Therapeutic geographies of cancer in conflict: cancer care in Iraq.

The disruption of health-care systems in conflict-affected regions creates transnational therapeutic geographies, forcing patients with cancer to navigate complex pathways for diagnosis and treatment. In the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, these geographies, shaped by displacement, sociopolitical barriers, and infrastructural collapse, remain underexplored in oncology research and policy. In this Review, we argue that understanding therapeutic geographies is crucial for addressing the challenges faced by conflict-affected populations.

Projected Prostate Cancer Incidence in the Middle East by 2050: Socioeconomic Disparities and Future Implications.

Purpose: Prostate cancer poses a significant public health challenge in the Middle East, with advanced-stage diagnoses and high mortality rates. However, projections regarding its future incidence are limited. The aims of this study were to estimate prostate cancer incidence in the region through 2050, to evaluate socioeconomic factors contributing to regional disparities, and to provide insights to inform future health care policies and resource allocation.

International Patterns of Practice for SABR for Early-Stage Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Are We All in Sync?

Purpose: To generate an understanding of the similarities and variations in international practice patterns for SABR in early-stage non-small cell lung cancer.

Methods And Materials: An online survey was conducted from October to December 2023, addressing general clinical and technical considerations for lung SABR, and for 5 specific anatomic non-small cell lung cancer locations (peripheral, abutting chest wall, near brachial plexus, central, and ultracentral). Invitations to participate were extended through email and were distributed on social media.

Prostate cancer screening in the Middle East and North Africa: a cross-sectional study on current practices.

Background: Prostate cancer is a substantial health concern in the Middle East and North Africa region, with many cases diagnosed at advanced stages, a high mortality to incidence ratio, and low prostate cancer awareness. This study aimed to evaluate prostate cancer screening practices in the region to inform effective early detection and management strategies.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted from July 1, 2023, to November 8, 2024, among physicians from 19 countries in the Middle East and North Africa region.

HealthCare Access Barrier (HCAB) framework for the barriers to cancer care during conflicts: perspective from Iraq.

The Iraqi population has lived under four decades of conflicts, warfare and political instability. The health consequences of the protracted conflict continue to persist. This work critically analyses Iraq's barriers to delivering and accessing cancer care during the conflicts that Iraq passed through from 1980 to 2017.

Peer Review in Radiation Oncology: Where Does the Middle East, North Africa, and Türkiye Region Stand?

Purpose: This study aims to assess the status of radiation oncology peer review procedures across the Middle East, North Africa, and Türkiye (MENAT) region.

Methods: A cross-sectional electronic survey was conducted among radiotherapy centers in the MENAT region in March 2024. It assessed peer review practices, departmental demographics, perceived importance of peer review, and potential barriers.

Prostate Cancer Awareness in the Middle East: A Cross-Sectional International Study.

Purpose: Prostate cancer has emerged as a significant public health challenge in the Middle East, characterized by rising incidence rates and a concerning mortality-to-incidence ratio. Yet, despite these alarming trends, data regarding prostate cancer awareness in the region remain limited. To address this critical knowledge gap, this study investigates prostate cancer awareness within the Middle East.

An Overview of Appropriate Medical Practice and Preparedness in Radiation Emergency Response.

Radiation emergencies involving high doses of nuclear radiation pose significant risks from exposure to ionizing radiation in various scenarios. These situations include transportation accidents involving radioactive materials, occupational exposure, nuclear detonations, dirty bombs, and nuclear power plant accidents. In addition to the immediate risks of acute radiation syndrome (ARS) and related diseases, long-term exposure can increase the risk of other health issues such as cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Stereotactic radiotherapy: An educational narrative review.

Stereotactic radiotherapy is a term collectively used to describe the radiation treatment techniques that allow for the delivery of highly precise ionizing radiation. It is usually a high dose per session in single or few fractions. This treatment approach has been in medical use for over six decades and has primarily evolved in the last two decades.

Perimesencephalic subarachnoid hemorrhage as a rare delayed complication of radiation therapy in a patient with parotid basaloid squamous cell carcinoma.

In this case report, we address a rare entity of parotid cancer: basaloid squamous cell carcinoma, which was surgically unresectable and had thus far only been treated with radiation therapy. Following twenty years of continuous remission, our patient presented with an acute perimesencephalic subarachnoid hemorrhage. The cause of the acute perimesencephalic subarachnoid hemorrhage was a delayed complication of radiation therapy.

Prostate cancer presentation and management in the Middle East.

Background: Although prostate cancer is a prevalent malignancy worldwide, its clinical presentation and management in the Middle East are not well-documented. This study aims to provide insights into the initial clinical presentation and management of prostate cancer in this region.

