Mehmood, Qasim

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in females. In low- and middle-income countries like Pakistan, reported incidence and prevalence remain unreliable. The aim was to evaluate Pakistani women’s knowledge, attitude, and perception of breast cancer. This cross-sectional study was conducted among Pakistani women from Punjab, Pakistan. A self-administered online questionnaire was formulated to collect data from the participants from September 24, 2022, to October 24, 2022. The questionnaire included sociodemographic data, knowledge questions regarding breast cancer risk factors, knowledge questions about symptoms of breast cancer, and questions assessing the participants’ attitudes toward mammography screening. For knowledge questions, a score of more than 7 out of 13 was considered good knowledge. For attitude questions, regression analysis was done and a score of more than 5 out of 11 was considered a positive attitude. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 25 (Chicago). 796 women participated in this study. Out of 796 participants, 543 (68.2%) were between 20 and 30 years of age, and 43 (5.4%) were more than 40 years old. The level of knowledge regarding breast cancer risk factors was suboptimal. 523 (65.7%) of the participants thought that breast cancer risk increases with advancing age and 218 (27.4%) thought that early menarche increases the risk of developing breast cancer. 471 (59.2%) mentioned that mammography is an effective tool for detecting breast cancer, and 30 (3.8%) thought that there is a cure for breast cancer. According to regression analysis, higher education, higher monthly household income, and married marital status were significantly associated with good knowledge related to breast cancer. Although most of the population is aware of breast cancer’s risk factors and symptoms, they avoid screening such as mammography. Public awareness projects could help increase women’s knowledge of breast cancer signs, symptoms, and screening.

e16001 Background: Esophageal carcinoma ranks among the top 10 malignancies in the world, contributing to high morbidity and mortality. With radiotherapy being one of the most administered treatment options, different variations of administration have evolved. Two such variations include intensity-modulated radiotherapy and 3D conformational radiotherapy. These modalities have been investigated for their efficacy and rate of adverse events. However, conclusions from the trials conducted have been variable. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we aim to collate these findings to assess the exposure of cancerous cells and rates of adverse events following IMRT or 3D-CRT. Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted across three databases for all articles published from inception till September 2024. All primary studies evaluating the comparative efficacy of IMRT vs 3D-CRT were included. Outcomes assessed include dose volume histograms (DVHs) at heart and lung, Dmax at the spinal cord, and irradiation toxicity. Data analysis was conducted in RevMan 5.4 using a random-effects model. Results: A total of twenty records were included in the study, with a sample size of 3090 patients. Radiation dosage, estimated as DVHs, was equal across both regimens at heart (MD: 2.67; 95%CI: –0.15 to 5.48; P = 0.06), except at 40 Gy of radiation, where a lower DVH was noted among patients being administered IMRT (MD: 6.64; 95%CI: 0.25 to 13.03; P = 0.04). At the lung, a higher DVH was noted, especially for doses of 20 Gy or above, on using IMRT. Similarly, a lower dosage in the spinal cord was noted in the IMRT group (MD: 2.87; 95%CI: 1.04 to 4.70; P = .002). Consequently, a lower risk of esophagitis was noted among the IMRT group (OR: 1.54; 95%CI: 1.14 to 2.07; p = 0.009]). While considering patient outcomes, the odds of survival were higher in the IMRT group at 3 years post-treatment (OR: 0.53; 95%CI: 0.31 to 0.92; P = 0.02). Conclusions: IMRT was superior to 3D-CRT in terms of volume of tissue irradiated and lower spinal toxicity. A higher chance of survival was noted in the IMRT group. Further trials are needed to strengthen these findings. Outcome Mean Difference (MD) 95% confidence interval (CI) P value Mean dosage at lung 1.14 0.6, 1.68 <0.0001 Mean dosage at heart 2.67 -0.15, 5.48 0.06 Radiation esophagitis Odds ratio, OR: 1.38 1.09, 1.76 0.009 Radiation pneumonitis OR:1.37 0.62, 3.01 0.43 3-year OS OR: 0.69 0.56, 0.84 0.0003 5-year OS OR: 0.53 0.31, 0.92 0.02 Maximum dosage at spinal cord 2.87 1.04, 4.7 0.0002

Background and aims: Increased use of digital devices in the modern era has led to the development of digital eye strain (DES) or computer vision syndrome in their users. This can result in the development of various ocular and visual symptoms among them. In this study, the authors aimed to view the prevalence of digital eye strain among radiology physicians in Pakistan and their associated risk factors. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted to evaluate occupational DES among radiology physicians in Pakistan. The data collection was done using the convenience sampling technique, and the data were analyzed using IBM SPSS for Windows, Version 25.0. Results: Out of the 247 respondents, 33.6% were males and 66.4% were females. 41.7% of them were between 30 and 40 years of age and 51.8% of them were radiology residents. 52.2% of the participants had a refractive error and were using a corrective lens. The majority of the radiologists in our study (84.2%) preferred picture archiving and communication system (PACS) over films and 82.2% of them reported having breaks of less than 15 min. Major symptoms reported by the participants were tired or heavy eyes (69.6%) and headache (69.3%). The proportion of developing DES was higher in females [P=0.001, adjusted odds ratio (aOR)=2.94], radiology residents (P=0.031, aOR=3.29), and working hours of more than 4 h per day (P<0.001, aOR=0.04). Conclusion: With recent advances in the field of radiology in Pakistan, the frequency of developing DES among radiologists is increasing. Being a female, having long working hours, and having noticeable flickers on the digital screens were among the significant factors in developing DES among radiologists.