Abstract : Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women. The number of breast cancer survivors has increased due to screening and improved treatment methods, which makes it important to increase knowledge on their health and well-being. Physical activity has been reported to improve quality of life, decrease fatigue and reduce all-cause and breast cancer-specific mortality in breast cancer survivors. In physically active subjects, the risk reduction averaged 25–30%. Breast cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed types of cancer in women. Its pathogenesis involves genetic, hormonal, and environmental factors6. A large body of evidence indicates that physical activity has positive effects on every aspect of breast cancer evolution, including prevention, medical treatment, and aftercare clinical settings. Thus, different types of exercise can influence the prevention and progression of the disease through several common mechanisms, such as reduction of insulin resistance and improvement of immunity and cardiovascular function. Furthermore, acute and chronic symptoms of breast cancer, such as cachexia, muscle mass loss, fatigue, cardiotoxicity, weight gain, hormone alterations, bone loss, and psychological adverse effects, may all be favorably influenced by regular exercise.7 The potential role of exercise in reducing the intensity of the adverse effects that result from breast cancer and anticancer treatment is also discussed1. According to published data, 30–60 min of exercise per day at a moderate intensity is regarded as the optimal duration. Furthermore, physical activity plays an important role in the therapy of breast cancer, not only after finishing but already during treatment. The beneficial effects of physical activity may manifest themselves in circulating levels of insulin, insulin-growth factors (IGFs) I and II and their binding proteins (IGFBPs), or inflammatory biomarkers. The aim of this report was to review available randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the effects of physical activity on biomarkers in breast cancer survivors. Five RCTs reported statistically significant effects of physical activity on insulin, IGF-I, IGF-II and IGFBP-3 in breast cancer survivors, but the results were not consistent. None of four RCTs found any evidence for a role of investigated interleukins. One trial reported some evidence that exercise may decrease C-reactive protein levels. In conclusion, available RCTs have produced some evidence that physical activity may result in beneficial changes in levels of insulin, IGFs, IGFBPs, and inflammatory biomarkers in breast cancer survivors. However, further larger RCTs on physical activity and biomarkers in breast cancer survivors are warranted.

Keyword : Physical activity, Intervention, Breast cancer survivors, Insulin, Insulin-growth factors, Inflammation

Abstract : Genome editing (also called gene editing) is a group of technologies that give scientists the ability to change an organism's DNA. These technologies allow genetic material to be added, removed, or altered at particular locations in the genome. Several approaches to genome editing have been developed. A recent one is known as CRISPR-Cas9, which is short for clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats and CRISPR-associated protein 9. The CRISPR-Cas9 system has generated a lot of excitement in the scientific community because it is faster, cheaper, more accurate, and more efficient than other existing genome editing methods. Genome editing is of great interest in the prevention and treatment of human diseases. Currently, most research on genome editing is done to understand diseases using cells and animal models. Scientists are still working to determine whether this approach is safe and effective for use in people. It is being explored in research on a wide variety of diseases, including single-gene disorders such as cystic fibrosis, hemophilia, and sickle cell disease. It also holds promise for the treatment and prevention of more complex diseases, such as cancer, heart disease, mental illness, and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. This paper throws light on this technology.

Keyword : CRISPR, DNA sequence, genome editing, gene therapy, immune system.

Abstract : The lack of knowledge of cervical cancer and its risk factors have led to the late detection and poor prognosis of cervical cancer among women, especially in West Africa. This study seeks to assess the awareness, knowledge and the risk factors associated with cervical cancer among female Senior High School (SHS) students in the Tamale metropolis. A structured questionnaire was administered by the researchers to a total of 330 female students of four randomly selected SHSs in the Tamale Metropolis, Ghana. The questionnaire assessed students’ knowledge and awareness of cervical cancer and its risk factors; it also gathered the demographic factors of the students. Approximately 79.1% (P<0.001) of the students had ever heard of cervical cancer, 31.7% had knowledge about the signs and symptoms of the condition and only 24.6% were aware of the risk factors of cervical cancer. Teachers were the major source of information about cervical cancer for these students. Approximately, 37.9% (P<0.001) of the respondents identified cervical cancer as a sexually transmitted infection. The majority (79.1%; P<0.001) of the respondents knew that cervical cancer was a preventable condition. A little over half of the students (53.9%) were aware of cervical cancer screening methods but only 2.4% (P<0.001) of the total respondents had ever been screened for cervical cancer. This study clearly shows the need to improve sexually active women’s knowledge of cervical cancer risk factors, its signs and symptoms and preventive measures as well as how to assess available screening programme.

Keyword : Cervical cancer, risk factors, female students, Senior High School, Tamale, Northern Region