Perceptions of Saudis Toward Participating in the COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma Clinical Trial.

Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic has been a major public health and economic issue worldwide. Even though vaccines have been developed to reduce the spread of the infection, treating patients remains a significant challenge. This study aims to measure the perceptions of Saudis toward participating in the COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma Clinical Trial. Method A cross-sectional study measuring the perceptions of Saudis toward participating in the COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma Clinical Trial was conducted with participants who had recovered from COVID-19. The study used an online questionnaire covering variables related to demographics, awareness, attitudes, perceptions, and plans for improvement. Results A sample of 1,051 participants participated in the questionnaire. A total of 85% had recovered from COVID-19, only 2.76% had participated in clinical trials before, and 83.44% would participate if they were advised or knew about them. The participants showed a high level of education, with 88% having obtained a degree and most used social media. The results can be biased toward the participants who get their knowledge from social media and hope to learn about things on social media. The gap in knowledge about clinical trials among the participants indicated that certain age groups could be targeted through channels where they communicate the most. Conclusion Engaging the community in clinical trials and educating others about their value by sharing experiences would help promote clinical trials and activate donations.

Cancer of Unknown Primary Site: Real Entity or Misdiagnosed Disease?

Metastasis is a late event in the progression of any tumour. However, invasive cancers are occasionally detected in the form of metastatic lesions without a clearly detectable primary tumour. Cancer of unknown primary site (CUP) is defined as a confirmed metastatic tumour, with unknown primary tumour site, despite the standardized diagnostic approach that includes clinical history, routine laboratory tests, and complete physical examination. Due to the lack of basic research on its primary causes, CUP is appropriately termed an 'orphan' cancer. Nevertheless, CUP accounts for 2-5% of diagnosed malignancies. To date, it is unclear whether CUP is an entity with primary dormancy as its hallmark or an entity with genetic abnormalities that cause it to manifest as a primary metastatic disease. In this review, we discuss different aspects of CUP, including its current diagnostic methods, angiogenesis effectors, relationship with cancer stem cells and current treatments.