title: Ramadan Fasting and Patients with Cancer: State-of-the-Art and Future Prospects.
abstract: Ramadan fasting represents one of the five pillars of the Islam creed. Even though some subjects (among which patients) are exempted from observing this religious duty, they may be eager to share this particular moment of the year with their family and peers. However, there are no guidelines or standardized protocols that can help physicians to properly address the issue of patients with cancer fasting in Ramadan and correctly advising them. Moreover, in a more interconnected and globalized society, in which more and more Muslim patients live in the Western countries, this topic is of high interest also for the general practitioner. For this purpose, we carried out a systematic review on the subject. Our main findings are that (1) very few studies have been carried out, addressing this issue, (2) evidence concerning quality of life and compliance to treatment is contrasting and scarce, and (3) generally speaking, few patients ask their physicians whether they can safely fast or not. For these reasons, further research should be performed, given the relevance and importance of this topic.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences (DISSAL), School of Public Health, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy; Section of Psychiatry, Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health (DINOGMI), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Nicola Luigi
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Bragazzi
authors.affiliation: College of Arts and Sciences, Qatar University , Doha , Qatar.
authors.forename: Walid
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Briki
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire Etudes théologiques, Sciences Cognitives et Sociales, Faculty of Literature and Humanistic Studies, Sais, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University , Fez , Morocco.
authors.forename: Hicham
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Khabbache
authors.affiliation: Psychiatric Centre Ibn Alhassan, CHU Hassan II, Fez, Morocco; Clinical Neuroscience Laboratory, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, Fez, Morocco.
authors.forename: Ismail
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Rammouz
authors.affiliation: Athlete Health and Performance Research Centre, Aspetar, Qatar Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital , Doha , Qatar.
authors.forename: Karim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chamari
authors.affiliation: Emergency Department (Servizio di Emergenza Sanitaria Territoriale 118), Ospedale Maggiore della Carità , Novara , Italy.
authors.forename: Taned
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Demaj
authors.affiliation: University of Genoa , Genoa , Italy.
authors.forename: Tania Simona
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Re
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire Etudes théologiques, Sciences Cognitives et Sociales, Faculty of Literature and Humanistic Studies, Sais, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University , Fez , Morocco.
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zouhir
keywords: Ramadan fasting; cancer; drug compliance and adherence; quality of life; stomia