Enhancing Patient Outcomes Through Integrated Education and Navigation Programs at the Breast Cancer Comprehensive Center, National Cancer Institute, Cairo University.

Breast cancer remains a significant global health challenge, particularly in low- and middle-income countries where disparities in healthcare exacerbate the disease burden. The Breast Cancer Comprehensive Center at the National Cancer Institute, Cairo University, has implemented integrated patient navigation and education programs aimed at enhancing patient outcomes and healthcare quality. This study evaluated the effectiveness of these programs involving 2202 participants over 12 months. The methodology included systematic data collection, material preparation, and the application of tailored educational strategies to facilitate the patient's journey from diagnosis to treatment. The study utilized three-phased patient navigation assistance to provide comprehensive support. The programs significantly improved patient satisfaction, with over 90% of participants reporting high levels of contentment with the services received. Key improvements included enhanced understanding of breast cancer (including risk factors, symptoms, importance of seeking early care, and treatment options), reduction in patient anxiety, improved treatment adherence, and streamlined diagnostic and treatment processes. Notably, the use of audio-visual educational tools effectively bridged the literacy gap among patients. The integration of patient navigation and education systems at BCCC-NCI has proven to be a highly effective model for improving breast cancer care. This model not only enhances patient understanding and treatment compliance but also facilitates a more efficient healthcare process. The study underscores the potential for replicating this approach in similar healthcare settings globally, suggesting that such integrations can significantly improve cancer care outcomes.

Burnout in oncology: Magnitude, risk factors and screening among professionals from Middle East and North Africa (BOMENA study).

BACKGROUND: Burnout (BO) among oncology professionals (OP) is increasingly being recognized. Early recognition and intervention can positively affect the quality of care and patient safety. This study investigated the prevalence, work and lifestyle factors affecting BO among OPs in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). METHODS: An online survey was conducted among MENA OPs between 10 February and 15 March 2020, using the validated Maslach Burnout Inventory of emotional exhaustion (EE), depersonalization (DP) and personal accomplishment (PA), including questions regarding demography/work-related factors and attitudes towards oncology. Data were analysed to measure BO prevalence and risk factors and explore a screening question for BO. RESULTS: Of 1054 respondents, 1017 participants (64% medical oncologists, 77% aged less than 45 years, 55% female, 74% married, 67% with children and 40% practiced a hobby) were eligible. The BO prevalence was 68% with high levels of EE and DP (35% and 57% of participants, respectively) and low PA scores (49%). BO was significantly associated with age less than 44 years, administrative work greater than 25% per day and the thought of quitting oncology (TQ). Practising a hobby, enjoying oncology communication and appreciating oncology work-life balance were associated with a reduced BO score and prevalence. North African countries reported the highest BO prevalence. Lack of BO education/support was identified among 72% of participants and TQ-predicted burnout in 77%. CONCLUSIONS: This is the largest BO study in MENA. The BO prevalence was high and several modifiable risk factors were identified, requiring urgent action. TQ is a simple and reliable screening tool for BO.

Quality of life and patient-reported outcomes in endometrial cancer clinical trials: a call for action!

BACKGROUND: There is increasing recognition that quality of life (QoL) and patient-reported outcomes (PROs) are of fundamental importance and particularly relevant given the relatively high likelihood of long-term survival in most women with endometrial cancer (EC). However, there has been relatively little research focused on this topic. Our objective was to analyze our current knowledge and identify research questions to be included in the design of next clinical trials. METHODS: Analyze and critically assess reported clinical trials in EC that have included QoL and PROs as primary or secondary end points. RESULTS: Surgery has a significant impact on physical and functional domains of QoL particularly in the first 6 months after diagnosis. Minimally invasive surgery is associated with less acute morbidity than open procedures and this persists over time. Lymphadenectomy is associated with increased incidence of lymphedema, important late effect. Adjuvant external irradiation may cause gastrointestinal and genitourinary symptoms that impact on physical functioning and which can persist over time. In contrast, vaginal brachytherapy has less toxicity and fewer late effects than external irradiation. The impact of treatment on sexuality has been poorly evaluated in EC survivors. There are few published data on QoL and PROs in patients treated with chemotherapy and the long-term impact has not been addressed. There is no evidence that palliative chemotherapy reduces symptoms and improves QoL. There are very few longitudinal studies on survivorship that is an important concern in EC survivors. CONCLUSIONS: Although there have been some studies addressing QoL and PROs in EC, we have identified deficiencies and gaps in our knowledge. Careful consideration of QoL and PROs end points and how to include them in clinical trials will result in a better appreciation of how treatments can impact on patients QoL and lead to conduct interventions to reduce late effects.