Methods: A retrospective review was conducted on seven institutional databases from six Middle Eastern countries, including Türkiye, Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, Bahrain, and Jordan, to identify patients diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2021.

Cancer Research in Vulnerable Populations: A Call for Collaboration and Sustainability From MENAT Countries.

Purpose: Cancer is a major burden across Middle East, North Africa, Türkiye (MENAT). Many MENAT countries experience multiple conflicts that compound vulnerabilities, but little research investigates the linkages between vulnerability and cancer research. This study examines the current level and the potential for cancer research among vulnerable populations in the MENAT region, aiming to provide direction toward developing a research agenda on the region's vulnerable populations.

Burden of prostate cancer in the Middle East: A comparative analysis based on global cancer observatory data.

Background: Prostate cancer represents a significant global health issue, yet our understanding of its impact in the Middle East remains limited. This study aimed to assess the incidence and mortality of prostate cancer in the Middle East, and compare these rates to those in Europe and North America.

Materials And Methods: We utilized the 2020 Global Cancer Observatory data, compiling incidence and mortality rates of prostate cancer in 20 Middle Eastern countries.

Redefining Cancer Research Priorities in Low- and Middle-Income Countries in the Post-COVID-19 Global Context: A Modified Delphi Consensus Process.

Purpose: The post-COVID-19 funding landscape for cancer research globally has become increasingly challenging, particularly in resource-challenged regions (RCRs) lacking strong research ecosystems. We aimed to produce a list of priority areas for cancer research in countries with limited resources, informed by researchers and patients.

Methods: Cancer experts in lower-resource health care systems (as defined by the World Bank as low- and middle-income countries; N = 151) were contacted to participate in a modified consensus-seeking Delphi survey, comprising two rounds.

68Ga-DOTA-peptide PET/CT for radiotherapy planning and evaluating treatment response in the management of meningiomas.

Meningiomas overexpress somatostatin receptors (SSTR). PET imaging with SSTR ligands such as 68Ga-DOTA-peptide has recently shown high diagnostic accuracy in identification of meningiomas due to lack of normal bone and brain activity. PET-derived parameters, especially gross tumour volume (GTV) delineation improves inter-observer variability and appears to be particularly promising for RT planning.

War and oncology: cancer care in five Iraqi provinces impacted by the ISIL conflict.

War and cancer have been intertwined in Iraq for over three decades, a country where the legacies and ongoing impacts of conflict have been commonly associated with both increased cancer rates as well as the deterioration of cancer care. Most recently, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) violently occupied large portions of the country's central and northern provinces between 2014 and 2017, causing devastating impacts on public cancer centers across central and northern Iraq. Focusing on the five Iraqi provinces previously under full or partial ISIL occupation, this article examines the immediate and long-term impacts of war on cancer care across three periods (before, during, and after the ISIL conflict).

Is Using Closed Incision Negative Pressure Therapy in Reconstructive and Oncoplastic Breast Surgery Helpful in Reducing Skin Necrosis?

Introduction Skin necrosis is a major concern of morbidity in patients undergoing reconstructive and oncoplastic breast surgery (ROBS) as it may lead to a poor aesthetic outcome, necessitate further surgery, and delay adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy if required postoperatively. Some studies have reported that closed incision negative pressure therapy (ciNPT) immediately after surgery can reduce the incidence of wound complications. Our study aimed to investigate the effect of ciNPT on skin necrosis rate after ROBS.

Retraction: Treatment of Trigeminal Neuralgia With Stereotactic Radiosurgery Improved Symptoms of Morbihan Syndrome.

[This retracts the article DOI: 10.7759/cureus.20774.

Evaluating Pain Management Practices for Cancer Patients among Health Professionals: A Global Survey.

Cancer incidence in the world is predicted to increase in the next decade. While progress has been in diagnosis and treatment, much still remains to be done to improve cancer pain therapy, mainly in underserved communities in low-income countries. To determine knowledge, beliefs, and barriers regarding pain management in both high- and low-income countries (according to the WHO classification); and to learn about ways to improve the current state of affairs.

Cancer Burden Among Arab World Males in 2020: The Need for a Better Approach to Improve Outcome.

Purpose: Cancer is a leading cause of increased morbidity and mortality worldwide. This work aims to study the Arab world males' cancers (AMCs) and the similarities and disparities with the world males' cancers (WMCs) from different burden points of view.

Materials And Methods: A descriptive review of the 2020 Global Cancer Observatory revealed AMCs compared with the 2020 WMCs and the 2018 AMCs.