Cancer metastasis: trail of the crab - a review of the literature

No Abstract. Annals of Nigerian Medicine Vol. 1(1) 2005: 5-

Uterine leiomyomata: a five year clinicopathological review in Zaria, Nigeria

Background: Uterine Leiomyomata (uterine fibroids) are common gynaecologic conditions affecting mainly women in the reproductive age group. Fibroids are associated with many other distressing gynaecologic conditions like menorrhagia, infertility, lower abdominal swelling and discomfort. Methods: This is a retrospective clinicopathological analysis uterine leiomyomata a five-year period (1996 – 2000). The information required was retrieved from histology bench books and request cards. Results: 209 cases were analysed, 62.7% from myomectomy 37.3% following hysterectomy. Younger patients opted for myomectomy possibly in other to allow them complete their family sizes. Uterine fibroids were commoner in the third to fourth decade of life.The nulliparous women to had a higher incidence of uterine fibroid (60.6%) in 71 cases analysed whose parity were known. Lower abdominal swelling is the commonest presenting complaint (48.8%), followed by menorrhagia and infertility accounting for 35.4% and 30.6% respectively. Hyaline degeneration was the commonest degenerative change observed (57.9%). Three cases (1.4%) had necrosis. Nineteen cases were observed to be associated with other co-existing lesions, of which 52.6% occur with fibroid polyps. Adenomyosis accounted for 36.8% and one case each of metastatic carcinoma and interligamentary fibroids. Adequate clinical information and brief surgical procedure on request cards were lacking in most cases. Conclusion: Uterine fibroids are common conditions affecting women in their reproductive age group, which corresponds with economically viable age group. This condition is associated with significant morbity and attention needs to be focused on it. Keywords: uterine fibroids, parity, gynaecologic Nigerian Journal of Surgical Research Vol. 7(1&2) 2005: 206-20

Head and neck cancers: An histopathologic review of cases seen in three Tertiary Hospitals in Northwestern Nigeria

Context: Head and neck cancers (HNCs) display variable biological and geographical variations even within the same country. Aims: This study aims to determine the histopathologic pattern of HNCs in three Northwestern states of Kebbi, Sokoto, and Zamfara in Nigeria. Settings and Design: This was an hospital-based descriptive retrospective study carried out at Federal Medical Centre, Birnin Kebbi; Federal Medical Centre, Gusau; and Usmanu Danfodio Teaching Hospital, Sokoto. Subjects and Methods: Medical and histopathologic records of all HNCs seen at these centers between January 2006 and December 2013, were reviewed, and data on time of presentation, sociodemographic, anatomic site, and histology were collected and analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (version 20) (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA) statistical software. Quantitative data were summarized using simple descriptive statistics of means and standard deviation (SD). Chi-square tests were used to analyze the nonparametric variables. Statistical significance was inferred at P ≤ 0.05. Results: Three hundred and eighty-one malignant HNCs were seen over a period of 8 years with an annual frequency of 47 cases. There was a male to female ratio of 1.2:1, and the mean age was 39.5 ± 19.2 (±SD). About 70.3% of cases were carcinomas, 15.0% were sarcomas, and 8.7% were lymphomas. Squamous cell carcinoma (34.9%) was the highest carcinomas while non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (6.6%) and rhabdomyosarcoma (4.2%) were the most common lymphomas and sarcomas observed, respectively. The most common sites were those of the lips, oral cavity, and pharynx International Statistical Classification of Diseases-10 (C00–C14). Conclusions: This present study demonstrates the rising trend of HNCs in these regions and highlights the urgent need for adoption of grass root policies that would incorporate public participation especially those under 40 years, in the awareness on the harmful use of carcinogenic substances such as tobacco and alcohol and dangerous sexual habits. There should also be concerted promotion of targeted preventive strategies, early screening, treatment, support, and lifelong rehabilitation

The role of hospital-based cancer registries in low and middle income countries-The Nigerian Case Study.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of cancer continues to rise all over the world and current projections show that there will be 1.27 million new cases and almost 1 million deaths by 2030. In view of the rising incidence of cancer in sub-Saharan Africa, urgent steps are needed to guide appropriate policy, health sector investment and resource allocation. We posit that hospital based cancer registries (HBCR) are fundamental sources of information on the frequent cancer sites in limited resource regions where population level data is often unavailable. In regions where population based cancer registries are not in existence, HBCR are beneficial for policy and planning. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Nineteen of twenty-one cancer registries in Nigeria met the definition of HBCR, and from these registries, we requested data on cancer cases recorded from January 2009 to December 2010. 16 of the 19 registries (84%) responded. Data on year hospital was established; year cancer registry was established, no. of pathologists and types of oncology services available in each tertiary health facility were shown. Analysis of relative frequency of cancers in each HBCR, the basis of diagnosis recorded in the HBCR and the total number of cases recorded by gender was carried out. RESULTS: The total number of cancers registered in these 11 hospital based cancer registries in 2009 and 2010 was 6484. The number of new cancer cases recorded annually in these hospital based cancer registries on average was 117 cases in males and I77 cases in females. Breast and cervical cancer were the most common cancers seen in women while prostate cancer was the commonest among men seen in these tertiary hospitals. CONCLUSION: Information provided by HBCR is beneficial and can be utilized for the improvement of cancer care delivery systems in low and middle income countries where there are no population based cancer registries