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Background: The Saudi Cancer Registry reported in 2007 the 5-year observed survival for the most common cancer sites for the years 1994-2004. In this report we looked at the cancer survival in the period 2005-2009 and evaluated the trend over the 15 years period from 1994-2009. Methods: Cases of the top 14 cancer sites reported by the population based Saudi Cancer Registry from 1 January 2005 to December 31, 2009 were submitted for survival analysis. The vital status of those patients was collected on 28 August 2019 with the above date considered the censoring date for those who were alive. Only those with complete demographic data had survival vital status reported. Survival curves were established for the commonest cancers and 5-year survival was calculated. Analysis of survival for the above period was compared with the prior reported 2 periods (1994-1999, 2000-2004). In addition, analysis was done according to age, sex, disease stage and the province. Findings: 25,969 patients of the commonest cancer sites were reported between 1 January 2005 and 31 December 2009. Of those 14,146 (54%) had complete demographic data available and vital status was reported. The observed 5-year survival for the 14,146 patients analyzed was 66%. Thyroid cancer had the highest 5- year observed survival of (94%, standard Error (SE) 0.0062), followed by Breast (72%, SE 0.0085). In hematological malignancies, Hodgkin’s Lymphoma had the highest 5-year survival of (86%, SE 0.0116), followed by leukemia (67%, SE 0.0121). Survival rates has improved in most of the cancers for the studies period except for lung, uterine and Hodgkin’s lymphoma which plateaued. Females have shown in general better survival than males. Interpretation: Our study confirms a steady improvement in the 5-year observed survival over time for the majority of cancers. Our survival data were comparable to western countries. This data should be used by policy makers to improve on cancer care in the kingdom. Funding: None Declaration of Interest: None to declare. Ethical Approval: The study was approved by the institutional review board at King Abdulaziz University Hospital.

The analysis of the Jebel Hallouf-Sidi Bouaouane mining-district soil has shown that the surface horizons are strongly contaminated by heavy metals, especially during floods or in lee-side areas. The contents of metallic-trace elements (MTE), in the soil and two cultivated plant species, have been determined by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Atomic Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-AES). The results show that the concentration of metals in the soil are up to 39 g. kg-1, 6.3 g. kg-1, 56 mg. kg-1 and 131 mg. kg-1, for lead (Pb), zinc (Zn), cadmium (Cd) and copper (Cu), respectively. The chemical analysis of plants: broad beans [Vicia faba (L.)] and barley [Hordeum vulgare (L.)], sampled inside the mining district, show that the roots and the upper part (leaves and stem) are enriched for Pb (up to 508 and 220 mg.kg-1, respectively), Cd (up to 8 and 5 mg.kg-1, respectively), and Zn (up to 491 and 468 mg.kg-1, respectively) when compared with similar species collected far from the contaminated site (up to 9.6 and 0.8 mg.kg-1 for Pb, up to 0.04 and 0.04 mg.kg-1 for Cd, up to 44 and 15 mg.kg-1 for Zn, respectively). Statistically, the concentration of MTE in the soils and plants of the mining area is significantly different from the concentrations of the same elements in the soils and plants of the control ones (p < 0.01). This is expressed by a strong Enrichment Coefficient (EC), which is given by the ratio between the concentration of the metal in the contaminated plant and the concentration of the same element in the similar control one. The results (up to 405, 342 and 32, respectively), indicate that the contamination has reached the first link of the food chain. However, the calculation of the translocation factor (TF), deduced from the ratio between the concentration of the metal in the outer part of the plant and the concentration of the same element in the roots, shows that, the broad beans accumulates metals in the roots (TF < 1); whereas for barley, metals are fairly distributed between the roots and the outer part (TF ≈ 1). These results suggest that the cultivated areas inside the mining district constitute a serious source of contamination of the food chain. Therefore, actions have to be taken in order to remedy this problem.Key words: MTE, contamination, transfer, soil, plant.

International audience; The tomato fruitworm, Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner), is a major pest in processing tomato crops in Tunisia. The dynamics of fruitworm populations in the field is important in order to enhance the efficiency of insecticides. Seasonal activity was studied by sampling methods on foliage and by pheromone traps over a three year period. Two traps were located within each tomato crop in the Tunisian regions: Korba and Manouba. Weekly catch data showed that moths were active from late May to early November and the maximum trap catch occurred in July. Egg and larval populations were also counted on a weekly basis on 30 sampled leaves. The greatest number of eggs and larval stages were observed in July which coincides with the maximum moth activity. These observations allowed us to realize the control assay in late June. Two chemicals, methomyl and endosulfan, along with two biological insecticides, Bacillus thuringiensis and Melia azedarach suspension were used. Spraying application started when catch traps reached 5 moths/day/trap. Results of the two years experience showed that applications of both B. thuringiensis and M. azedarach suspension reduced pest populations and were comparable to methomyl, the chemical standard. This is a promising result for use of biological control agents in tomato crop protection.