The Yield from Routine Chest X-Rays in Stage 3 Breast Cancer Patients

Context: Cancer of the breast is a common malignancy in Nigerian women and various imaging examinations, including the chest radiograph are routinely requested in all patients with this disease.Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the positive yield from routine chest radiographs in Nigerian patients with locally advanced stage 3 breast cancers but who had no clinical symptoms or signs of pulmonary or pleural metastatic disease. Methods: This descriptive retrospective study evaluated clinical records and chest radiographs of 61 female Nigerian patients with local stage 3 histologically diagnosed breast cancers, who presented at the radiotherapy unit of the University College hospital, Ibadan, over a 12-month period. Allabnormalities on the chest radiographs were documented.Results: The ages of the study group ranged from 25 to 67 years with a mean of 47years. Fortyseven (77%) of the patients had normal chest radiographs. Of the 14 abnormal radiographs, bilateral lung parenchymal metastases were seen in 4 cases one of whom also had bilateralpleural effusion. Other abnormal findings included hilar adenopathy, right lower lobe collapse, lymphagitis carcinomatosis and cardiomegaly.Conclusion: The authors conclude that a 23% detection rate from these screening chest radiographs is high and should be recommended as over 70% of Nigerian Patients with breast cancers present with advanced tumors

OUTCOME OF CHEMORADIATION IN THE MANAGEMENT OF A NIGERIAN CHILD WITH MAXILLARY NEUROBLASTOMA

Abstract Neuroblastoma is the most common of the extracranial solid tumours of childhood and infancy, we present the report of a patient diagnosed with Neuroblastoma of the Maxillary antrum at 3 years of age, who is clinically stable and disease free twelve years post treatment

A COMPARISON OF WETLAND VALUATION PURPOSES IN LAGOS METROPOLIS AND THE NIGER DELTA, NIGERIA

Valuation assignments are carried out for various purposes usually determined by the client. Various studies showed that, in addition to the general purposes, wetland valuation could also be required for conservation, rating of oil installations and environmental restitution. The study compared wetland valuation purposes between Lagos Metropolis and the Niger Delta, Nigeria. A total of 163 copies questionnaire were retrieved from Lagos Metropolis while 72 were retrieved from the Niger Delta. In analysing the primary data collected, frequency tables and percentage were adopted. The study revealed that respondents perceived wetland as swampy land, marchland, poorly drained land and infested land. Also the study showed that wetland resources are majorly carried out for loan facilities (98.8%, RII = 4.15) and advice on sales (85.1%, RII = 3.49) in Lagos Metropolis while the prominent purposes for wetland valuation in the Niger Delta are compensation (94.4%, RII = 3.85), rating of oil installations (69.4%, RII = 3.76) and environmental restitution (66.7%, RII = 3.31). The study recommends that NIESV and ESVARBON should compel institutions offering Estate Management to include environmental valuation as a core course and also organise regular professional training/workshop for practicing Estate Surveyors and Valuers. Also, NIESV should incorporate environmental valuation in the curriculum for professional examinations

Percentage body fat in breast cancer patients at the University College Hospital, Ibadan: a case-control study

Background: Breast cancer is the most important female malignancy in terms of incidence and mortality in Nigeria and globally. This burden of breast cancer requires preventive efforts directed at modifiable risk factors especially within a population at risk. Percentage body fat has previously been found to be higher among breast cancer patients compared to matched controls in global studies.Objective: To investigate the association between percentage body fat and breast cancer in the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan.Methodology: The percentage body fat, estimated through two different techniques (bioelectric impedance assay and skin fold thickness), of 70 breast cancer patients and 71 age and gender matched controls were compared.Results: The cases of breast cancer had lower mean percentage body compared to their controls. However, the difference was only significant when estimated by skinfold thickness (SFT). There was an independent association between low percentage body fat (SFT) and breast cancer on multiple logistic regression with an OR of 0.921 (P < 0.005).Conclusion: The study indicated an independent significant association between low percentage body fat and breast cancer. This pattern is peculiar to our environment and is due to the advanced stages at which breast cancer patients present to the UCH, Ibadan. As such, there is a need for advocacy to encourage patients to present early. Furthermore, larger longitudinal or cohort studies need to be done in Nigeria to precisely define the relationship between percentage and breast cancer.Keywords: Risk factor, breast cancer, percentage body fat, anthropometr

Waist–Hip Ratio and Breast Cancer Risk in Urbanized Nigerian Women

Background: The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between waist–hip ratio and the risk of breast cancer in an urban Nigerian population. Methods: Between March 1998 and August 2000, we conducted a case–control study of hospital-based breast cancer patients (n = 234) and population-based controls (n = 273) using nurse interviewers in urban Southwestern Nigeria. Results: Multivariable logistic regression showed a significant association between the highest tertile of waist–hip ratio and the risk of breast cancer (odds ratio= 2.67, 95% confidence interval = 1.05–6.80) among postmenopausal women. No association was found in premenopausal women. Conclusion: The present study, the first in an indigenous African population, supports other studies that have shown a positive association between obesity and breast cancer risk among postmenopausal women

A search for pertinent factors in determining values of cemeteries in Nigeria

Notwithstanding the criticism by researchers in the usage of the conventional valuation models in valuing cemeteries, there has not been a conscious effort amongst researchers in determining a special valuation model for this special property. This work thereby understudied some selected cemeteries in Lagos State with respect to the pertinent factors that are considered in the allocation of the tomb in the cemeteries. Questionnaires were distributed to the managers of the cemeteries in the state and data gotten was analysed using descriptive statistics with advocacy for a box- cox transformation hedonic model guide in subsequent value determination. Further discussions were thereafter made on the implication for real estate research and valuation practice in the country

Parity and breastfeeding are protective against breast cancer in Nigerian women

As the relation between reproductive factors and breast cancer risk has not been systematically studied in indigenous women of sub-Saharan Africa, we examined this in a case–control study in Nigeria. In-person interviews were conducted using structured questionnaires to collect detailed reproductive history in 819 breast cancer cases and 569 community controls between 1998 and 2006. Logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Compared with women with menarcheal age <17 years, the adjusted OR for women with menarcheal age ⩾17 years was 0.72 (95% CI: 0.54–0.95, P=0.02). Parity was negatively associated with risk (P-trend=0.02) but age at first live birth was not significant (P=0.16). Importantly, breast cancer risk decreased by 7% for every 12 months of breastfeeding (P-trend=0.005). It is worth noting that the distribution of reproductive risk factors changed significantly from early to late birth cohorts in the direction of increasing breast cancer incidence. Our findings also highlight the heterogeneity of breast cancer aetiology across populations, and indicate the need for further studies among indigenous sub-Saharan women