Retinoblastoma, the most common eye cancer of childhood, is fatal if left untreated. Prognosis of patients with retinoblastoma in high-income countries (HICs) has improved over the past 50 years, now reaching a near 100% disease-free survival rate.^1-3 This is attributed to several factors, including (1) creation of specialized referral centers, (2) decoding of the genetic basis of the disease, (3) formation of screening programs, and (4) the introduction of chemotherapy.⁴ In HICs, retinoblastoma is a curable disease, and attention has now shifted to eye salvage^5,6 and improvement of quality of life.⁷ In low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where more than 80% of global retinoblastoma cases arise, the prognosis is poor, and it is assumed that this is because of delayed diagnosis and treatment.^8-10 Publications from LMICs are scarce, and many countries do not report their retinoblastoma data.¹¹ The stage of retinoblastoma at the time of diagnosis in low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries has not been surveyed globally. This information is important for policy and health care planning at national and international levels.

Colorectal cancer is the most common cancer in Saudi males and the second most common cancer in Saudi females with increasing incidence throughout the last four decades. Although the disease incidence is on the rise, still there is no systemic screening for colorectal cancer in the Saudi population. Early onset colorectal cancer is common in the Saudi population and up to 50% in Saudi patients diagnosed at late stages with regional and distal metastasis. Therefore, more efforts are required to control the disease in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In this regard, systematic work at national level is highly required to make colorectal cancer screening for population at risk part of the routine primary health care activities. This paper highlights the current situation of colorectal cancer in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with relation to incidence, mortality and morbidity in addition to the disease control efforts going on. Finally, some recommendations are provided to strengthen the control program of colorectal cancer.

Purpose: Axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) frequently is performed as part of the surgical management of breast cancer as a therapeutic and prognostic index, but increasingly has been perceived as associated with significant complications. Data on efficacy and complications of ALND in Sudan are lacking. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy and complications of ALND in patients with breast cancer treated with mastectomy and breast-conserving surgery. Methods: We performed a prospective, hospital-based study in women with invasive breast cancer who underwent modified radical mastectomy or breast-conserving surgery with ALND between September 2014 and August 2015. The efficacy of ALND was defined as retrieval of ≥ 10 lymph nodes. Complications of ALND were assessed objectively and subjectively and defined as either present or absent. Results: Of 96 patients with breast cancer included in the study, 40 (42%) developed postaxillary clearance complications. The median follow-up time was 18 months (range, 12 to 24 months). Numbness was reported by 21.9% of patients. Seroma was noted in 15.6% and lymphedema in 9.4%. Approximately 9% reported episodes of infection or inflammation at the surgical site. None of the studied factors were found to affect the incidence of complications significantly. Ten or more lymph nodes were retrieved in 81.3% of patients, and nodal metastasis was found in 62.5%. Conclusion: This study shows that the prevalence of undesirable adverse effects after ALND is 42%, with paresthesia and seroma being the most prevalent. The lymphedema prevalence was low in relation to other evaluated symptoms.

PURPOSE: Breast cancer (BC) is the leading malignancy among Sudanese women. Yet, data on survival are limited. This study aimed to determine 5-year overall survival (OS) of BC in Sudanese women, and identify prognostic demographic and clinicopathologic factors. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A hospital-based retrospective study was conducted by reviewing data of women with BC diagnosed and treated at the National Cancer Institute—University of Gezira during 2012, and followed up to end of August 2018. Data were retrieved from medical records and analyzed, OS was determined, and the prognostic factors were explored. RESULTS: A total of 225 cases were recruited. The median age at presentation was 45 years (range, 22-85 years). Clinical stage I, II, III, and IV represented 3.1%, 31.6%, 48%, and 17.3%, respectively. Most women (81.3%) were treated with curative intent. Of those, 25.1% received neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Mastectomy was the commonest (61.7%) type of surgery. The median follow-up period was 59.8 months with mean OS time of 55.7 months. The 5-year cumulative survival rate was 58%. The 5-year OS rates for stages I, II, III, and IV were 71.5%, 82.4%, 56.5%, and 8.4%, respectively. For lymph node (LN)-positive cases, 5-year OS rate was 63% and for LN-negative was 83.5%. Presenting with advanced-stage disease and positive LN status associated with short OS times ( P < .005). CONCLUSION: OS of women with BC in Central Sudan is worse than in the developed world, but similar to African countries. Our findings indicate that advanced stage at diagnosis and lymph nodal involvement are strong predictors of short survival times. Raising awareness and introducing early detection programs are critical for better survival of these patients.