Influence of HIV-1 and/or HIV-2 infection and CD4 count on cervical HPV DNA detection in women from Senegal, West Africa

BACKGROUND

HIV infection is associated with greater risk of precancerous lesions and cervical cancer in women. However, several factors remain unclarified regarding the association between HIV infection and HPV detection, especially among those with HIV type 2 versus type 1 infection and severely immunocompromised persons.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate HPV overall and type-specific detection among HIV-infected and uninfected women in Senegal.

STUDY DESIGN

Detection of HPV DNA for 38 genotypes in cervical swabs using PCR-based methods was evaluated in HIV-positive (n=467) and HIV-negative (n=2139) women participating in studies in Senegal. Among HIV-1 and/or HIV-2 positive women, CD4 counts were assessed. Adjusted multivariable prevalence ratios (PR) were calculated.

RESULTS

The prevalence of any HPV DNA and multiple HPV types was greater among HIV-infected individuals (78.2% and 62.3%, respectively) compared with HIV-negative women (27.1% and 11.6%). This trend was also seen for HPV types 16 and 18 (13.1% and 10.9%) compared to HIV-negative women (2.2% and 1.7%). HIV-infected women with CD4 cell counts less than 200 cells/μl had a higher likelihood of any HPV detection (PRa 1.30; 95% CI 1.07-1.59), multiple HPV types (PRa 1.52; 95% CI 1.14-2.01), and HPV-16 (PRa 9.00; 95% CI 1.66-48.67), but not HPV-18 (PRa 1.20, 95% CI 0.45-3.24) compared to those with CD4 counts 500 cells/μl or above.

CONCLUSION

HIV-infected women, especially those most severely immunocompromised, are more likely to harbor HPV. Measures to prevent initial HPV infection and subsequent development of cervical cancer through focused screening efforts should be implemented in these high risk populations.

[Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in Dakar: study of 107 cases diagnosed between 1986 and 1998]

Non-Hodgkin's Lymphomas (NHL) are the most prevalent malignant hemopathies in Senegal. In this study we have investigated the epidemiological aspects considering the HIV infection pandemic, and evaluated the diagnosis means and evolutive features of this disease in Dakar. Between 1986 and 1998 (13 years), we collected 107 cases of NHL, all histologically confirmed. Average age of patients was 31.4 years (2-85 years) and sex ratio was 21. HIV infection was found in three out of 62 patients tested (4.8%). At moment of diagnosis, 72% of patients were in stage III or IV according to the Ann Arbor Staging System. Large cell lymphomas were predominant (67.2%), followed by small lymphocyte lymphomas (24.2%) and follicular lymphoma with 8.4% of cases. Localization of lymphomas was exclusively nodal (30.8%) or extra nodal (31.7%) or mixed (37.3%). In therapeutical field, 21.5% of patients were treated with only symptomatical means. Chemotherapy was used in 54 patients (78.2% of treated patients), surgery was performed in 6 patients (8.6%), association of radiotherapy and chemotherapy in 5 patients (7.2%) and 4 patients (5.7%) were treated with surgery + chemotherapy. The average survival time was 344 days. Four patients (3.7%) were alive 3 years after diagnosis and only 2 patients (1.8%) after 5 years.

[Primary lymphoma of the thyroid: a case report]

Primary lymphoma of the thyroid is an uncommon disease. It diagnosis is difficult without immunohistochemestry. We report a case of thyroid lymphoma diagnosed at the A. Le Dantec Hospital of Dakar. A 22-year old young man presented anterior neck mass. Clinical examination showed a thyroid mass with a susclavicular palpable lymph node. The scintigraphy demonstrated that the mass was cold. Total thyroidectomy with cervical lymphadenectomy was the first treatment. Histological examination of the surgical specimen concluded that the mass was an anaplastic lymphoma (large cells type) involving the sus clavicular lymph nodes (stage IIE). Chemotherapy was administrated after one month with C-MOPP schedule. The patient presented no recurrent sign after 30 month. Fine needle aspiration and immunocytochemestry of the thyroid cold masses will contribute in an accurate diagnosis and the management of disease in our institution.