Quality of life research in endometrial cancer: what is needed to advance progress in this disease site? Methodological considerations from the Gynecologic Cancer InterGroup Symptom Benefit Working Group brainstorming session, Leiden 2012.

BACKGROUND: Quality of life (QoL) in endometrial cancer (EC) is understudied. Incorporation of QoL questionnaires and patient-reported outcomes in clinical trials has been inconsistent, and the tools and interpretation of these measures are unfamiliar to most practitioners. In 2012, the Gynecologic Cancer InterGroup Symptom Benefit Working Group convened for a brainstorming collaborative session to address deficiencies and work toward improving the quality and quantity of QoL research in women with EC. METHODS: Through literature review and international expert contributions, we compiled a comprehensive appraisal of current generic and disease site-specific QoL assessment tools, strengths and weaknesses of these measures, assessment of sexual health, statistical considerations, and an exploration of the unique array of histopathologic and clinical factors that may influence QoL outcomes in women with EC. RESULTS: This collaborative composition is the first publication specific to EC that addresses methodology in QoL research and the components necessary to achieve high quality QoL data in clinical trials. Future recommendations regarding (1) the incorporation of patient-reported outcomes in all clinical trials in EC, (2) definition of an a priori hypothesis, (3) utilization of validated tools and consideration of new tools corresponding to new therapies or specific symptoms, (4) publication within the same time frame as clinical outcome data, and (5) attempt to correct for disease site-specific potential confounders are presented. CONCLUSIONS: Improved understanding of methodology in QoL research and an increased undertaking of EC-specific QoL research in clinical trials are imperative if we are to improve outcomes in women with EC.

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Burnout Among Female Oncologists From the Middle East and North Africa.

Background: Burnout (BO) is a recognized challenge among the oncology workforce. It affects both genders with a higher frequency among women. This study examined the factors contributing to the development of burnout among female oncologists from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Methods: An online cross-sectional survey was distributed to oncology professionals from different countries in the MENA region. The validated Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) of emotional exhaustion (EE), Depersonalization (DE), and Personal Achievement (PA) plus questions about demography/work-related factors and attitudes toward oncology were included. Data were analyzed to measure BO prevalence and related factors. Results: Between 10 February and 15 March 2020, 545 responses were submitted by female oncologists. The responses pre-dated the COVID-19 pandemic emergence in the region. BO prevalence was 71% among female professionals. Women aged <44 years represented 85% of the cohort. Sixty-two percent were married, 52% with children and one-third practiced a hobby. Two-thirds worked in medical oncology, worked for <10 years and 35% worked in academia. The majority (73%) spent >25% on administrative work daily. Nearly half of the respondents (49%) expressed a recurring thought of quitting oncology and 70% had no burnout support or education. Inability to deliver optimal care was reported as distressing for career development in 82%. Factors significantly influencing the BO risk were identified. Marital status, having children, academia and years in practice did not impact the risk of BO among female oncologists from MENA. Conclusion: Female oncologists from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) were found to have a high prevalence of BO. In this cohort, the majority of women oncology workers were young and in their early to mid-career stages. Burnout was linked to being younger, practicing in North African nations, having a heavy administrative load, and having persistent thoughts of quitting. Practicing a hobby and engaging in oncology communication, on the other hand, reduced the chance of BO. Burnout support and education, specifically for oncology women, is required.

Resource Oriented Decision Making for Treatment of Metastatic Colorectal Cancer (mCRC) in a Lower-Middle Income Country: Egyptian Foundation of Medical Sciences (EFMS) Consensus Recommendations 2020.

PURPOSE: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer worldwide and the second cause of cancer related mortality. Treatment options for patients with metastatic CRC (mCRC) expanded during the last two decades, with introduction of new chemotherapeutic and targeted agents. Egypt is a lower middle-income country; Egyptian health care system is fragmented with wide diversity in drug availability and reimbursement policies across different health care providing facilities. We report the results of consensus recommendations for treatment of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer developed by Egyptian Foundation of Medical Sciences (EFMS), aiming to harmonize clinical practice through structured expert consensus-based recommendations consistent with the national status. EFMS recommendations could be utilized in other countries with similar economic status. METHODS: EFMS recommendations were developed using a modified Delphi process, with three rounds of voting till the final recommendations were approved. A non-systematic review of literature was conducted before generating the provisional statements. Content experts were asked to vote on some recommendations in two different resource groups (restricted resources and non-restricted resources). External review board of experts from a low income and lower-middle countries voted on the applicability of EFMS recommendations in their countries. RESULTS: The current recommendations highlighted the discrepancy in health care between restricted and non-restricted resources with expected survival loss and quality of life deterioration. Access to targeted agents in first line is very limited in governmental institutions, and no access to agents approved for third line in patients who failed oxaliplatin and irinotecan containing regimens for patients treated in restricted resource settings. CONCLUSION: Management of mCRC in developing countries is a challenge. The currently available resource-stratified guidelines developed by international cancer societies represent a valuable decision-making tool, adaptation to national status in each country based on healthcare system status is required.

