Clinicopathological presentation of liver abscesses and hydatid liver disease from two South African tertiary hospitals.

Background: Hepatic abscesses represent infections of the liver parenchyma from bacteria, fungi, and parasitic organisms. Trends in both abscess microbiology and management of abscesses (infective collections) have changed over the past decade. There is a paucity of published data regarding the clinicopathological features of liver abscesses in sub-Saharan Africa and other low-income and middle-income countries.

Comparative immune profiling of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma progression among South African patients.

Background: Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is an aggressive cancer characterized by an immunosuppressive microenvironment. Patients from specific ethnicities and population groups have poorer prognoses than others. Therefore, a better understanding of the immune landscape in such groups is necessary for disease elucidation, predicting patient outcomes and therapeutic targeting.

The need for research targeting the link between occupational carcinogens and hepatopancreatobiliary cancers in Africa: A systematic review.

Introduction: Hepatopancreatobiliary (HPB) cancers encompassing malignancies of the liver, pancreas, gall bladder, and bile ducts pose a significant health burden in Africa. While the association of certain occupational carcinogens in cancer is well established globally, their potential role in HPB cancers remains understudied, especially in an African context.

Aim: This systematic review delves into the association between occupational carcinogens and HPB cancer in Africa.

The sensitivity of a neck CT scan in detecting pneumothoraces in nonpenetrating trauma.

Background: The trauma-related pneumothorax is a common intrathoracic injury and can go undetected with detrimental outcomes. Chest computed tomography (CT) investigation in low- to middle-income countries (LMIC) is not always readily available during emergency situations and increased workloads. However, alternative investigations all have limitations in including pneumothoraces.

Exploiting the molecular subtypes and genetic landscape in pancreatic cancer: the quest to find effective drugs.

Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a very lethal disease that typically presents at an advanced stage and is non-compliant with most treatments. Recent technologies have helped delineate associated molecular subtypes and genetic variations yielding important insights into the pathophysiology of this disease and having implications for the identification of new therapeutic targets. Drug repurposing has been evaluated as a new paradigm in oncology to accelerate the application of approved or failed target-specific molecules for the treatment of cancer patients.