Purpose Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest burden of cervical cancer in the world. The African continent has only 5% of the world’s cancer care resources, and brachytherapy is an important part of treatment of cervical cancer. This study explored the availability of brachytherapy units in Africa. Material and methods We used publicly available data on cervical cancer and brachytherapy from GLOBOCAN 2018 database hosted by IARC and Directory of Radiotherapy Centers (DIRAC) presented by IAEA, respectively. Number of brachytherapy units per 1,000 new cases was calculated as an index for comparison between groups. Results There are 101 brachytherapy units in 20 African countries, accounting for 3% (101/3,375) of total global units. Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for half of these units (50/101). Egypt has the highest number of units per 1,000 new cases (23.7 units/1,000 new cases), while Nigeria has the least with 0.13 units per 1,000 new cases. No country in central African region has a brachytherapy unit. More than 70% of brachytherapy units are located in five countries (Algeria, Kenya, Egypt, Morocco, and South Africa). Conclusions In order to treat 90 percent of invasive cervical cancer on the continent, Africa needs a continental political action plan and massive investment in brachytherapy equipment over the next ten years.

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common malignancies seen in the Western World. It is increasing in developing countries due to adaptation of the western lifestyle with an incidence of 6% in Nigeria. Treatment options are dependent on the stage of disease at presentation, the performance status of the patient, and increasingly the molecular makeup of the tumor. There is a dearth of data on the treatment options obtainable for the management and outcome of CRC cases in Northwestern, Nigeria. Aim: The study assessed the treatment options and outcome of colorectal cancer patients in a tertiary institution, in Northwestern, Nigeria over a 10-year period. Patients and Methods: Between January 2006 and December 2015, data of one-hundred and twenty-two histologically confirmed colorectal cancer cases seen at the Surgery, Radiotherapy and Oncology Departments, ABUTH Zaria, were retrieved retrospectively from the case files and treatment cards of the patients at the health information unit of the hospital. The stage at disease presentation, treatment received, and outcome were analyzed. Results: Nearly a quarter of the patients fell within the age bracket 31–40 years with the median age being 41 years. While only 41% of the patients had their disease staged, 30.4% of the patients presented with advanced disease (Dukes'C + D). Only 95 cases received a form of surgery or the other. Colostomy however accounted for 28.4%. Eighty-nine of the patients received chemotherapy either as neoadjuvant, adjuvant or with palliative intent. External beam radiotherapy either with radical or palliative intent was received by 60 patients (49.2%). At 1-year follow-up sixty cases had been lost to follow up, and thirty-six cases had defaulted on one form of treatment. Conclusion: The study showed that stage at presentation and the available treatment options in the hospital informed treatment offered to the patients. However, surgery was readily performed due to the pattern of presentation and most patients benefited from just a diverting colostomy. Majority of the patients presented with rectal tumor which required radiotherapy as part of its treatment modality, although this is still a luxury in this part of the world. Chemotherapy is also readily available and often prescribed. Cost and limited facility for biomarker (K-ras) testing restrict the use of targeted therapy. Outcome at 1-year follow-up was poor with whereabouts of nearly half of the patients unknown.

Background: Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the number of hospitalized individuals increased exponentially. The sudden increase in workload, the social isolation, and the fear of COVID-19 contributed to a remarkable increase of depression cases (from 20.9% to 43.2%) among healthcare workers. Although many treatments are available for depression, including pharmacotherapy, exercise, and virtual reality, response varies widely, from complete recovery to non-responders and relapsing cases. In this sense, Wii Sports™ may serve as an alternative to improve response to standard first-line therapy, since it provides an interactive environment, physical activity and incorporates playfulness. Objective: Evaluate the effect of Wii Sports™ in treating mild and moderate cases of major depressive disorder in healthcare professionals who developed depression during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: The WIRED trial is a phase II, multicenter, randomized, active-controlled, single-blinded, superiority trial with two parallel groups. The intervention group will be composed of Wii Sports™ in addition to a first-line antidepressant, while the control group will be composed of Wii™ games that do not involve physical activity in addition to a first-line antidepressant. The primary outcome is to detect a group mean difference in the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D17) at week twelve, while secondary outcomes include participant adherence and comparison of HAM-D17 scores at different time points. Conclusion: To our knowledge, there is no previous literature published that targets the same population, tests the same intervention, and evaluates the same outcomes, highlighting the possible impact of the study on the psychological and psychiatric fields, regardless of its results.

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Globally, breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in females and a leading cause of cancer death. On the other hand, cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer among females worldwide. In the less developed countries, it is the second most diagnosed cancer and third leading cause of cancer death in women. Synchronous malignancy of the breast and cervix is rare due to different etiological factors. Comorbidities such as hypertension and diabetes are frequent findings in patients with cancer. In a study in this environment, diabetes mellitus was the second most common comorbidity in the elderly cancer patients. This is the case report of a 45-year-old homemaker with cervical cancer and incidental finding of a synchronous breast cancer.