[Cancer of the uterine cervix in pregnancy: report of 50 cases]

Through a retrospective study of 50 cervix carcinoma during pregnancy, the authors determine the epidemiology, discuss the therapeutic and the pronostic. The mean age of patients were 36 years and the clinical staging of FIGO found : 3 stages Ia, 3 Ib, 7 IIa, 14 IIb, 7 IIIa, 7 IIIb, 4 IVa, 5 IVb The diagnosis of carcinoma was in 6 cases(12%) at first trimester, in 6 cases(12%) at midtrimester, in 13 cases(27%) at third trimester, in 19 cases(28%) after delivery. The termination of pregnancy was an abortion in 6 cases(12%). The treatment was: 29 delivery whose 12 followed bycolpohysterectomy,1 byconisation and 16 had not a colpohysterectomy. 5 cesarean section whose 2 followed by colpohysterectomy in the same time and 3 in the second time. The radiotherapy was neoadjuvant in 3 cases and adjuvant in 3 cases. The mortality was 4 % and the global survival at 5 years was 30%. The prognostic of the cervix carcinoma during pregnancy would get better by Pap test which must be systematic at the pregnant woman.

[Complications of colpohysterectomy with lymph node dissection in the cervix carcinoma at the Cancer Institute of Dakar: report of 412 cases]

The wertheim complications are dominated by the urinary dysfonction and the lymphocele which are linked at this procedure. This study reported 412 Wertheim associated to the radiotherapy. The purpose was to evaluate the complications among patients who underwent the Wertheim and to analyse the differents factors promotions the complications. The diagnosis was always late and the disease stage was advanced. The stages II, III and IV represented more than 80%. We found 86 complications (20.87%) distributed as follow: 17 urinary (19.76%), 30 secondary infections (34.88%), 8 colonic fistula (9.30%), 7 hemorrage (8.13%), 6 lymphedema (6.97%), 3 occlusions (3.48%), 1 phlebitis (1.16%), 1 lymphocele (1.16%). among all patients, 17 died, the mortality rate was 4.12%. A very good dissection preceded by radiotherapy may reduce the complications rate.

[Risk factors for lymphedema of the arm after mastectomy for breast cancer]

Postmastectomy lymphedema of the arm is frequently associated to different factors including axillary node involvement and local and regional treatment of breast cancer. Our aims was to identify risk factors of postmastectomy lymphedema. From a retrospective analysis of 735 breast cancers treated in our institute, we found 61 lymphedema of the arm. We then describe our study population and identify by univariate et multivariate analysis the factors significantly associated to the disease. The majority of the patients were young black African female found to have locally advanced breast cancers (88% of T3 et T4 UICC 1988), inflammatory diseases (46% of PEV 2 and 3 of Gustave ROUSSY Institute classification of inflammatory breast cancers). Ulceration is found in half of the patients, metastasis in 20%. The patients first underwent chemotherapy mainly with cyclophosphamide alone (56%). Only 59 patients (8%) had preoperative radiation. Surgery consisted mainly in modified radical mastectomy and lymph node dissection (95%). Residual disease is left in 50% of the cases. Only 35% had post-operative chemotherapy and 9% postoperative external beam radiation therapy. From that population, during the follow up, 61 patients were found to have postmastectomy lymphedema. The disease was asymptomatic in 60% of the cases and painful in 26%. 30% of all the patients spontaneously partially regressed. From univariate analysis we found 7 factors associated with lymphedema: The big size of the tumor (p = 0.005), clinically involved axillary lymph nodes (p = 0.001), metastatic disease (p = 0.0046), traditional or inadequate surgery out of the Institute (p = 0.001), lack of post-operative chemotherapy (p = 0.002), postoperative external beam radiations (p = 0.005), relapse (p = 0.002). From logistic regression analysis three independent factors were found: clinically involved axillary lymph nodes (p = 0.0267), metastasis (p = 0.0002) and local or regional relapse (p = 0.0405). In our practice we found that advanced disease, treated by traditional healers or surgery nurses who had relapsed after mastectomy and external beam radiations without chemotherapy have higher risks of lymphedema.

