Benbrahim Zineb, Mula-Hussain Layth, Al-Shamsi Humaid O, El Saghir Nagi, Al Asiri Mushabbab, Al Bahrani Bassim, Al Nassar Muath, Bounedjar Adda, Fahed Zahera, Khatib Sami, Khorshid Ola, Labidi Soumaya, Mellas Nawfel, Saleh Amani, Jazieh Abdulrahman
Hassan II University Hospital, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy of Fez, University Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah, Fez, Morocco.
College of Medicine, Ninevah University, Mosul, Iraq.
Ecancermedicalscience. 2021 Feb 23;15:1189. doi: 10.3332/ecancer.2021.1189. eCollection 2021.
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic presents serious challenges to cancer care because of the associated risks from the infection itself and the disruption of care delivery. Therefore, many professional societies have published recommendations to help manage patients with cancer during the current pandemic. The objective of our study is to assess the national responses of Middle East North Africa (MENA) countries in terms of publishing relevant guidelines and analyse various components of these guidelines.
A survey based on the preliminary review of the literature regarding cancer care adaptations has been developed and then completed by a group of oncologists from the following Arab countries affected by the pandemic: Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen. The survey inquired about COVID-19 cases, national recommendations regarding general measures of COVID-19 prevention and patient care in oncology as well as their implementation about cancer care adaptations during the pandemic.
Analysis of the COVID-19 pandemic-related guidelines revealed at least 30 specific recommendations that we categorised into seven essential components. All included countries had national guidelines except one country. Estimated full compliances with all specific category recommendations ranged from 30% to 69% and partial compliance ranged from 23% to 61%.
There is a very good response and preparedness in the Arab Middle East and North Africa region surveyed. However, there are inconsistencies in the various components of the guidelines across the region, which reflects the evolving status of the pandemic in each country as well as the lack of clear evidence-based guidelines for many of the issues in question. There is a need for a clear framework on essential components that should be included in these guidelines to assure providing the best guidance to the oncology community.
2019年冠状病毒病（COVID-19）大流行给癌症护理带来了严峻挑战，这是由于感染本身存在相关风险以及护理服务的中断。因此，许多专业协会已发布建议，以帮助在当前大流行期间管理癌症患者。我们研究的目的是评估中东和北非（MENA）国家在发布相关指南方面的国家应对措施，并分析这些指南的各个组成部分。
在对有关癌症护理调整的文献进行初步审查的基础上开展了一项调查，随后由来自以下受大流行影响的阿拉伯国家的一组肿瘤学家完成：阿尔及利亚、埃及、伊拉克、约旦、科威特、黎巴嫩、摩洛哥、阿曼、沙特阿拉伯、叙利亚、突尼斯、阿拉伯联合酋长国和也门。该调查询问了COVID-19病例、关于COVID-19预防的一般措施和肿瘤学患者护理的国家建议，以及它们在大流行期间对癌症护理调整的实施情况。
对与COVID-19大流行相关指南的分析揭示了至少30条具体建议，我们将其分为七个基本组成部分。除一个国家外，所有纳入国家都有国家指南。对所有特定类别建议的估计完全合规率在30%至69%之间，部分合规率在23%至61%之间。
在所调查的阿拉伯中东和北非地区有非常好的应对措施和准备情况。然而，该地区指南的各个组成部分存在不一致之处，这反映了每个国家大流行的不断演变状况以及许多相关问题缺乏明确的循证指南。需要一个关于这些指南应包含的基本组成部分的明确框架，以确保为肿瘤学界提供最佳指导。
