Prostate cancer is the most common male malignancy in Morocco and a growing public health concern across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Despite a rising incidence, the majority of prostate cancer cases in Morocco and similar low- and middle-income settings continue to be diagnosed at advanced stages, contributing to poor survival outcomes and a disproportionately high mortality-to-incidence ratio compared with high-income countries. This mini-review examines the epidemiological burden of prostate cancer in Morocco, identifies the multilevel barriers contributing to late diagnosis, including the absence of organized screening programs, limited public awareness, healthcare system constraints, and socioeconomic factors, and discusses current national cancer control efforts and future perspectives for improving early detection.
M. A. Elafari, Mohamed Amine Zaki, A. Mamad et al.· SAS Journal of Medicine· 0 citations
Active surveillance (AS) has become the standard management strategy for low-risk localized prostate cancer in the general population because of its excellent long-term oncologic outcomes and its ability to reduce overtreatment [1,2]. However, its role in patients carrying a germline BRCA2 mutation remains uncertain. Indeed, BRCA2 is associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer, earlier onset, and more aggressive disease, with a higher risk of metastasis and poorer cancer-specific survival [1-3]. In this context, applying conventional AS criteria to this population raises a major question: does an apparently low-risk cancer in a BRCA2 carrier truly represent indolent disease, or a disease that may be underestimated at diagnosis? The 2024–2026 French CCAFU recommendations and the 2026 EAU guidelines acknowledge the unfavorable prognostic impact of BRCA2 while also emphasizing that no high-level evidence currently supports systematically excluding these patients from AS [1,2]. Available data mainly suggest an increased risk of reclassification in familial or hereditary settings, without definitive BRCA2-specific evidence [1,4]. As of 2026, AS may therefore be considered in highly selected patients, but only after rigorous initial characterization with multiparametric MRI and appropriate biopsy assessment, clear patient counseling, and intensified follow-up [1,2].
Y. Alaoui, O. Bentaleb, S. Lafdali et al.· Scholars Journal of Medical...· 0 citations