[Vulvar cancers. Retrospective study of 23 cases at the Cancer Institute of Dakar]

The vulvar cancer is an uncommon disease which is beginning mostly on vulvar intraepithelial neoplasma and it keeps a very bad prognostic. The purpose of this study is to report the epidemiological, the anatomo-clinic and and to discuss the treatment. We tell about 23 vulvar cancer from 1956 to 1995 which were followed at the cancer Institut of Dakar. The mean age of patients is 47 years and they are on menopause in 78.6%. The most of the tumors are ulcerate (96%). The clinical investigation find according the staging of FIGO: 15 tumors (T2), 8 tumors (T3), 6 tumors (N1), 9 tumors (N2) and 1 tumor (M1b). The surgery is the principal treatment with 6 radical vulvectomy and 17 palliative vulvectomy. The surgery was associated with radiotherapy and chemotherapy. So the vulvar cancer is uncommon in our country and concern the young wives. The vulvectomy with lymphadenectomy is the principal treatment; the prognostic still very bad because the diagnostic is often later.

[Tumoral mycetoma of the buttock]

BACKGROUND

Mycetomas are actinomycosic or fungal infections where the infectious agent produces grains. We report an atypical case of fungal mycetoma presenting as a tumoral formation on the buttock.

CASE REPORT

A 56-year-old unemployed man from the Diourbel region of central Senegal consulted in February 1997 for a fistulalized tumor of the right buttock which had developed spontaneously and progressed for 5 years. The patient's general health remained satisfactory. Physical examination showed a voluminous 25 cm tumefaction extending from the right buttock to the perineum. The tumor showed a few areas of fistualization which discharged black grains under pressure. There was a 1.5 cm right inguinal node which did not appear to be inflammatory. The remainder of the physical examination was normal. Pathology reported inflammatory connective tissue surrounding a brownish polycyclic grain composed of spores and mycele filaments. The diagnosis of fungal mycetoma was retained and surgical excision under general anesthesia was performed.

DISCUSSION

This is an atypical case of fungal mycetoma because of its tumoral form and gluteal localization. The differential diagnosis was cutaneous neurofibroma, myoma, or Darier-Ferrand dermatofibrosarcoma. The frequency of extrapodal red grain mycetomas has been pointed out by several authors from Senegal, but extrapodal black grain forms as seen in our case are more exceptional.

[Epidemiological factors, treatment and prognosis of uterine sarcomas: 14 cases at the Cancer Institute of Dakar]

The study of uterus sarcoma took in interest because these tumors were unrecognized and sat nowadays many questions. The purpose of this study is to review the epidemiological factors, the problems of treatment and prognostic of uterus sarcoma. It's a retrospective study of 14 sarcomas of uterus reported from 1959 to 1997. The mean age of the patients was 54 years and they were on menopause in 78.6%. The clinical investigation found according the FIGO staging: 6 stage I (42.6%), 4 stage II (28.4%), 1 stage III (7.1%) and 3 stage IV (21.4%). The leiomyosarcoma (42.6%) appeared as the more frequent histologic lesion. Surgery was the principal treatment: it was alone on 3 cases (24.9%), associated with chemotherapy on 8 cases (66.8%) and one patient had an association surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The global survival was 21.4% at 2 years and all the patients were dead at 5 years and it seemed that it would be better when the patients were treated by radical surgery associated with chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

[Epidemiological and therapeutic aspects of rectal cancer in Senegal: 74 cases at the Cancer Institute of Dakar]

Through a retrospective study of 74 cancer of rectum the autors determine the epidemiology, the anatomic appearance and discuss the treatment, the prognostic. The mean age of patients was 48 years and the Duke's staging found: 16 stages B, 46 stages C and 12 stages D. The pathological anatomy showed: 58 adenocarcinoma, 9 colloïdal adenocarcinoma, 4 epidermoïdal carcinoma, 2 lymphosarcoma, 1 anaplasic adenocarcinoma. The operability rate was 66.2%, the resectability was 40.8% and the sphincteral preserving was 8.1%. The radiotherapy preceded the surgery in 6 cases and associated the chemotherapy. The chemotherapy preceded the surgery thein 14 cases and succeeded in 2 cases. The mortality was 24.4% and the recidivation 35%. The global survival 5 years was 32%. The prognostic could better by an earlier diagnostic and a multidisciplinary treatment.

