Survival and Epidemiologic Trends of Lymphomas in Saudi Arabia: A 10-Year Report from a Tertiary Care Hospital.

Background: The current trends in lymphoma cases from Saudi Arabia and their long-term survival are unknown. This study was conducted to evaluate the trends of lymphoma diagnoses and survival from a major tertiary care hospital in Saudi Arabia. Methods: This retrospective study included all new cases of lymphoma diagnosed in adults (age ≥18 years) at King Saud University Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from 2008 to 2018, as identified from the Saudi Cancer Registry. Data on the demographics and clinical characteristics were collected, the survival outcomes were estimated, and multivariate analysis of the overall survival was calculated. Results: A total of 422 patients were included (median age: 46 years). The number new cases of lymphoma diagnosed variably increased over the study period: From 28 (7%) cases in 2009 to 48 (11%) in 2018. The most common lymphoma was diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (175; 41%): and extranodal site was GI involvement (33.5%). In terms of survival, 79% were alive at the last follow-up. On multivariable analysis, the hazard ratio (HR) for patients aged ≥60 years was 3.44 (95% CI: 2-5.9; P = 0.0000069), adjusted for lactate dehydrogenase level (LDH) and disease stage. For advanced-stage disease and high LDH, the HR was 4.2 (95% CI: 1.5-11.8, P = 0.00637) and 0.5 (95% CI: 0.28-0.97; P = 0.04106), respectively. Conclusions: The lymphoma trend in the Saudi Arabian population showed variable increase in cases over the study period, with most patients presenting with advanced-stage disease and at a younger age. The overall survival was comparable with studies from Western countries.

Long-Term Quality of Life (5-15 Years Post-Thyroidectomy) of Thyroid Carcinoma Patients in Two Tertiary Care Hospitals.

Purpose Early detection of thyroid cancer has reduced mortality and improved survival of patients. Increased detection has raised the incidence of early stage disease. Some physicians underestimate the suffering of these patients due to the concept of "good cancer." The unmet needs of the survivors still need to be addressed. The objective of this paper was to evaluate the long-term quality of life (QOL) of thyroid cancer survivors. Methods A cross-sectional telephone survey of 211 thyroid cancer survivors who underwent thyroidectomy performed between 2006 and 2016 in two academic tertiary care hospitals was conducted using a validated Arabic version of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer head and neck cancer specific quality of life questionnaire (EROTC QLQ) - H&N43 questionnaire using a scale of 1-4, with 4 being most severe. Results On almost half (48.5%) of patients, thyroidectomy was performed in 2013 or earlier. Patients' perceptions of problems were very low, with a mean score of 1.56 ± 0.7). Worry about the test results (2.37 ± 1.19), future health (2.36 ± 1.22), tingling or numbness in hands or feet (2.32 ± 1.22), pain in the shoulder (2.04 ± 1.18), and dry, itchy skin (2.04 ± 1.18) were the only items that received a mean score of more than 2. No statistically significant differences in patients' problems were observed according to either tumor histopathology or type of thyroidectomy. Conclusion The overall QOL score for the patients was very good. The persistent problems identified need to be addressed in the long-term follow-up. Survivorship care plans need to be developed incorporating proper interventions.

Long-Term Neuropsychiatric Sequelae in a Survivor of Cyanide Toxicity Patient With Arterialization.

Cyanide is one of the most rapidly acting poisons and accounts for many suicidal and homicidal deaths. Some natural products such as silk and wool can release cyanide when burned. Most patients who survive cyanide poisoning experience neurological sequelae. This report describes the case of a healthy 45-year-old Yemeni woman who was present during the burning of furniture in a closed space in her home. Upon admission, she displayed signs of inhalational injury, a black discoloration around her mouth and nostrils, and a first-degree burn on the left side of her neck. She experienced neuropsychiatric sequelae of cyanide poisoning, with deficits evolving over three months. Even after three months of treatment and continuous follow-up, she still showed signs of mild cognitive memory impairment along with word-finding difficulties and focal dystonia of her right hand. Full neurological and cognitive assessments are crucial to determine the neuropsychiatric sequelae of acute cyanide toxicity. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can show the extent and structure of lesions in cyanide-sensitive regions of the brain, but it is not always diagnostic. The arterialization of venous blood gases may serve as an early clue to the diagnosis of cyanide poisoning.