ArticleWorld journal of clinical oncology2025
Bridging the deficit: Assessing knowledge gaps in thyroid cancer management amongst physicians in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Article in World journal of clinical oncology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
18 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThyroid cancer incidence is rising globally, including the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Despite its increasing incidence, limited data exist on physicians' knowledge of thyroid cancer management in the DRC.
aimTo evaluate the knowledge levels of Congolese physicians regarding the diagnosis and treatment of thyroid nodules and cancers, and to identify existing gaps and areas for improvement.
methodsA descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from June to August 2024, involving 369 physicians practicing in healthcare facilities across Kinshasa, DRC. Participants were selected using a multi-stage sampling method. Data were collected
resultsOverall response rate was 96.1%. Of all participants, 68% were female and 32% were male physicians. General practitioners constituted 84.8% of respondents, with an average age of 34 years. While 53.7% demonstrated adequate knowledge of hypothyroidism management post-thyroidectomy and 61.2% identified the approach for hypoparathyroidism, only 5.1% recognized the need for radiotherapy in metastatic thyroid cancer cases. Awareness of anaplastic thyroid cancer treatment was limited (6.5%), and 90.2% of physicians were unfamiliar with the surgical complications. Moderate understanding was noted in diagnostic protocols, with 44.2% correctly identifying repeat fine-needle aspiration timing in Bethesda I cases. Knowledge of molecular genetics, recurrence risks, and metastasis patterns was remarkably low.
conclusionThis study highlights significant knowledge gaps among Congolese physicians regarding thyroid cancer management, especially about advanced treatment modalities and molecular genetics. Targeted educational programs and improved access to diagnostic tools are critical to bridging these deficits. Addressing these gaps can enhance the quality of thyroid cancer care and align clinical practices in the DRC with global standards.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.