[Cancers of the anus: 32 cases]

The purpose of this retrospective study about 32 anal carcinoma was to determine the epidemoilogy, to discuss the therapeutic indications. The mean age of patients was 56.42 years and the protologic antecedent was 14%. According to the clinical staging: 1 patient was T1, 2 T2, 19 T3, 10T4; 1 No, 2 Nx, 7 N1, 10 N2, 12 N3; 25 M x, 5 MO, 2 M1. The histologic classification of OMS found: 17 epidermoid carcinoma, 12 glandular carcinoma, 1 transitional cell carcinoma, and 1 non classify cancer. 14 radical resection and 3 local resection were realised, 8 patients had an exclusive radiotherapy: 2 curative radiotherapy and 6 palliative. The morbidity was 9.37% and dominated by perineal suppuration and the mortality was 3.12%. The adjunctive radiotherapy must be the first treatment of the anal cancer in our countries.

[Breast cancer and pregnancy: about 60 cases collected at the Cancer Institut of Dakar]

The purpose of this retrospective study of 60 breast carcinoma during pregnancy collected at the Cancer Institut of Dakar from 1962 to 1998 was to determine the epidemiology, the clinical appearance and to discuss the pathogeny, the diagnosis, the prognosis and the treatment. The mean of age of patients was 34.5 years. The number of parity was 5 and the first pregnancy at 20 years. The authors arrived at diagnosis in the post partum in 28 cases (47.45%), in the first trimester in 8 cases (13.55%), in the midtrimester in 13 cases (22.03%) and in the third trimester in 11 cases (18.64%). The polychemotherapy preceded the surgery in 30 cases and succeded in 16 cases. The hormonotherapy with Tamoxifen prescribed in 17 cases after the delivery. The mastectomy and axillary lymphadenectomy was realised in 26 cases in the post partum. The adjuvant radiotherapy was done in 12 cases. The mortality was 31% and the global survival at 2 years, 34.6%.

[Cancers in the scars of thermal burns (apropos of 67 cases)]

Burns are very frequent. Skin cancer on burns scars are one of the known complications. The mechanisms and the risk factors of this disease are not very well known. To review the risk factors and the mechanisms of transformation of burn scars into cancer, we analyzed 67 retrospective cases of Marjolin's ulcer to describe the epidemiological features of the disease in our practice and identify the factors of relapse. Our patients are young (means age 41), mainly male (54%), with disease localized on arms and legs (88%). The initial burn was from flames (54%), charcoal or hot cooking oil (19.5%) and never from ionizing radiation. It was never a superficial burn and covered from 4 to 37% of the body surface (mean 14%). The initial treatment was medical in only 9% of cases and ended with 85% of complete healing. After 4 to 67 years of evolution, 95% of re-ulceration occurred. Abnormal lymph node and distant metastasis were diagnosed in respectively 68 and 7% of the cases. Amputation and groin dissection were respectively done in 63 and 50%. One third of patients were lost during the follow up. 25% of the cases are still alive and free of disease. We found 30% of local recurrence and 17.5% of regional recurrence. By univariate analysis we found that the factors significantly associated to loco-regional relapse are: male status (p = 0.0327), burns by cooking oil (p = 0.0118), lack of treatment during initial burn (p = 0.0001), sclerous scar (p = 0.0281), supra regional lymph nodes (p = 0.028) lack of treatment during re ulceration (p = 0.0308). Squamous cell carcinomas on burn scars are rare diseases and of bad prognosis. Mainly associated to domestic accidents they frequently occur on limbs and arms on an articulation. Metastasis is not frequent. Conservative treatment is associated with 30% of recurrence. In our practice, the relapse risk factors are male status, burns by cooking oil, lack of treatment during the initial burn, sclerous scar, supra regional lymph nodes, lack of treatment during re ulceration.

[5 kg sternal chondroma, treated by resection and silastic prosthesis. Satisfactory result]

Resection of the sternum and adjacent, cartilages raises difficult problems of reconstruction. The tumour, which, exceeding 5 kg was considered histologically as a chondroma, was replaced by a silastic prosthesis with an excellent result 13 months later.