Conflict of Interest Disclosure in Oncology: Preliminary Insights From the Global ONCOTRUST-1 Cross-Sectional Study.

PURPOSE: Conflicts of interest (COIs) between oncologists and industry might considerably influence how the presentation of the research results is delivered, ultimately affecting clinical decisions and policy-making. Although there are many regulations on reporting COI in high-income countries (HICs), little is known about their reporting in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Oncology Transparency Under Scrutiny and Tracking (ONCOTRUST-1) is a pilot global survey to explore the knowledge and perceptions of oncologists regarding COI. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We designed an online 27-question-based survey in the English language to explore the perceptions and knowledge of oncologists regarding COI, with an emphasis on LMICs. Descriptive statistics and the Consensus-Based Checklist for Reporting of Survey Studies guidelines were used to report the findings. RESULTS: ONCOTRUST-1 surveyed 200 oncologists, 70.9% of them practicing in LMICs. Median age of the respondents was 36 (range, 26-84) years; 47.5% of them were women. Of the respondents, 40.5% reported weekly visits by pharmaceutical representatives to their institutions. Regarding oncologists' perceptions of COI that require disclosure, direct financial benefits, such as honoraria, ranked highest (58.5%), followed by gifts from pharmaceutical representatives (50%) and travel grants for attending conferences (44.5%). By contrast, personal or institutional research funding, sample drugs, consulting or advisory board, expert testimony, and food and beverage funded by pharmaceutical industry were less frequently considered as COI. Moreover, only 24% of surveyed oncologists could correctly categorize all situations representing a COI. CONCLUSION: These findings underscore the importance of clear guidelines, education, and transparency in reporting COI in oncology. This hypothesis-generating pilot survey provided the rationale for ONCOTRUST-2 study, which will compare perceptions of COI among oncologists in LMICs and HICs.

Unraveling the Mystery of Desmoid Tumors: Insights From a Moroccan Tertiary Center.

Desmoid tumors (DTs) are rare, aggressive malignancies developing from clonal fibroblastic proliferation originating from soft tissues. Despite their low metastatic potential, their invasiveness towards neighboring organs and a high recurrence rate contribute significantly to morbidity and mortality, thereby impacting the quality of life of patients. Several therapeutic options are available, but standardized protocols are lacking. In this study, we reviewed 14 cases of DT retrospectively over a period of 15 years, from September 2008 to December 2023. The most prevalent tumor locations were in the extremities, and the majority of patients were female. We identified risk factors in two patients, those being surgical trauma and familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP). Half of the patients underwent surgery for DT, and two received salvage radiotherapy. Systemic therapy was used in the first and second lines and comprised of chemotherapy, endocrine therapy, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAI). Active surveillance was proposed in three patients. This is the first retrospective study to assess the characteristics of DT in Moroccan patients in a tertiary care setting. It aims to shed light on the challenges faced in treating these rare tumors in the context of a lack of therapeutic standardization.

Frequency and types of EGFR mutations in Moroccan patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: Mutations in the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene are commonly observed in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), particularly in adenocarcinoma histology. The frequency of EGFR mutations is ethnicity-dependent, with a higher proportion reported in Asian populations than Caucasian populations. There is a lack of data on these mutations in north Africa. METHODS: Tumor specimens from Moroccan patients with NSCLC were collected from five pathology laboratories between November 2010 and December 2017 to determine frequency and types of EGFR mutations. Tumors were tested in a reference center for EGFR by polymerase chain reaction and sequencing of exons 18, 19, 20, and 21. RESULTS: A total of 334 patients were enrolled: 242 (72.5%) males and 92 females (27.5%). A total of 56.9% had a history of smoking. EGFR testing of the 334 lung adenocarcinoma samples demonstrated a wild-type EGFR in 261 (78.1%) and mutated EGFR in 73 (21.9%). Mutations were mainly detected in the exon 19 deletion (65.8%), followed by exon 21 L858 (17.8%) and other exon 21 codon mutations (5.5%) and exon 18 (6.8%), whereas primary mutations of exon 20 were less frequent (4.1%). In patients with advanced NSCLC, the detection of EGFR mutation was independently associated with sex (41.3% female vs 14.5% male; p < 0.001) and smoking status (34.8% nonsmokers vs 12.9% active smokers; p < 0.001). The mean age was significantly different between the two groups (p = 0.041). CONCLUSION: Our findings confirm the genetic heterogeneity of NSCLC worldwide, reporting frequency of EGFR mutations in Moroccan patients with NSCLC between those of Asian and Caucasian populations.