ABSTRACT
Covid-19 pandemic detection is the key to health safety and coronavirus prevention. Due to the complex changes in CT scan treatment, it is difficult to identify the Covid-19 in the lung image. According to the latest clinical research, an automated fast framework is still required to resolve error prone problem from the pandemic assessment and Covid19 patients screening during this critical control period. Computer aided methods can be very useful in this regard. They are suitable to estimate the infected lung boundary based on elliptical Hough transform with reduced time processing. In this paper, we propose to use a computerized approach to show that the deep neural network (DNN) is a distinctive method to classify Covid-19 pandemic. Experimental results on various lung CT scan images of different Covid-19 patients, demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed methodology when compared to the manual scoring of pathological experts. According to the performance evaluation, we recorded more than 92% for accuracy of infection detected in ROI scoring over the truths provided by experienced radiologists. Comparative automatic studies are performed to demonstrate the suitability of the proposed technique over other advanced techniques from the literature.
ABSTRACT
Background: COVID-19 pandemic deeply affected cancer patient management, increasing the burden on their caregivers (CG), who are already overwhelmed. We aimed to identify COVID-19-related challenges and the overload burden experienced by CGs. Methods: Between March and May 2020, 40 CG designated by cancer patients were phone interviewed based on a questionnaire. CGs were requested to enumerate regular and new tasks they have been performing for the care recipient and report caregiving-related challenges faced during the COVID-19 outbreak, coping strategies and unmet needs. Results: CGs were mainly women (67%). Median age was 42 years. they were the spouses in 30% of cases, children in 58% and siblings in 12%. CG lived with the patients in 57% and 18% moved-in with the care recipient during the lockdown. The 25% CG smokers reported an increase in the daily number of cigarettes. All CGs reported strict adhesion to safety precautions;63% stockpiled food and medical supplies due to panicking. They reported difficulties in obtaining cancer and non-cancer related drugs in 30% of cases. Transportation to and from the hospital was more difficult in 30% of cases, affecting significantly chemo-sessions attendance (p=0.001). 52% of CGs believed that cancer was more serious than COVID-19 and 45% thought that both were equally serious. 13% decided to miss chemotherapy sessions fearing contagion. CGs were deeply worried that their care recipient might get worse in 92% of cases, 55% feared they might be denied intensive care if they caught the virus because of cancer. Additional financial burden was caused by expenses to buy sanitizer gel and face masks in 77% and transportation in 23%. Increased anxiety was reported in 82% of CGs, 58% had sleep disorders, 7% took sleeping pills. 97% of CGs were satisfied with new screening measures in our medical oncology department while 15% faced communication problems with health workers. Reported unmet needs were: 23 % transportation difficulties, 3% lack of financial support, 18% lack of cancer-related information, 40% lack of psychological support. Conclusions: CGs seemed suffering from an additional burden due to COVID-19 spread logistically, financially, physically and emotionally highlighting the lack of planned strategies in such unprecedented situation. Legal entity responsible for the study: Abderrahman Mami Hospital. Funding: Has not received any funding. Disclosure: All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.
ABSTRACT
Background: COVID-19 pandemic presented serious challenge to oncology care due to the associated risks form infection and from disruption of care delivery. Therefore, many professional societies published recommendations to help manage cancer care during the crisis. The objective of our study was to assess the national responses of MENA countries in terms of publishing relevant guidelines and analyse various components of these guidelines. Methods: A survey based on literature review regarding cancer care adaptation was developed then completed by senior oncologists representing the following countries: Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, UAE and Yemen. The survey queried about instructions of the national recommendations regarding (1) general measures of COVID-19 prevention in oncology, (2) cancer care adaptations during the pandemic. Results: Analysis of the guidelines revealed 31 essential recommendations categorized into seven essential components with specific recommendations for each component. These components are patients’ management, health care workers (HCW) management, facility management, testing for COVID-19, measures to reduce hospital visits, measures to reduce complications, and site-specific recommendations. The table showed compliance of these guidelines with having the required components and relevant recommendations. [Formula presented] Conclusions: There is inconsistency in the components of the guidelines across the region, which may reflect the evolving nature of the pandemic and lack of clear evidence for many issues in question. There is a need from clear framework on essential components to be included in the guidelines to assure providing the best guidance to the oncology community. Editorial acknowledgement: On behalf of the International Research Network on COVID-19 Impact on Cancer Care (IRN-CICC). Legal entity responsible for the study: The authors. Funding: Has not received any funding. Disclosure: M.A.M.A. AlNassar: Research grant/Funding (institution): Roche. A. Jazieh: Research grant/Funding (institution): MSD. All other authors have declared no conflicts of interest.