Journal of Cancer and Tumor International

Aims: In this study, we compared the results of laparoscopic distal pancreatic surgery performed in the classical supine position and lateral decubitus position.

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Place and Duration of Study: The files of 12 patients who underwent laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy in the General Surgery Clinic of our hospital between January 2017 and June 2020 were found by scanning the electronic file system of the hospital.

Methodology: Patients who underwent open surgery and whose data were not available, who had distant metastases, had a history of surgery due to other malignancies and those younger than 18 years were excluded from the study. All data were collected by the data collection assistant who was a general surgery and surgical oncology specialist. Clinicopathological records, inpatient treatment epicrisis, radiological examination reports, pathology reports and demographic information of the patients were reviewed.

Results: LDP was applied to 9 (75%) patients and LDP + splenectomy procedure was applied to 3 (25%) patients. Postoperative complications were seen in 2 (12.6%) patients. The average operation time was 199.58 minutes. The amount of perioperative bleeding was 111.25 ml. The average length of stay in the hospital is 5.83 ± 0.6 days. All of the patients are alive and the mean survival time is 16.91 ± 2.38 months, with no recurrence.

Conclusion: We think that LP provides a significant advantage to the surgeon, since it provides a better viewing angle and facilitates colon mobilization and stomach retraction. This argument can be supported by more patient numbers and studies.

Due to the lack of hospitals with adequate technical platform on one hand, and high diagnostic costs that cannot be afforded most of the population, the incidence of prostate cancer in Cameroon has increased and has great impact on people’s health.

Aim: This work was undertaken with the objective to determine the impact of prostate cancer on erectile dysfunction and how to manage it.

Methodology: Sampling of the population was done in a comprehensive and non-probabilistic manner at the Urology Department of Ngaoundere Islamic Hospital, Ngaoundere, Cameroon, between June 2018 and November 2019. Of the 75 patients received, 50 of them participated in this study. Biopsies were taken from these patients to determine and confirm the form and stage of cancer followed by PSA assays. After the diagnosis was revealed, the testosterone assay was carried out in order to evaluate erectile functioning in the patients who equally completed a survey form made available to them in order to get an idea of their health history, the type of treatment followed and their lifestyle.

Results: The mean age of the patients was 67 years, with a predominance in the 60-70 age range. 85% of the patients had a Gleason score greater than or equal to 8. Of these patients, 42% had low testosterone levels (< 2.3 ng/mL), resulting to lack of morning erection (66.6%), loss of sexual desire (43.9%), difficulty having a spontaneous erection (88%). On the other hand, erectile dysfunction was revealed in the prostate cancer patients with low testosterone levels, with a history of hypertention (16.6%), diabetes (28.5%) alcohol consumption (44%), tobacco smoking (41%) and having undergone as prostate cancer treatment involving transurethral resection of the prostate (80%) and orchiectomy (20%).

Conclusion: The major cause of erectile dysfunction observed in patients suffering from prostate cancer in Northen Cameroon can be attributed to the evolution of the disease, as well as the health history of the patients (diabetes, hypertension).

Aim: This study was conducted to assess the safety and efficacy of postoperative hypofractionated radiotherapy (HRT) using simultaneous integrated boost (SIB) technique for glioblastoma (GBM) compared to conventional radiotherapy (CRT).

Study Design: This was a prospective study with historical control arm.

Place and Duration of the Study: Department of Clinical Oncology and Nuclear Medicine, Mansoura University Hospital, Mansoura, Egypt, between May 2017 and June 2019.

Methods: The intervention (HRT) group included 30 patients who received 3D conformal HRT with SIB using field in field (FIF) technique to deliver a differential radiation dose to different targets. Planning target volume 60 (PTV60) includes the gross target volume (GTV) plus a 5-mm margin, and PTV45 includes the GTV plus a 15-mm margin. PTV60 will receive 60 Gy in 20 fractions, and PTV45 will receive 45 Gy in the same 20 fractions (one fraction daily and 5 days per week).The CRT group included 30 patients who received 3D conformal CRT with total dose 60 Gy in 2-Gy fractions delivered over 6 weeks. Both groups was planned to receive concurrent and adjuvant temozolamide.

Results: The median PFS was 10 months in both groups. The median OS was 13 months in HRT group versus 12 months in CRT group which is statistically non significant. The toxicities were mild and acceptable. Performance status and adjuvant temozolamide were significant predictors that affect the overall survival.

Conclusions: HRT with SIB using 3D conformal RTH with (FIF) technique in patients with GBM is a feasible and safe treatment and its results is comparable to the conventional radiotherapy.

Aims: Metastasis to axillary lymph nodes is an important prognostic factor in carcinoma breast patients, with implications on overall survival and progression-free survival. To evaluate the accuracy of pre-operative clinical palpation and USG axilla in patients with carcinoma breast, using histopathology as the gold standard.

Study Design: Cross-sectional observational study.

Place and Duration of Study: This was a retrospective study, carried out at Cancer Research Institute, SRHU, India, between January 2015 and December 2018.

Methodology: Data was collected from Case records and Hospital Information System for patients having undergone surgery for breast cancer. Pre-treatment clinical, ultrasound axilla, and final histopathology details were recorded. Taking histopathology as the gold standard test, diagnostic accuracy of clinical palpation and ultrasound axilla was calculated.

Results: 256 patients were enrolled in the study. Clinically, 70.7% of patients were T1/T2 stage, 53.9% were node-positive, on USG axilla 59% had abnormal nodes, pathologically 53.52% had nodal metastasis. The sensitivity, specificity for clinical palpation was 77.86% and 75%, for USG was 90.71% and 79.31%. Sensitivity and specificity of USG in c T1/2 was 88.64% and 80.21%; in c T3/4 94.23% and 65.22%; in c N negative 87% and 72.16%; in c N positive 91.74% and 75.86%.

Conclusion: The diagnostic accuracy of clinical palpation of axilla alone was low; Ultrasound axilla had high sensitivity but low specificity across all T stages of breast tumor. The ultrasound had a high negative predictive value in clinically non-palpable nodes and a high positive predictive value in clinically palpable nodes.

6 million sexually active women are at risk of developing cervical cancer in Cameroon. About 2000 cases are reported annually with 55% of them being fatal.  The fight against this disease is hampered by both poor material and human resources. Methods of prevention are divided into primary, secondary, and tertiary. Vaccination is one of the primary methods of prevention of cervical cancer. Despite the avoidable nature of this disease, there is a growing hesitancy in society to allow girls to be vaccinated. 

The objective of this study is to find out the characteristics of parents who allow their daughter(s ) to be vaccinated, despite the negative growing opinion about vaccination.

Sensitization on the importance of prevention of cervical cancer by the public authorities, financial empowerment of women, and level of education seem crucial to increase the uptake of vaccination against the Human Papilloma Virus.