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Abu-El-Noor N, Aljeesh Y, Aliwaini S, Alhamss S, Darwish R, Abu-El-Noor M. Identifying Priorities and Needs to Improve Oncology Research in the Gaza Strip, Palestine. J Multidiscip Healthc 2023; 16:2529-2541. [PMID: 37664805 PMCID: PMC10474856 DOI: 10.2147/jmdh.s422167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose The purpose of this study was to (1) identify the priorities of oncology research in the Gaza Strip; (2) explore the needs for improving oncology research in the Gaza Strip, Palestine. Participants and Methods A qualitative approach for data collection was used in this study. After obtaining the ethical approvals to conduct this study, a sample of 42 health-care providers who are involved in providing oncology care and research in the Gaza Strip were included in this study. Data were collected by the researchers through seven focus groups. Thematic coding was used for data analysis. Two main themes and several sub-themes were extracted during the data analysis. Results The two main themes extracted from data analysis were research priorities and research needs. Participants identified several priorities in relation to oncology research that are assessing for cancer awareness, cancer prevention, exploring and finding new molecular biomarkers, screening for germ-line mutations related to the most common cancers, determining genetic and environmental risk factors for developing cancer, and exploring and testing new cancer therapies. Concerning research needs, participants identified several needs to enhance oncology research, which are financial needs, need for training, availability of data, creation of interdisciplinary research teams, and transforming in vitro studies to in vivo. Conclusion Well-designed studies will certainly help to identify the priorities and needs to improve oncology research in the Gaza Strip, which is considered one of the most important steps to help push these priorities onto the agenda of health policymakers. Therefore, they will work to set goals and design policies and programs aiming to reduce incidence and prevalence rates of cancer in the Gaza Strip, promote early detection of cancer, improve prognosis, and reduce mortality related to cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nasser Abu-El-Noor
- Faculty of Nursing, Islamic University of Gaza, Gaza, Palestine
- Research and Development Center at Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital, Gaza, Palestine
| | - Yousef Aljeesh
- Faculty of Nursing, Islamic University of Gaza, Gaza, Palestine
- Research and Development Center at Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital, Gaza, Palestine
| | - Saeb Aliwaini
- Research and Development Center at Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital, Gaza, Palestine
- Faculty of Science, Islamic University of Gaza, Gaza, Palestine
| | - Sohaib Alhamss
- Research and Development Center at Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital, Gaza, Palestine
- Faculty of Medicine, Islamic University of Gaza, Gaza, Palestine
| | - Reda Darwish
- Research and Development Center at Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital, Gaza, Palestine
| | - Mysoon Abu-El-Noor
- Faculty of Nursing, Islamic University of Gaza, Gaza, Palestine
- Research and Development Center at Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital, Gaza, Palestine
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Pramesh CS, Badwe RA, Bhoo-Pathy N, Booth CM, Chinnaswamy G, Dare AJ, de Andrade VP, Hunter DJ, Gopal S, Gospodarowicz M, Gunasekera S, Ilbawi A, Kapambwe S, Kingham P, Kutluk T, Lamichhane N, Mutebi M, Orem J, Parham G, Ranganathan P, Sengar M, Sullivan R, Swaminathan S, Tannock IF, Tomar V, Vanderpuye V, Varghese C, Weiderpass E. Priorities for cancer research in low- and middle-income countries: a global perspective. Nat Med 2022; 28:649-657. [PMID: 35440716 PMCID: PMC9108683 DOI: 10.1038/s41591-022-01738-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 50.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Cancer research currently is heavily skewed toward high-income countries (HICs), with little research conducted in, and relevant to, the problems of low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This regional discordance in cancer knowledge generation and application needs to be rebalanced. Several gaps in the research enterprise of LMICs need to be addressed to promote regionally relevant research, and radical rethinking is needed to address the burning issues in cancer care in these regions. We identified five top priorities in cancer research in LMICs based on current and projected needs: reducing the burden of patients with advanced disease; improving access and affordability, and outcomes of cancer treatment; value-based care and health economics; quality improvement and implementation research; and leveraging technology to improve cancer control. LMICs have an excellent opportunity to address important questions in cancer research that could impact cancer control globally. Success will require collaboration and commitment from governments, policy makers, funding agencies, health care organizations and leaders, researchers and the public.
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Affiliation(s)
- C S Pramesh
- Tata Memorial Centre, Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, India.
| | - Rajendra A Badwe
- Tata Memorial Centre, Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, India
| | - Nirmala Bhoo-Pathy
- Centre for Epidemiology and Evidence-Based Practice, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Christopher M Booth
- Departments of Oncology and Public Health Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Anna J Dare
- Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - David J Hunter
- Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Satish Gopal
- Centre for Global Health, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Mary Gospodarowicz
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | | | | | | | - Peter Kingham
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Tezer Kutluk
- Faculty of Medicine and Cancer Institute, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Manju Sengar
- Tata Memorial Centre, Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, India
| | | | | | - Ian F Tannock
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Verna Vanderpuye
- National Center for Radiotherapy Oncology and Nuclear Medicine and Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra, Ghana
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