Effective and ineffective psychological adjustment in breast cancer patients before receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy: insights from a cohort study.

Background: The timing of a breast cancer (BC) diagnosis has a significant psychological impact on patients. However, it reported that those eligible for treatment regimens based on neoadjuvant chemotherapy may experience high levels of depression, anxiety and distress. To cope with this situation, patients deploy psychological coping strategies.

Molecular Testing for Mutation in Moroccan NSCLC Patients: CHU Hassan II-Fez Experience.

Epidermal growth factor receptor () mutation screening in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is now used to guide treatment decisions to identify patients with positive mutations that predict response to tyrosine kinase inhibitors. This study aimed to explore with a prospective study the current testing practices and the predictive value of mutations in a series of 261 patients with NSCLC. EGFR mutation testing was conducted using 2 different assays: bidirectional Sanger sequencing of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and real-time PCR on the Rotor-Gene Q instrument.

Clinicopathological and prognostic implications of EGFR mutations subtypes in Moroccan non-small cell lung cancer patients: A first report.

Background: Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains a significant global health concern, with EGFR mutations playing a pivotal role in guiding treatment decisions. This prospective study investigated the prevalence and clinical implications of EGFR mutations in Moroccan NSCLC patients.

Methods: A cohort of 302 NSCLC patients was analyzed for EGFR mutations using multiple techniques.

An epidermal growth factor receptor compound mutation of L858R with S768I in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer: a case report.

Background: In the current treatment landscape for non-small cell lung cancers, epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitors have emerged as a well-established treatment option for patients with advanced or metastatic disease. This is particularly true for those with commonly occurring epidermal growth factor receptor mutations. However, the therapeutic efficacy of these agents for so-called rare epidermal growth factor receptor mutations, and in particular those characterized by a high degree of complexity, such as double mutations, remains a subject of clinical uncertainty.

Risk factors affecting patients survival with colorectal cancer in Morocco: survival analysis using an interpretable machine learning approach.

The aim of our study was to assess the overall survival rates for colorectal cancer at 3 years and to identify associated strong prognostic factors among patients in Morocco through an interpretable machine learning approach. This approach is based on a fully non-parametric survival random forest (RSF), incorporating variable importance and partial dependence effects. The data was povided from a retrospective study of 343 patients diagnosed and followed at Hassan II University Hospital.

Evaluation of psychological distress is essential for patients with locally advanced breast cancer prior to neoadjuvant chemotherapy: baseline findings from cohort study.

Background: patients with locally advanced breast cancer (LABC) are often treated by neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT). This study aims to determine the prevalence of psychological distress and their sociodemographic and clinical factors in patients recently diagnosed with LABC and before NACT.

Methods: A total of 209 LABC patients without metastatic localization were recruited between 2021 and 2022 in the oncology hospital at Fez.

The first Middle East and North Africa expert consensus recommendations for management of advanced gastric cancer.

Gastric cancer (GC) ranks as the fifth most prevalent cancer and the fourth deadliest cancer worldwide. In the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, GC represents about 4.8% of cancer cases with more than 35,000 new cases in 2020.

Prognostic Impact of Tumor Budding on Moroccan Gastric Cancer Patients.

Background: Tumor budding (TB) has been defined as an independent prognostic factor in many carcinomas like colon adenocarcinoma, but its prognostic impact on gastric cancer patients remains not well established. In the present study, we aimed to highlight the correlation of tumor budding with clinicopathological features and predict its survival outcomes in gastric cancer patients for the first time in the Moroccan population.

Methods: This study was conducted on 83 patients who underwent surgery for gastric adenocarcinoma from 2014 to 2020.

Heterogeneous distribution of mutation in NSCLC: Case report.

Background: We herein report the case of a patient with advanced lung adenocarcinoma who presented a heterogeneous distribution of mutation.

Case Report: A 74-year-old Moroccan male former smoker was diagnosed with advanced lung adenocarcinoma, harboring S768I exon 20 substitution mutation confirmed by Real Time PCR and Pyrosequencing, but not detected by direct sequencing despite 70% of tumor cells. The present report describes a case of minor histologic intratumoral heterogeneity with heterogeneous distribution of mutation.

HER2-Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer: Available Treatments and Current Developments.

For several years, the overexpression of the HER2 receptor in breast cancer has been correlated with a poor prognosis and an increased risk of developing brain metastases. Currently, the combination of anti-HER2 double blockade and taxane and trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1) are considered the standard treatments for metastatic breast cancer overexpressing these receptors in the first and second line. Very recently, the development of a new antidrug conjugate, trastuzumab-deruxtecan, has improved the overall survival of patients, even in second-line treatment.

Risk factors affecting patients survival with colorectal cancer in Morocco : Survival Analysis using an Interpretable Machine Learning Approach.

