COVID-19-Related Treatment Cancellations and Oncology Patients' Psychological Health in Nigeria.

To explore the association between COVID-19-related cancer treatment cancellations and the psychological health of cancer patients in Nigeria. We analyzed data collected from 15 outpatient cancer clinics, comprising 1,097 patients between April to July 2020. Study outcome was ten psychological impacts, including feeling down, stressed, and unable to access treatment due to COVID-19 (used as continuous and categorical variable (0-3,4-7,8+ events).

Global Equity in Clinical Trials: An ASCO Policy Statement.

ASCO is a global professional society representing more than 50,000 physicians, other health care professionals, and advocates in over 100 countries specializing in cancer treatment, diagnosis, prevention, and advocacy. ASCO strives, through research, education, and promotion of the highest quality of patient care, to create a world where cancer is prevented or cured, and every survivor is healthy. In this pursuit, health equity remains the guiding institutional principle that applies to all its activities across the cancer care continuum.

Emerging Use of Public-Private Partnerships in Public Radiotherapy Facilities in Nigeria.

Purpose: Radiotherapy (RT) treatment at public hospitals in Nigeria is often interrupted by prolonged periods of machine breakdown because of insufficient funds for maintenance and repair. These delays have prompted the uptake of public-private partnerships (PPPs) to acquire and maintain RT equipment. This study aimed to understand Nigeria's current RT capacity and the impact of PPPs on RT availability and cost.

Implementing oncology clinical trials in Nigeria: a model for capacity building.

Background: There is both higher mortality and morbidity from cancer in low and medium income countries (LMICs) compared with high income countries (HICs). Clinical trial activities and development of more effective and less toxic therapies have led to significant improvements in morbidity and mortality from cancer in HICs. Unfortunately, clinical trials remain low in LMICs due to poor infrastructure and paucity of experienced personnel to execute clinical trials.

ARETTA: Assessing Response to Neoadjuvant Taxotere and Subcutaneous Trastuzumab in Nigerian Women With HER2-Positive Breast Cancer: A Study Protocol.

Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) subtype of breast cancer is aggressive, leading to a poor outcome. Targeted therapy with trastuzumab has been shown to be effective in the treatment of HER2-positive breast cancer. Cardiotoxicity is a specific adverse effect associated with trastuzumab.

Propensity score analysis of the prognostic value of genomic assays for breast cancer in diverse populations using the National Cancer Data Base.

Background: Genomic assays such as Oncotype Dx (ODX) and MammaPrint are used for risk-adapted treatment decisions among patients with early breast cancer. However, to the authors' knowledge, concordance between genomic assays is modest. Using real-world data, the authors performed a comparative analysis of ODX and MammaPrint.

Formal Assessment of Teamwork Among Cancer Health Care Professionals in Three Large Tertiary Centers in Nigeria.

Purpose: There are strategies to bring quality cancer care to underserved patients, but poor use of the principles of teamwork is a major barrier to achieving quality services. The intent of this study was to assess teamwork as perceived by health care workers caring for patients with cancer.

Methods: We conducted a survey among health care professionals in cancer care at 3 tertiary centers in southwestern Nigeria from July to November 2016.

Prospective International Randomized Phase II Study of Low-Dose Abiraterone With Food Versus Standard Dose Abiraterone In Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer.

Purpose Abiraterone acetate (AA) is a standard of care for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Despite a large food effect, AA was administered under fasting conditions in its pivotal trials. We sought to test the hypothesis that low-dose AA (LOW; 250 mg with a low-fat meal) would have comparable activity to standard AA (STD; 1,000 mg fasting) in patients with CRPC.

Racial disparities in omission of oncotype DX but no racial disparities in chemotherapy receipt following completed oncotype DX test results.

Purpose: To examine racial/ethnic disparities in Oncotype DX (ODX) testing among patients with node-negative, estrogen receptor (ER)-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative breast cancers and possible racial/ethnic disparities in chemotherapy receipt following ODX testing within Recurrence Score (RS) category (Not Done, Low, Intermediate, High), as well as chemotherapy receipt time trends within RS categories.

Methods: A retrospective cohort list of 125,288 women who were potentially indicated for ODX testing from 2010 to 2014 was obtained using the National Cancer Database. We fit multivariate logistic regression predicting chemotherapy receipt, adjusting for clinical factors, patient demographic factors, and hospital-level factors, separately by RS category, and calculated odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI), as well as time trends.

Referral Patterns and Clinical Outcomes for Transplant-Eligible Lymphoma and Myeloma Patients Evaluated at an Urban County Hospital.

Disparities in clinical care have been described for patients with limited insurance coverage or social support. We hypothesized that patients with relapsed Hodgkin lymphoma (HL), non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), or multiple myeloma (MM) treated at an urban county hospital serving indigent and under-insured patients would face barriers for referral to a private academic transplant center for autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). Charts of patients with HL, NHL, or MM treated at Grady Memorial Hospital between 2007 and 2013 were reviewed, and 215 patients with diagnosis of HD (n=40), NHL (n=96), and MM (n=79).