Abdullah Alabbasi

This narrative review examines how primary care can improve equitable access to cancer services in Saudi Arabia, where cancer incidence continues to rise due to demographic transitions, lifestyle changes, and improved diagnostic detection. While secondary and tertiary oncology services have expanded nationally, primary care remains challenged in delivering consistent early cancer detection, equitable referral pathways, and guideline-based screening implementation. A structured literature search was conducted across MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, Google Scholar, and relevant grey literature, including Ministry of Health reports and national screening program documents. Evidence addressing physician practices, patient barriers, system-level inequities, diagnostic access, and referral processes was synthesized thematically. Findings indicate persistent underutilization of colorectal, breast, and prostate cancer screening, delays in presentation influenced by sociocultural factors, limited diagnostic capacity within primary health care centers, and regional disparities that particularly disadvantage rural populations. Evidence also suggests that inconsistent referral processes and variability in physician training contribute to inequitable cancer service access. Strengthening evidence-based screening implementation, embedding decision support tools within electronic health records, enhancing oncology training for primary care physicians, standardizing referral pathways, and implementing culturally sensitive community outreach strategies may improve early detection and equity in service delivery. Aligning these efforts with Vision 2030 health reforms offers an opportunity to reinforce a primary care–centered model of cancer prevention and early detection across the Kingdom.

Background The incidence of surgical site infection (SSI) in colorectal surgery is high, which can complicate and delay postoperative recovery. This study mainly aims to evaluate the efficacy of subcutaneous drains in decreasing superficial surgical site infection in colorectal surgery patients. Study design This is a retrospective cohort study that included patients over 16 years old who underwent colorectal surgery from the 1st of January 2015 till the 31st of December 2020. Patients were divided into two groups, with and without a subcutaneous drain. The incidence of superficial SSI was measured as the primary objective, and the incidence of other complications like seromas, hematomas, and wound dehiscence was measured as the secondary objectives or outcomes. Chi-square and Fisher's exact were used to analyze the data, and a p-value less than 0.05 was accepted for significance. Results A total of 208 patients who underwent colorectal surgery in our hospital were included. Of these, 29 had a subcutaneous drain, and 179 did not have a subcutaneous drain. Although the incidence of dehiscence was higher in the drain group, the overall incidence of superficial SSI (20.7%) and seroma/hematoma (3.4%) in patients with subcutaneous drains was lower than without subcutaneous drains (25.7% and 7.8%, respectively). However, no statistical significance was found between drain presence and complications. Conclusion In conclusion, this study demonstrated a lower incidence of superficial SSI and seroma/hematoma in patients with a subcutaneous drain than those who did not have a drain.

Background: Psoriasis is a chronic, inflammatory, and immune-mediated dermatological disease of unknown etiology with predominant involvement of the skin, nails, and joints. This study aimed to assess comorbidities patterns in psoriasis patients. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study conducted at King Abdulaziz Medical City (KAMC) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Data were collected through a retrospective chart review of the electronic medical record system (Bestcare, Ezcaretech, Seoul, Korea) and by utilizing a structured data collection sheet. Results: A total of 128 confirmed psoriasis cases were included with a mean age of 44.2 ± 17.3. The sample had 45.7% females and 54.3% males. Nearly half the patients (46.1%) had no comorbidities, followed by those who had at least one comorbidity (24.2%) and those who had two or more comorbidities (29.7%). Most patients were classified as plaque psoriasis (57.0%), followed by those who had psoriatic arthritis (13.3%). There was no statistical significance between gender, body mass index (BMI), and smoking with the number of comorbidities (P= 0.422, P=0.361, P=0.772); 41.2% of psoriatic arthritis patients and all erythrodermic arthritis patients had two or more comorbidities, which is statistically significant at p-value <0.018. Conclusion: This study demonstrated the prevalence of different comorbidities associated with psoriasis patients; 41.2% of psoriatic arthritis patients and all erythrodermic arthritis patients had two or more comorbidities, which was statistically significant. This necessitates closer monitoring of different comorbidities a psoriasis patient might present with. Especially those who are diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis and erythrodermic arthritis.