Background Less attention is given to cancer treatment and control in Ethiopia. Methods To investigate the challenges and opportunities facing cancer treatment services in Ethiopia. A purposive sampling technique was applied to recruit the study subjects from Black Lion Specialized Hospital Oncology Department. A semi-structured interview guide was used to investigate challenges and opportunities in oncology service in Ethiopia. Data was transcribed and coded by two independent coders and analyzed thematically in reference to the objectives. Results Fifteen professionals from four different disciplines were interviewed on opportunities and challenges facing cancer treatment in Ethiopia. Out of these respondents 3 were senior clinical oncologists while 4 individuals were senior oncology residents. The rest were 2 medical Physicists, 2 radiotherapy technologists and 4 oncology nurses. Majority (80%) of the respondents were males. We demonstrate that the challenges of cancer treatment service in Ethiopia emanate from the patients themselves, the administrating body, the professionals, and the technology limitations. In general, the result of this study was grouped under the following five themes: Customer-related challenges, provider-related challenges, facility-related challenges, technology-related challenges and the opportunities. Conclusions Several assignments are waiting for the policy makers, the professionals, the communities and other concerned bodies to combat the alarmingly growing burden of cancer in Ethiopia. Escalating the awareness of the general population about cancer, expanding well-developed diagnostic and treatment centers, and producing well-trained competent oncology professionals are the forefront challenges in combating cancer in Ethiopia.

No abstract

Viral infections are causing serious problems in human population worldwide. The recent outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 caused by SARS-CoV-2 is a perfect example how viral infection could pose a great threat to global public health and economic sectors. Therefore, the first step in combating viral pathogens is to get a timely and accurate diagnosis. Early and accurate detection of the viral presence in patient sample is crucial for appropriate treatment, control, and prevention of epidemics. Here, we summarize some of the molecular and immunological diagnostic approaches available for the detection of viral infections of humans. Molecular diagnostic techniques provide rapid viral detection in patient sample. They are also relatively inexpensive and highly sensitive and specific diagnostic methods. Immunological-based techniques have been extensively utilized for the detection and epidemiological studies of human viral infections. They can detect antiviral antibodies or viral antigens in clinical samples. There are several commercially available molecular and immunological diagnostic kits that facilitate the use of these methods in the majority of clinical laboratories worldwide. In developing countries including Ethiopia where most of viral infections are endemic, exposure to improved or new methods is highly limited as these methods are very costly to use and also require technical skills. Since researchers and clinicians in all corners of the globe are working hard, it is hoped that in the near future, they will develop good quality tests that can be accessible in low-income countries.

Breast cancer (BC) is one of the most heterogeneous types of cancer and is characterized by several molecular subtypes. Descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 137 confirmed BC cases at Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital (TASH) in Ethiopia from December 2015 to November 2016 to assess the biological and clinicopathological characteristics of BC in Ethiopian women patients. Socio-demographic characteristics of the study subjects was obtained with pretested structured interview and clinical data was collected from the Hospital records. Surgical specimens were analysed histopathologically with hematoxyline and eosin staining, and Immunohistochemistry analysis was conducted with specific antibodies to ER, PR and HER2. The mean and median age of the study participants were 47 and 46.7, respectively. More than 50% of the patients were categorized in the age group of 15-40. Sixty percent were in the age group of 41-100. Infiltrating ductal carcinoma was the most common type of BC (70%) in this study, followed by lobular carcinoma (8.5%). Almost all of the BC cases under study were at advanced stage of the disease: 48.5% were with stage III and 51% were grade II tumors. Half of the study participants belonged to T2 tumor size (2-5 cm) and 52.3% of the patients had axillary lymph node metastases. Sixty five percent were ER+, 58% were PR+ and 28% were HER2+. Luminal A was the most common tumor subtype (54%), followed by luminal B (22%) and TNBC (18%). Based on crude analysis, patients with family history of BC had a lesser likelihood of being ER+ as compared to those patients with no family history of BC [COR=0.10 (95% CI: 0.028, 0.34)]. None of the other risk factors were correlated with the prevalence of ER+ results. In conclusion, the age distribution of BC cases in this study suggests the need to create awareness and improvement of advanced diagnostic services and make available screening programs for younger people. In a resource poor setting like Ethiopia, the use of anti-estrogens (like tamoxifen) in treatment of BC cases with undetermined receptor status could be helpful as most BC cases are ER+ and hormonal therapy is relatively easily available.

