[Epidemiology and clinical features of patients with breast cancers hospitalized in the Department of Oncology in Fianarantsoa, Madagascar from 2011 to 2018]. / Aspects épidémio-cliniques des cancers du sein au Service d´Oncologie de Fianarantsoa, Madagascar de 2011 à 2018.

INTRODUCTION: we conducted the first epidemiological study of patients with breast cancers living in Fianarantsoa. The purpose of this study was to describe the epidemiology and clinical features of these patients in the Department of Oncology Fianarantsoa. METHODS: we conducted a retrospective and descriptive study in the Department of Oncology at the University Hospital Center of Tambohobe over a period of 8 years (2011-2018). All patients with breast cancer diagnosed based on cytological and/or histological examination were included. The parameters studied were: age, occupation, a family history of breast cancer, menarche, menopause, parity, use of oral contraceptives, smoking, circumstances leading to detection, breast symptoms, signs of locoregional and distant spread, tumour site and stage of the disease. RESULTS: the study included 62 patients with an average age of 52.83 ± 10.47 years. Housewives accounted for 39% (n = 24) of cases. No patient had an early menarche. Late menopause had occurred in 6.45% (n = 4) of patients and a family history of breast cancer was found in 8.06% (n = 5) of patients. Chewing tobacco was used by 17.74% (n = 11) of patients. Patients reporting breast symptoms accounted for 95.2% (n = 59). Breast cancers had affected the upper outer quadrant in 53.23% (n = 33) of cases. Stage III breast cancer was diagnosed in 55% (n = 34) of cases and stage IV in 32% (n = 20) of cases. CONCLUSION: in patients diagnosed with cancer at an advanced stage, risk factors for breast cancer were little observed.

ABO blood group in Malagasy patients with cancer: which group predominates?

The blood group of Malagasy patients with cancer have never been the subject of previous publications. Our objective was to determine the blood group of Malagasy patients with cancer followed in the Medical Oncology Unit of the Soavinandriana Teaching Hospital, Antananarivo. This was a one-year retrospective study (November 2012 to October 2013) in patients over the age of 15 with histological or pathological evidence of their cancer. One hundred and thirty of the 258 patients identified had an ABO blood group determination (50.39%). Among these 130 patients, 114 patients (87.69%) had solid tumors and 16 patients (12.31%) had hematologic malignancies. Thirty seven (28.49%) patients were transfused and 93 (71.54%) not transfused. There were 57 men and 73 women (sex ratio = 0.78), the average age was 55.11 +/- 14.76 years. With regard to their blood group, 52 patients (40%) were blood group B, 44 (33.84%) group O, 27 (20.76%) group A and 7 (5.38%) group AB. The order of blood group frequency of cancer patients in our series differs from other studies. This study has allowed us to know the proportion of each blood group in our Unit and thus help us in the management of stocks of labile blood products in our hospital.

[Thymic neuroendocrine tumor: about a case and review of the literature]. / Carcinome neuroendocrine thymique: à propos d'un cas et revue de la littérature.

Thymic neuroendocrine tumors (TNET) are rare, with little-known prognosis. This study aims to report a case of TNET and to highlight the diagnostic and therapeutic difficulties in low-resource settings. A 60-year-old man presented with chest pain, greasy cough and recent weight loss. Chest CT scan showed anterior mediastinal tissue mass. Histologic evaluation of a 4 months-biopsy specimen obtained from anterior mediastinotomy showed a well differentiated TNET, labeled intensely positive for chromogranin and synaptophysin. The search for other neuroendocrine tumors and the extent of extension were negative. The tumor was immediately inextricable and radiation therapy was unavailable. The patient underwent two lines of first line chemotherapy. At 16 months follow-up, the patient was asymptomatic but showed tumor progression. The diagnosis of TNET may be delayed when immunohistochemistry is not routinely performed. Chemotherapy is associated with symptoms improvement in palliative care situation.

First results of hormone receptors' status in Malagasy women with invasive breast cancer.

INTRODUCTION: Breast cancer is the most common malignancy tumor amongst Malagasy women registered at the pathology unit of the "Institut Pasteur de Madagascar". In Madagascar, there is no laboratory practicing hormone receptors' status on these tumors. Until now no study about hormone receptors' status of Malagasy women with invasive breast cancer was performed. So it will be the first study talking about this topic. The aim of this study was to determine hormone receptors' status in Malagasy women with invasive breast cancer. METHODS: This retrospective and descriptive study was based on patients' medical files from 2009 to 2011. It included all invasive breast cancer diagnosed in Malagasy women at the pathology laboratory located at the "Institut Pasteur de Madagascar", in Antananarivo. Along this period this laboratory has sent paraffin blocks of invasive breast carcinoma in two pathological laboratories in France. RESULTS: We collected 77 cases of invasive breast cancer along this period. The mean age was 48.8 +/- 10.7, ranging from 26 years to 70 years. There were 46.8 % (n = 36) women with progesterone receptor positive (PR+), 53.2 % (n = 41) with progesterone receptor negative (PR-). For the estrogen receptor, 61.0 % (n = 47) were positive and 36.4 % (n = 28) were negative. ER+/PR+ represented 44.2 % (n = 34); ER-/PR- 33.8 % (n = 26); ER +/ PR- 16.8 % (n = 13); ER-/PR+ and ER-/PR- represented respectively 2.6 % (n = 2). CONCLUSION: Patients in our study had more important rate of ER-, PR- and a less important rate of ER+/PR+, PR+. These results suggest that more study related to Hormone Receptor profile should be conducted in Malagasy women with breast cancer.