What's new in surgical oncology breast.

It is on the backdrop of advances in tumor biology and systemic therapy for breast cancer, that progress in locoregional treatment has focused on management of the breast for invasive cancer, imaging for staging and therapeutic decision-making, and de-escalation in the management of the axilla.

Risk factors for cervical cancer among distinct populations in low-resource countries: feasibility of cervical cancer screen-and-treat program on ukerewe island of lake victoria, Tanzania.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: A mass cervical cancer screening using World Health Organization-endorsed visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) and cryotherapy triage was conducted over 5 days at Nansio District Hospital on Ukerewe Island, Tanzania in Lake Victoria. The aim was to evaluate the feasibility of a pilot screen-and-treat on a lower resource island and compare the results to previously held screen-and-treats in higher resource mainland settings. RECENT FINDINGS: Two hundred and eight-two women underwent VIA on Ukerewe Island during July 2017. The frequency of abnormal VIA screens was nearly twice that observed on the mainland in 2016 (18.4% vs 10.7%, respectively; P = 0.0091). Island women had lower rates of grand multiparity (19.8% vs 26.8%, P = 0.02) and more island women did not know their HIV status (80% vs 50%, P < 0.0001). Overall, 31% of abnormal VIA screens occurred among women under 30 years between the two sites. Due to the cost of transporting CO2 tanks, cryotherapy was nearly twice as expensive on the island as compared to the mainland. SUMMARY: Although transfer of an entire pilot screen-and-treat program to Ukerewe Island is feasible and well-received, expenses associated with ferrying equipment may be prohibitive to long-term sustainability. Higher VIA positivity rates were observed on the island.

Regional differences in vision health: findings from Mwanza, Tanzania.

Background: Visual impairment in developing countries has both social and economic impact on individuals and communities. Understanding the subjective visual functioning of populations will allow for local policymakers to identify the need for optometric or ophthalmic services in their communities. Methods: The authors surveyed 644 adult patients in Mwanza, Tanzania at three clinics (Buzuruga, Mwananchi and Kisesa) using a modified Visual Functioning Questionnaire 25. Responses were categorized into General health, General vision, Ocular pain, Near activities, Distance activities, Social function, Mental health, Role difficulties, Color vision, Peripheral vision and Dependency. Results: Patients at Buzuruga reported the lowest scores on most subscales. Of 100 employed patients, 37% claimed to have at least some difficulty in performing job duties due to their eyesight. At Kisesa, 146 (246/221) patients (66.1%) had never had an eye exam, compared with 134/227 (59.0%) at Buzuruga and 69/173 (39.9%) at Mwananchi (p<0.01). Common reasons for not seeing an eye doctor were the perceived expense and lack of vision problems. Conclusions: Due to regional differences in visual functioning in Mwanza, a national effort for vision health cannot be entirely successful without addressing the individualized needs of local communities. Reducing the cost of vision care appointments may expand vision health care utilization in Mwanza.