[An analysis of breast cancer treatment waiting times: Experience of a tertiary referral center in Morocco]. / Analyse des délais de traitement du cancer du sein : expérience d'un centre de référence tertiaire au Maroc.

Measuring waiting times is a good indicator of quality and performance of cancer care. However, no detailed evaluation of these deadlines has been carried out in Morocco. The aim of this study was to determine the waiting times of medical care of breast cancer in a national tertiary referral center. The study was carried out by retrospective analysis of 373 cases of patients randomly selected among the cases recruited during the year 2015. Twelve delays of the care pathway were evaluated. The mean age was of 50,7 years. The deadline of access to this center was 9±8days. The deadline of access to the diagnosis was 33.5±21.2 days. The deadlines of access to multidisciplinary team meeting pre-therapeutic was 20.4±16.9 days. The access to the first treatment was 51.1±34.3 days for the neoadjuvant chemotherapy and 75.5±34.8 days for surgery. The deadline of access to the postoperative therapeutic proposal was on average 49.2±25.2 days. The deadline of access to the postoperative chemotherapy was 83.7±28.8 days and 284±43.8 days for postoperative radiotherapy in case of adjuvant chemotherapy. The global deadline mammography-radiotherapy was 372±66.5 days. Many of our deadlines were long compared to international recommendations. The factors associated with these delays must be analyzed in order to introduce improvement measures to control these indicators.

[Evaluation of multidisciplinary team meeting; the example of gynecological mammary cancers in a tertiary referral center in Morocco]. / Évaluation des réunions de concertation pluridisciplinaire ; l'exemple des cancers gynéco-mammaires dans un centre de référence tertiaire au Maroc.

The multidisciplinary team meeting has become a standard medical practice in oncology. However, no evaluation of this activity was carried out in Morocco. The aim of this study was to evaluate the multidisciplinary team meeting of gynecological mammary cancers in a National Tertiary Referral Center. The study was carried out by retrospective analysis of 207 cases of patients randomly selected among the 1190 cases recruited during the year 2015. Completeness and quality criteria were evaluated. The global completeness rate of passage in multidisciplinary team meeting is 38%. According to the therapeutic specialities, the completeness of passage in multidisciplinary team meeting is 68% of surgery, 35% of medical oncology and 19% of radiotherapy. As far as localizations are concerned, the completeness of passage in multidisciplinary team meeting is 43% for the breast and only 19% for the cervix. A quorum was met 100% of the cases. In 96% of cases the treatment performed is in accordance with the decision of the multidisciplinary team meeting. Eighty-four percent of cases performed multidisciplinary team meeting within less than one month. This analysis shows that the completeness of the transition to multidisciplinary team meeting has not reached the 100% planned by our institution. However, the requirements for conducting the multidisciplinary team meeting were generally met. This study shows an organizational evolution of our structure based on collective and multidisciplinary medical decision. The national obligation measure of multidisciplinary team meeting is necessary.

Antiproliferative effect of extracts from Aristolochia baetica and Origanum compactum on human breast cancer cell line MCF-7.

Aristolochia baetica L. (Aristolochiaceae) and Origanum compactum Benth. (Lamiaceae) are native plants of Morocco used in traditional medicine. In order to systematically evaluate their potential activity on human breast cancer, four different polarity extracts from each plant were assessed in vitro for their antiproliferative effect on MCF-7 cells. As a result, several extracts of those plants showed potent cell proliferation inhibition on MCF-7 cells. Chloroform extract of A. baetica (IC50: 216.06 +/- 15 microg/mL) and ethyl acetate of O. compactum (IC50: 279.51 +/- 16 microg/mL) were the most active. Thin layer chromatography examination of the bioactive extracts of A. baetica and O. compactum showed the presence of aristolochic acid and betulinic acid, respectively. These results call for further studies of these extracts.

Citral inhibits cell proliferation and induces apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in MCF-7 cells.

Many natural components of plants extract are studied for their beneficial effects on health and particularly on carcinogenesis chemoprevention. In this study, we investigated the effect of citral (3,7-dimethyl-2,6-octadienal), a key component of essential oils extracted from several herbal plants, on the proliferation rate, cell cycle distribution, and apoptosis of the human breast cancer cell line MCF-7. The effects of this compound were also tested on cyclo-oxygenase activity. Citral treatment caused inhibition of MCF-7 cell growth (IC(50)-48 h: 18 x 10(-5)m), with a cycle arrest in G(2)/M phase and apoptosis induction. Moreover, we observed a decrease in prostaglandin E(2) synthesis 48 h after citral treatment. These findings suggest that citral has a potential chemopreventive effect.