The aim of our study was to assess the overall survival rates for colorectal patients in Morocco and to identify strong prognostic factors using a novel approach combining survival random forest and the Cox model. Covariate selection was performed using the variable importance based on permutation and partial dependence plots were displayed to explore in depth the relationship between the estimated partial effect of a given predictor and survival rates. The predictive performance was measured by two metrics, the Concordance Index (C-index) and the Brier Score (BS).

Lymph Nodes With Germinal Centers Are Not Associated With Tumor Response After Neoadjuvant Treatment in Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer.

In patients with locally advanced rectal cancer, neoadjuvant radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy followed by total mesorectal excision as a standard of care. We aimed to explore the number, size, germinal centers, extracapsular invasion of lymph nodes (LN), and their impact on overall survival and disease free survival. Furthermore we also investigated the characteristics of lymph nodes in patients who received neoadjuvant therapy and those who underwent surgery between 2011 and 2018.

Worse Outcome with Imatinib Mesylate as Neoadjuvant Therapy in Locally Advanced Rectal Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors: Case Series of Four Patients.

Background: Rectal gastrointestinal stromal tumors are rare and optimal treatment is yet to be defined. The aim of this report is to highlight the possible aggressive behavior of four cases of rectal GISTs treated with neoadjuvant imatinib in a tertiary care medical hospital.

Methods: Four cases of rectal GISTs were retrospectively reviewed for patients demographics, clinical presentation, histology, and imatinib therapy.

Cancer Burden Among Arab World Males in 2020: The Need for a Better Approach to Improve Outcome.

Purpose: Cancer is a leading cause of increased morbidity and mortality worldwide. This work aims to study the Arab world males' cancers (AMCs) and the similarities and disparities with the world males' cancers (WMCs) from different burden points of view.

Materials And Methods: A descriptive review of the 2020 Global Cancer Observatory revealed AMCs compared with the 2020 WMCs and the 2018 AMCs.

Correlation of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Mutation With Major Histologic Subtype of Lung Adenocarcinoma According to IASLC/ATS/ERS Classification.

Objective: Our prospective study aims to define the correlation of (epidermal growth factor receptor) mutations with major histological subtypes of lung adenocarcinoma from resected and non-resected specimens, according to the WHO 2015 classification, in Moroccan North East Population.

Methods: mutations of 150 primary lung adenocarcinoma were performed using Real-Time PCR or SANGER sequencing. SPSS 21 was used to assess the relationship between histological subtypes of lung adenocarcinoma and mutation status.

Psychological Distress, Coping Strategies, and Quality of Life in Breast Cancer Patients Under Neoadjuvant Therapy: Protocol of a Systematic Review.

Introduction: Women with breast cancer eligible for neoadjuvant therapy (NAT) present a disorder of biopsychosocial variables and alteration of their quality of life. They cope with this changing by adopting psychological adjustment strategies, either passive or active. This systematic review aims to investigate the psychological distress, coping strategies, and quality of life in breast cancer patients under neoadjuvant therapy.

Prognostic Impact of Tumor Budding on Moroccan Colon Cancer Patients.

Background: Tumor budding is now emerging as one of the robust and promising histological factors that play an important role in colon cancer. In this study, we aimed to investigate the association between tumor budding and tumor clinicopathological factors, tumor molecular signature, and patient survival for the first time in a Moroccan population.

Methods: We collected data of 100 patients operated from colon adenocarcinoma.

Similarities and disparities in cancer burden among Arab world females.

Introduction: Cancer is the leading cause of increased morbidity and mortality worldwide. This work aims to study the Arab-world females' cancers (AFCs), the similarities and disparities from epidemiological, economic and development-indices points of view.

Materials And Methods: Descriptive - Analytical review of the 2018 Global Cancer Observatory concerning AFCs.

Validation of Mini-Mental Adjustment to Cancer scale in a Moroccan sample of breast cancer women.

Background: The Mini-Mental Adjustment to Cancer Scale (Mini-MAC) instrument is commonly used worldwide by professionals of oncology, but the scale has not, up to date, been validated in Arabic and Moroccan context, and there is an absence of data in the Moroccan population. This study aims to validate the Mini-MAC, translated and adapted to the Arabic language and Moroccan culture, in women with breast cancer.

Methods: Data were analyzed in two successive phases.

Predictors of poor precautionary practices towards COVID-19 among cancer patients.

Our study goal was to evaluate the behavioral response and practices of cancer patients to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in the Middle East and north Africa. A cross-sectional study was conducted using a validated anonymous 45-question survey administered via SurveyMonkey to cancer patients in 13 centers in Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco and Saudi Arabia. During the study period (from 21 April to 30 May 2020), 3642 patients participated in the study.