The tale of TILs in breast cancer: A report from The International Immuno-Oncology Biomarker Working Group.

The advent of immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) in modern oncology has significantly improved survival in several cancer settings. A subgroup of women with breast cancer (BC) has immunogenic infiltration of lymphocytes with expression of programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1). These patients may potentially benefit from ICI targeting the programmed death 1 (PD-1)/PD-L1 signaling axis. The use of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) as predictive and prognostic biomarkers has been under intense examination. Emerging data suggest that TILs are associated with response to both cytotoxic treatments and immunotherapy, particularly for patients with triple-negative BC. In this review from The International Immuno-Oncology Biomarker Working Group, we discuss (a) the biological understanding of TILs, (b) their analytical and clinical validity and efforts toward the clinical utility in BC, and (c) the current status of PD-L1 and TIL testing across different continents, including experiences from low-to-middle-income countries, incorporating also the view of a patient advocate. This information will help set the stage for future approaches to optimize the understanding and clinical utilization of TIL analysis in patients with BC.

Publisher Correction: Management of Low and Intermediate Risk Adult Rhabdomyosarcoma: A Pooled Survival Analysis of 553 Patients.

A correction to this article has been published and is linked from the HTML and PDF versions of this paper. The error has been fixed in the paper.

Management of Low and Intermediate Risk Adult Rhabdomyosarcoma: A Pooled Survival Analysis of 553 Patients.

This is the second-largest retrospective analysis addressing the controversy of whether adult rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) should be treated with chemotherapy regimens adopted from pediatric RMS protocols or adult soft-tissue sarcoma protocols. A comprehensive database search identified 553 adults with primary non-metastatic RMS. Increasing age, intermediate-risk disease, no chemotherapy use, anthacycline-based and poor chemotherapy response were significant predictors of poor overall and progression-free survival. In contrast, combined cyclophosphamide-based, cyclophosphamide + anthracycline-based, or cyclophosphamide + ifosfamide + anthracycline-based regimens significantly improved outcomes. Intermediate-risk disease was a significant predictor of poor chemotherapy response. Overall survival of clinical group-III patients was significantly improved if they underwent delayed complete resection. Non-parameningeal clinical group-I patients had the best local control, which was not affected by additional adjuvant radiotherapy. This study highlights the superiority of chemotherapy regimens -adapted from pediatric protocols- compared to anthracycline-based regimens. There is lack of data to support the routine use of adjuvant radiotherapy for non-parameningeal group-I patients. Nonetheless, intensive local therapy should be always considered for those at high risk for local recurrence, including intermediate-risk disease, advanced IRS stage, large tumors or narrow surgical margins. Although practically difficult (due to tumor's rarity), there is a pressing need for high quality randomized controlled trials to provide further guidance.

Short Androgen Suppression and Radiation Dose Escalation for Intermediate- and High-Risk Localized Prostate Cancer: Results of EORTC Trial 22991.

