Breast Cancer in Women in Gaza: A Review of Clinical Characteristics and Short-Term Survival.

Purpose: To understand how breast cancer is diagnosed in Gaza, and disease stage distribution, treatment, and survival.

Materials And Methods: A clinical record case series study of women diagnosed in 2017 and 2018 was conducted with follow-up until December 31, 2020. Breast cancer crude incidence rates and age-specific incidence rates were calculated.

Redefining Cancer Research Priorities in Low- and Middle-Income Countries in the Post-COVID-19 Global Context: A Modified Delphi Consensus Process.

Purpose: The post-COVID-19 funding landscape for cancer research globally has become increasingly challenging, particularly in resource-challenged regions (RCRs) lacking strong research ecosystems. We aimed to produce a list of priority areas for cancer research in countries with limited resources, informed by researchers and patients.

Methods: Cancer experts in lower-resource health care systems (as defined by the World Bank as low- and middle-income countries; N = 151) were contacted to participate in a modified consensus-seeking Delphi survey, comprising two rounds.

Promoting cancer prevention and early diagnosis in the occupied Palestinian territory.

Cancer is the second leading cause of mortality in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt), and a more than 65 % rise in all cancer mortality is expected by 2030, with potentially devastating consequences which could overwhelm an already strained Palestinian health system. Advanced stage at diagnosis and the pervasive shortages in basic treatment options are to blame These factors are accompanied by a lack of infrastructure and trained human resources, the absence of reliable and timely data, and poorly coordinated healthcare systems. At present, resources for cancer control in the country are not only inadequate, but some of them are misallocated because of decisions that have been made that have not been based on evidence.

Factors affecting delay in the presentation of breast cancer symptoms among women in Gaza, occupied Palestinian territory: a cross-sectional survey.

Objective: To identify factors related to women's delay in presenting with breast cancer symptoms to improve diagnosis in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt).

Design: Cross-sectional.

Setting: Two government cancer hospitals.

Mammographic Screening in the Occupied Palestinian Territory: A Critical Analysis of Its Promotion, Claimed Benefits, and Safety in Palestinian Health Research.

Purpose: To critically review the evidence and opinions expressed about mammographic screening (MS) in research reports on breast cancer in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) and to assess whether benefits and harms in MS are presented in a balanced way.

Methods: Searches of PubMed, Cochrane, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, and gray literature identified 14 eligible research reports relating to the oPt. We reviewed these documents and then used a thematic analysis to describe and analyze the evidence and the opinions about MS expressed in them.

Additional challenges faced by cancer patients in Gaza due to COVID-19.

Cancer patients in conflict settings experience significant barriers in accessing chemotherapy and radiotherapy as well as palliative care and psychosocial support. Now they face an additional possible risk of infection by SARS-CoV-2 novel coronavirus and the indirect impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on movement restrictions and their access to care. In this commentary, we highlight that despite the low COVID-19 burden in conflict settings like Gaza, COVID-19 could lead to further inequity in cancer care and poorer outcomes for Palestinians with cancer.

Breast cancer in Gaza-a public health priority in search of reliable data.

Gaza has experienced 12 years of isolation which has crippled the health system infrastructure, reduced the quality of living conditions, damaged the health of the population and reduced health service capacity and capability. This paper presents a context-setting review of what is already known about breast cancer in Gaza to identify which interventions are applicable to help prevent women there from dying unnecessarily from breast cancer. A search of the published and unpublished literature was conducted to identify potentially relevant studies on breast cancer which were either done in Gaza or elsewhere in the occupied Palestinian territory.