Predictive model for survival in patients with gastric cancer

Background and aim: Gastric cancer is one of the most prevalent cancers in the world. Characterized by poor prognosis, it is a frequent cause of cancer in Iran. The aim of the study was to design a predictive model of survival time for patients suffering from gastric cancer. Methods: This was a historical cohort conducted between 2011 and 2016. Study population were 277 patients suffering from gastric cancer. Data were gathered from the Iranian Cancer Registry and the laboratory of Emam Reza Hospital in Mashhad, Iran. Patients or their relatives underwent interviews where it was needed. Missing values were imputed by data mining techniques. Fifteen factors were analyzed. Survival was addressed as a dependent variable. Then, the predictive model was designed by combining both genetic algorithm and logistic regression. Matlab 2014 software was used to combine them. Results: Of the 277 patients, only survival of 80 patients was available whose data were used for designing the predictive model. Mean ± SD of missing values for each patient was 4.43±1.41 combined predictive model achieved 72.57% accuracy. Sex, birth year, age at diagnosis time, age at diagnosis time of patients’ family, family history of gastric cancer, and family history of other gastrointestinal cancers were six parameters associated with patient survival. Conclusion: The study revealed that imputing missing values by data mining techniques have a good accuracy. And it also revealed six parameters extracted by genetic algorithm effect on the survival of patients with gastric cancer. Our combined predictive model, with a good accuracy, is appropriate to forecast the survival of patients suffering from Gastric cancer. So, we suggest policy makers and specialists to apply it for prediction of patients’ survival

Evaluation of Community Pharmacists’ Knowledge, Attitude and Practice towards Good Pharmacy Practice in Iran.

Background: The principles of pharmaceutical care are embedded in the concept of Good Pharmacy Practice (GPP). GPP is poorly applied in community pharmacies not only in Asian countries, but even in United States and Europe. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the knowledge, attitude and practice of the community pharmacists in Iran, regarding GPP. Methods: A total of 794 pharmacists were evaluated with a reliable and validated KAP (Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice) questionnaire regarding GPP in September 2008. Results: The most important finding in the present study was the pharmacists’ low knowledge (Mean= 13.42) and practice (Mean= 29.85) level about GPP, while their attitude towards this subject was at a high level (Mean= 74.83). Increase in their knowledge of good pharmacy practice aligned with an increase in their attitudes towards this issue. Also increase in our pharmacists’ knowledge and attitude aligned with an increase in quality of their practice. Conclusion: The  current  practice  of  Iranian  community  pharmacists  needs  further improvement. National pharmaceutical organizations should organize educational programs for the community pharmacists to equip them for their main role in communitypractice: promoting rational drug use