Virtual educational meetings and activities during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond: Egyptian oncologists' experience.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had ramifications for most healthcare activities, including medical education and communication aspects. Virtual educational meetings and activities (VEMAs) have been utilised tremendously in the pandemic era, reflecting a transition to new horizons of cyberspace. This creates the need to explore possible challenges for the implementation of such services in the rapidly evolving field of oncology. The aim of our study is to explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on VEMAs in the oncology community in Egypt. It focused on the evaluation of current attitudes, satisfaction and expectations of Egyptian oncologists during and beyond the COVID-19 era. The study is a cross-sectional study using a survey that was distributed through social media. It targeted Egyptian oncologists during the months of May and June 2020. A total of 118 participants completed the survey and most of them were younger than 35 years (71%). Most participants (93.2%) agreed that COVID-19 affected the stream of live medical educational meetings. About three-quarters of them attended VEMAs during the COVID-19 period compared to 50% prior to the pandemic. The majority reported that evening hours after 8 PM was the best time to attend VEMAs and 1 hour is the optimal duration for a virtual meeting. Although the COVID-19 pandemic appeared as an unprecedented challenge for medical education, it can be a catalyst for VEMAs, especially in a rapidly evolving field such as oncology. Further research is needed to assess whether learners are ready and willing to make greater use of online educational platforms and investigate the possible barriers and strategies to enhance their use.

The radiotherapy utilization rate in pediatric tumors: An analysis of 13,305 patients.

PURPOSE: Although the radiotherapy utilization rate (RUR) is determined for most adult cancers, it is seldom reported in childhood tumors, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) where the majority of pediatric cancer patients reside. This study aims to investigate the real-life RUR for pediatric tumors in a large LMIC center. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The electronic files of patients treated at a single institution during 2010-2017 were reviewed and the RUR was defined as the percentage of patients who received at least one radiotherapy (RT) course from the total number of patients. RESULTS: A total of 4390 out of 13,305 pediatric cancer patients received at least one RT course with a RUR of 33%. The curative, salvage, and palliative RURs were 27.8%, 2%, and 5.7%, respectively. There was a considerable variation in the RUR between various tumors, ranging from 0% in choroid plexus papilloma and other rare tumors to 100% in intracranial germinoma. Moreover, the RUR varied among different stages within each tumor type. Overall, 753 patients received 920 palliative RT courses (range 1-9) at a median dose of 30 Gy. The most commonly irradiated metastatic sites were the bone (34%) and the brain (9.8%). CONCLUSION: This is the first analysis to provide valuable insights into the RUR for childhood tumors. Together with population-based pediatric cancer registries, this will help decipher pediatric RT needs and deficits. Additionally, the underutilization of palliative RT calls for multidisciplinary palliative care provision for pediatric cancer patients.

Survival after primary and deferred cystectomy for stage T1 transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder.

CONTEXT: The optimal time of cystectomy for nonmuscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) is controversial. AIM: This study aims at comparing cancer-specific survival in primary versus deferred cystectomy for T1 bladder cancer. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: Between 1990 and 2004, a retrospective cohort of 204 patients was studied. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Primary cystectomy at the diagnosis of NMIBC was performed in 134 patients (group 1) and deferred cystectomy was done after failed conservative treatment in 70 (group 2) Both groups were compared regarding patient and tumor characteristics and cancer-specific survival. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Cancer-specific survival was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: Mean follow-up was 79 and 66 months, respectively, in the two groups. Tumor multiplicity was more frequent in group 2; otherwise, both groups were comparable in all characteristics. The definitive stage was T1 in all patients. Although the 3-year (84% in group 1 vs. 79% in group 2), 5-year (78% vs. 71%) and 10-year (69% vs. 64%) cancer-specific survival rates were lower in the deferred cystectomy group, the difference was not statistically significant. In group 2, survival was significantly lower in cases undergoing more than three transurethral resections of bladder tumors (TURBT) than in cases with fewer TURBTs. CONCLUSIONS: Cancer-specific survival is statistically comparable for primary and deferred cystectomy in T1 bladder cancer, although there is a non-significant difference in favor of primary cystectomy. In the deferred cystectomy group, the number of TURBTs beyond three is associated with lower survival. Conservative treatment should be adopted for most cases in this category.

Continent cutaneous ileal pouch using the serous lined extramural valves. The Mansoura experience in more than 100 patients.

PURPOSE: We report on the functional results of continent ileal reservoir using serous lined extramural valves for reflux prevention and continent urinary outlet. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The procedure was performed in 109 patients (68 men, 27 women and 14 children). The operation was indicated as a primary procedure in 93 patients and for conversion in 16. The technique entailed construction of a detubularized W-shaped ileal reservoir in which 2 serous lined troughs were created. Two tapered ileal segments were used, 1 for reflux prevention and the other as a continent outlet. The appendix was used for the construction of the outlet in 44 patients. RESULTS: Two patients died in the hospital of pulmonary embolism. A total of 22 early complications were observed in 18 patients (16.5%). None of the patients required operative intervention. A total of 93 patients were evaluable with a mean followup of 36.6 +/- 25.4 months. All evaluable patients but 5 were continent day and night. Mean time for catheterization was 4 to 5 hours. There were 14 late complications reported in 11 patients (11.8%), including pouch stones in 5, stomal stenosis in 5, failure to catheterize in 2, parastomal hernia in 1 and adhesive bowel obstruction in 1. Upper urinary tract was stable or improved in 94.8% of the renal units. Clinical acidosis did not develop in any of the patients. CONCLUSIONS: Serous lined unidirectional valves are reliable. They provide a versatile surgical technique suitable for urinary diversion or conversion procedures. The operation is associated with an acceptable complication rate and is followed by good functional results.