at Damascus University: A cross-sectional study.

Introduction: Breast cancer (BC) is the leading cause of death in Syria. In young females, it is a serious complication, making it crucial to raise awareness about the disease and its early detection methods. Given the challenging circumstances that Syrians face, regular visits to medical centers for mammography are often not feasible. Therefore, breast self-examination (BSE) is a valuable tool for detecting cancer. Educating girls in medical colleges is key to disseminating knowledge about BSE among women, as they will become future healthcare providers and can share accurate information with their families. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in the medical faculties of Damascus University (medicine, dentistry, and pharmacy), Syria. The study utilized a structured questionnaire on Google Forms with four sections. The questionnaire was prepared electronically, and shared as an online link in formal university groups on social media. Data collection started on September 19, 2022, and ended on October 19 of the same year. Participation was accepted from female students in medical colleges, ranging from second to fifth year (for dental and pharmacy students) and sixth year (for medical students). Data from other students and incomplete data were excluded. Results: 589 female medical students from three faculties (medicine, dentistry, and pharmacy) filled out the questionnaire. Only 57 % of the students demonstrated a good attitude towards BSE, and 79.6 % of them agreed or strongly agreed that they avoid BSE due to fear of the consequences of breast cancer. Regarding BSE knowledge, 89.6 % of the participants reported previously hearing about BSE, and 55.7 % of them had performed BSE before. The factors that were accompanied by better knowledge about BSE were: a good attitude towards BSE; previously performed BSE; studying in a medical faculty; study years for medical and pharmacy students; and higher college average grades. Whereas, having a medical relative and having a family member with a history of BC surprisingly do not impact the knowledge. Conclusion: The study, conducted at Damascus University in Syria, assessed the knowledge and practice of breast self-examination among female medical college students. The results indicate a moderate level of knowledge and limited practical experience in performing breast self-examination. These findings highlight the urgent need to emphasize the importance of promoting and teaching this method to a wider population of women in society.

Scrotal arteriovenous malformation (AVM) successfully resected without angioembolization: A case report.

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE: The main types of scrotal vascular lesions are varicocele, hemangioma, lymphangioma and arteriovenous malformation (AVM). AVM consists of network between arteries and veins without capillaries. It is the rarest type especially when in scrotum. CASE PRESENTATION: A 24-year-old male patient presented with a skin deformity and painless swelling in the left scrotum. Physical examination revealed this swelling that extended to the inguinal region. Duplex Ultrasound (DUS) followed by Multi-slice Computed Tomography (MSCT) were performed to establish the diagnosis. Management depended on surgical excision without angioembolization. Preoperative sperm analysis showed oligoasthenozoospermia that improves significantly after treatment and 1 year of follow-up. CLINICAL DISCUSSION: Surgical resection of scrotal AVM without embolization has been used in very few cases and has resulted in a satisfactory outcome with no signs of recurrence throughout the follow-up period. CONCLUSION: Based on our experience, surgical excision without embolization is a reasonable alternative approach to treat scrotal AVM in low-income countries alongside avoiding the negative consequences of radiation therapy. Treatment should be considered when fertility is affected.