PURPOSE: Up to 30% of patients who undergo radiation for intermediate- or high-risk localized prostate cancer relapse biochemically within 5 years. We assessed if biochemical disease-free survival (DFS) is improved by adding 6 months of androgen suppression (AS; two injections of every-3-months depot of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone agonist) to primary radiotherapy (RT) for intermediate- or high-risk localized prostate cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 819 patients staged: (1) cT1b-c, with prostate-specific antigen (PSA) ≥ 10 ng/mL or Gleason ≥ 7, or (2) cT2a (International Union Against Cancer TNM 1997), with no involvement of pelvic lymph nodes and no clinical evidence of metastatic spread, with PSA ≤ 50 ng/mL, were centrally randomized 1:1 to either RT or RT plus AS started on day 1 of RT. Centers opted for one dose (70, 74, or 78 Gy). Biochemical DFS, the primary end point, was defined from entry until PSA relapse (Phoenix criteria) and clinical relapse by imaging or death of any cause. The trial had 80% power to detect hazard ratio (HR), 0.714 by intent-to-treat analysis stratified by dose of RT at the two-sided α = 5%. RESULTS: The median patient age was 70 years. Among patients, 74.8% were intermediate risk and 24.8% were high risk. In the RT arm, 407 of 409 patients received RT; in the RT plus AS arm, 403 patients received RT plus AS and three patients received RT only. At 7.2 years median follow-up, RT plus AS significantly improved biochemical DFS (HR, 0.52; 95% CI, 0.41 to 0.66; P < .001, with 319 events), as well as clinical progression-free survival (205 events, HR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.48 to 0.84; P = .001). In exploratory analysis, no statistically significant interaction between treatment effect and dose of RT could be evidenced (heterogeneity P = .79 and P = .66, for biochemical DFS and progression-free survival, respectively). Overall survival data are not mature yet. CONCLUSION: Six months of concomitant and adjuvant AS improves biochemical and clinical DFS of intermediate- and high-risk cT1b-c to cT2a (with no involvement of pelvic lymph nodes and no clinical evidence of metastatic spread) prostatic carcinoma, treated by radiation.

Medical Student Research: An Integrated Mixed-Methods Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

IMPORTANCE: Despite the rapidly declining number of physician-investigators, there is no consistent structure within medical education so far for involving medical students in research. OBJECTIVE: To conduct an integrated mixed-methods systematic review and meta-analysis of published studies about medical students' participation in research, and to evaluate the evidence in order to guide policy decision-making regarding this issue. EVIDENCE REVIEW: We followed the PRISMA statement guidelines during the preparation of this review and meta-analysis. We searched various databases as well as the bibliographies of the included studies between March 2012 and September 2013. We identified all relevant quantitative and qualitative studies assessing the effect of medical student participation in research, without restrictions regarding study design or publication date. Prespecified outcome-specific quality criteria were used to judge the admission of each quantitative outcome into the meta-analysis. Initial screening of titles and abstracts resulted in the retrieval of 256 articles for full-text assessment. Eventually, 79 articles were included in our study, including eight qualitative studies. An integrated approach was used to combine quantitative and qualitative studies into a single synthesis. Once all included studies were identified, a data-driven thematic analysis was performed. FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS: Medical student participation in research is associated with improved short- and long- term scientific productivity, more informed career choices and improved knowledge about-, interest in- and attitudes towards research. Financial worries, gender, having a higher degree (MSc or PhD) before matriculation and perceived competitiveness of the residency of choice are among the factors that affect the engagement of medical students in research and/or their scientific productivity. Intercalated BSc degrees, mandatory graduation theses and curricular research components may help in standardizing research education during medical school.

New challenge of developing combined radio-drug therapy.

Combined modality treatment can be used to improve control of the local disease at the expense of increased toxicity. Several randomized trials have demonstrated that this combined modality therapy is better than radiotherapy alone or chemotherapy alone in the treatment of locally advanced diseases. Several new targets as well as potential new radio-sensitizers have been identified. To speed-up the process of developing new combined modality treatments, good preclinical models for optimization of the ratio between efficacy and toxicity and a well established methodology within a network of advanced high-tech laboratories and clinical departments devoted to early phase trials, are mandatory. The Synergy of Targeted Agents and Radiation Therapy (STAR) platform of the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) is gathering these tools.

International clinical trials setting for rare cancers: organisational and regulatory constraints-the EORTC perspective.

Rare diseases are a serious public health problem that presents unique challenges to many countries. There is no internationally accepted definition for rare diseases. Patients suffering from rare cancers often face challenges, including late or incorrect diagnoses, difficulties finding clinical expertise and accessing appropriate treatments, and uncertainty in clinical decision making, with difficult and rare access for these patients to clinical trials. Treatment choice is difficult as little information is available in the literature. In such situations, clinicians will base treatment decisions on retrospective data or case report series with a lower scientific level of evidence than that obtained from randomised controlled clinical trials. The only way forward is clinical trials organisation, but to perform it within rare indications we are always faced with many methodological, regulatory, and organisational challenges, besides stakeholders' different views, which are not usually concurrent. The aims of the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) are to develop, conduct, coordinate, and stimulate translational and clinical research in Europe to improve the management of cancer and related problems by increasing survival but also patient quality of life. In particular, extensive and comprehensive research in the field of rare cancers is beyond the means of individual European hospitals and can be best accomplished through the multidisciplinary multinational efforts of basic scientists and clinicians. In this paper, we will present an overview of the clinical research scene for rare cancers and will try to propose possible steps to improve the current situation.