[Kidney tumors in Africa. Incidence and anatomo-clinical aspects. Apropos of 123 observed cases at the Central Hospital and at the University Hospital Center in Cameroon]. / Les tumeurs du rein en milieu africain. Incidence et aspects anatomo-cliniques. A propos de 123 cas observés à l'Hôpital Central et au C.H.U. de Yaoundé (Cameroun).

123 renal tumours, among which 4 benign, were observed in 13 years. Renal tumours have a low incidence in Africa and are mostly seen in young patients. Nephroblastoma is the most frequent of these tumours. The clinical and paraclinical aspects of these tumours have nothing particular but the diagnosis is usually late.

[Diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma by needle puncture--aspiration and cytological test. The experience in Cameroon]. / Diagnostic du carcinome hépato-cellulaire par ponction-aspiration à l'aiguille et examen cytologique. L'expérience du Cameroun.

The authors report their experience of the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma using needle aspiration cytology over a four year period (1989-1992). In 116 of the 119 patients presenting with histologically proven hepatocellular carcinoma, the diagnosis was previously established by cytology. This method has a 97% sensitivity. Also, in forty patients without hepatocellular carcinoma, previous cytology did not detect any carcinomatous cells and therefore recorded a 100% specificity. Thus, cytologic diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma is possible. In countries with limited resources in which this carcinoma is widespread, needle aspiration cytology needs to be well known and used.

[Current epidemiology of cancers in Cameroon (Central Africa)]. / Epidémiologie actuelle des cancers au Cameroun (Afrique Centrale).

From 1986 to 1991, about 1,000 cases of cancers were diagnosed histologically every year in Cameroon. During this period, investigations showed that only 1 cancer out of 10 is diagnosed histologically. Thus, nearly 10,000 new cases of cancers are expected yearly in Cameroon where a population of 12,000,000 inhabitants is found leading to an incidence of about 100/100,000. Forty-nine percent of patients are female and 51% males. Twelve per cent of patients are less than 20 years old and 60% are between 40 and 70 years. Liver cancer is at the top of the list of cancers, representing 20%, followed by skin cancer (15%), breast cancer (11%) and cancer of the cervix (11%). For men, liver cancer is the most frequent, while cancers of the breast and uterine cervix predominate in women.

[Lymph node tuberculosis in Cameroon: clinical and anatomo-pathologic aspects; apropos of 333 cases]. / Tuberculose ganglionnaire au Cameroun: aspects cliniques et anatomo-pathologiques; a propos de 333 cas.

For a period of 11 years and 7 months (1st January 78-31 July 89), 1950 lymph nodes were received in the pathology laboratory of Cameroon. 333 of these, that is 17% revealed typical lesions of tuberculosis. Analysing the information associated to these tuberculoid adenitis revealed that: 46% of the patients were less than 10 years of age; 83.8% of the specimens were taken from the cervical region. 78% of patients had fever, cough was complained of by 56% and 40% had polyadenopathies. Finally, 81% of the tuberculoid lymph nodes analyzed had a diameter less than 5cm while only 33% showed acid fast bacilli on direct examination (Ziehl-Neelsen staining method) on the histologic slides.

[Hodgkin's disease: epidemiological and anatomopathological aspects]. / Maladie de Hodgkin au Cameroun: aspects épidémiologiques et anatomo-pathologiques.

Only seventy cases of Hodgkin's disease were reported in Cameroon over a twelve-year period (1979-1989), which represents about six cases a year. Hodgkin's disease therefore seems to be rare in Cameroon where it will be useful to follow its epidemiological course. At the present time, 81.5% of patients are male and children aged 10 to 19 are mostly affected. Type I (lymphocytic predominance) is the more frequent, representing 40% of cases. Biopsy leading to the diagnosis is mainly performed on cervical lymph nodes (58% of cases).

[Laryngeal papillomatosis in Cameroon (Central Africa). Anatomical aspects]. / Papillomatose laryngée au Cameroun (Afrique Centrale). Aspects anatomo-cliniques.

52 cases of laryngeal papillomatosis are found in Cameroun during a 6 1/2 year period (1st January 84-30th June 90). The 52 patients are 27 men and 25 women aged 10 months to 65 years. 40 patients (77%) are less than 15 years and present with the juvenile form of laryngeal papillomatosis. Clinically, all the patients have dysphonia and 30% of them complain of dyspnoea. Less frequent symptoms are cough, foreign body sensation in the throat, dysphagia. Endoscopic and histologic aspects of the disease are those classically described.

[Anatomopathological aspects of colorectal polyps in Cameroon]. / Aspects anatomopathologiques des polypes colorectaux au Cameroun.

In order to present the main types of colo-rectal polyps in Cameroon, we reviewed all those cases received and examined in our Pathology laboratories during a six and a half year period (1st January 1984-30th June 1990). The polyps were sent by gastro-enterologists after resection during total colonoscopy, with information about age and sex of patients, signs and symptoms and sites and number of polyps. One hundred and two colorectal polyps were taken from 88 patients with a maximum of two polyps per patient. Out of these 102 polyps, we noted: 55 juvenile polyps (54%), 23 hyperplastic polyps (22.5%), 13 adenomatous polyps (12.5%), 10 inflammatory polyps (10%) and one polyp of the Peutz-Jeghers type. One case of hyperplastic polyposis and one of familial polyposis with adenomas on histological examination were registered. On the whole, juvenile polyps predominated and adenomas which can become carcinomas were less frequent than what is seen in Western developed countries. This may be due to the fact that the polyps we examined were only taken only from patients seen in outpatient department for gastrointestinal complaints.

[Congenital malformations in Cameroon. Anencephaly: analysis of cases seen at the University Hospital Centre of Yaoundé]. / Malformations congénitales au Cameroun. L'anencephalie: analyse de cas observés au Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Yaoundé.

4 anencephalics were observed at the maternity unit of the University Hospital Centre of Yaoundé in 20 months, between November 1, 1986 and June 30, 1988. 3 were male while the fourth was female. 3 of the 4 presented with hydramnios and intra-uterine death and the fourth by intra-uterine death alone. In all the 4 cases, echography showed the abnormality. Expulsion was spontaneous in one case but induced by perfusion of oxytocin in the other 3 cases. In none of the cases was there exposure to x-rays at the beginning of the pregnancy.