Repetitive excessive alcohol intoxication leads to neuronal damage and brain shrinkage. We examined cytoskeletal protein expression in human post-mortem tissue from Brodmann’s area 9 of the prefrontal cortex (PFC). Brain samples from 44 individuals were divided into equal groups of 11 control, 11 alcoholic, 11 non-alcoholic suicides, and 11 suicide alcoholics matched for age, sex, and post-mortem delay. Tissue from alcoholic cohorts displayed significantly reduced expression of α- and β-tubulins, and increased levels of acetylated α-tubulin. Protein levels of histone deacetylase-6 (HDAC6), and the microtubule-associated proteins MAP-2 and MAP-tau were reduced in alcoholic cohorts, although for MAPs this was not significant. Tubulin gene expressions increased in alcoholic cohorts but not significantly. Brains from rats administered alcohol for 4 weeks also displayed significantly reduced tubulin protein levels and increased α-tubulin acetylation. PFC tissue from control subjects had reduced tubulin protein expression that was most notable from the sixth to the eighth decade of life. Collectively, loss of neuronal tubulin proteins are a hallmark of both chronic alcohol consumption and natural brain ageing. The reduction of cytosolic tubulin proteins could contribute to the brain volumetric losses reported for alcoholic patients and the elderly.

BackgroundPatients with breast cancer are assumed to be susceptible to anxiety and depression, while there is a lack of evidence about the epidemiology and underlying factors in Ethiopia. Hence, we aimed to assess the prevalence and predictors of anxiety and depression among patients with breast cancer in Ethiopia.MethodAn institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted among patients with breast cancer who were attending treatment at the Oncology Center of the Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital, the largest referral teaching hospital in Ethiopia. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HDAS) was used to evaluate the anxiety and depression status of the participants, and a structured questionnaire was used to collect sociodemographic, socioeconomic, and clinical data from the participants. Medical records of the participants were reviewed to collect and correlate information about the grade and stage of cancer. An analysis was done using STATA 15.1.ResultsThe study included 333 randomly selected participants, of which 35.4% were on stage III and 33% on stage II, and 67.9% were on chemotherapy and surgery. The prevalence of anxiety and depression were 60.7 and 58.6%, respectively. Poor patient-provider interaction (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 4.5, 95% CI: 2.49, 8.12) and having no financial support (AOR = 2.83, 95% CI: 1.63, 4.91) were the significant predictors of anxiety. Age >49 years (AOR = 0.48, 95% CI: 0.25, 0.90), poor patient-provider interactions (AOR = 3.36, 95% CI: 1.87, 6.02), and having no financial support (AOR = 3.36, 95% CI: 1.95, 5.79) were the significant predictors of depression.ConclusionIn this study, the prevalence of anxiety and depression was high among patients with breast cancer, and the lack of financial support and poor patient-provider interactions were significant predictors of anxiety and depression among these groups of patients. Patients with cancer need regular screening for mental health and better emotional support from their healthcare providers and families to prevent and treat anxiety and depression.

Methods: A two-arm parallel randomized controlled trial study was conducted among 114 (n=57 intervention, and n= 57 control group) breast cancer patients with common mental health disorder at the oncology center of Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital. The hospital anxiety and depression measurement scale was used to assess depression and anxiety disorder and a 30-item quality of life questionnaire was used to assess the quality of life. General Linear Model analysis was done, confounding factors were controlled, and P<0.05 was used to declare statistical signi cance.Results: Patients in the intervention group showed a signi cant improvement in the anxiety (coe cient -3.68; 95% CI -5.67,-1.69;

Coffee is one of the most commonly consumed beverages in the worldwide and is assumed to have protective effects against metabolic syndrome. The present study was aimed at investigating the effect of coffee on body weight, serum glucose, uric acid and lipid profile levels in male albino Wistar rats feeding on high fructose diet. A post-test experimental study was conducted on a total of 30 (9-10 weeks old) male albino Wistar rats. The rats were divided into 6 groups: group I (normal control)-fed on standard chow and plain tap water only; group II (fructose control)-fed on standard chow and 20% of fructose solution; group III-VI (treatment groups)-fed on standard chow, 20% of fructose solution and treated with 71, 142, 213 and 284 mg/kg body weight/day of coffee respectively for six weeks. At the end, body weight, serum glucose, uric acid and lipid profile levels were investigated. Data was entered and cleared by epi-data software version 3.1 and analyzed by one way ANOVA followed by Tukey post hoc multiple comparison tests using SPSS V. 23.00. Statistical significance was considered at p < 0.05. The results showed that body weight, fasting serum glucose and uric acid levels significantly lowered in rats treated with 213 (p = 0.047; 0.049; 0.026) and 284 (p = 0.035; 0.029; 0.010) mg/kg body weight/day of coffee compared to fructose control group. Fasting serum triglycide (TG) and low density lipoprotein (LDL-C) levels showed significant reduction in rats treated with 284 mg/kg body weight/day of coffee as compared to fructose control group (p = 0.031; 0.046) respectively. In conclusion, treating rats with coffee decreased body weight, fasting serum glucose, uric acid, TC, TG and LDL-C, and increased HDL-C in a dose dependent manner in rats feeding on high fructose diet, suggesting that coffee consumption may be helpful in ameliorating metabolic syndrome.