[Lung cancer in Senegal]. / Le cancer bronchique au Sénégal.
Med Trop (Mars)
; 67(6): 651-6, 2007 Dec.
Article
in Fr
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-18300532
ABSTRACT
In Africa the incidence of lung cancer is rising rapidly. The purpose of this prospective study was to analyze clinical, therapeutic, and prognostic features of lung cancer patients treated at the Principal Hospital in Dakar between 2002 and 2007. A total of 72 cases were compiled over the 5-year study period. In 88% of cases the patient was a male smoker with a mean age of 59.2 years. Histological samples were obtained in 79.1% of cases by bronchial fibroscopy (n=33), CT-guided transthoracic needle biopsy (n=17), or from a metastatic site (n=7). The histological diagnosis was squamous cell carcinoma in 23 cases, adenocarcinoma in 14, large-cell carcinoma in 17, small-cell lung cancer in 2, and bronchiolo-alveolar cancer in 1. Tumor staging demonstrated grades I-II in 6 cases, grade II in 17, and grade IV in 49. Symptomatic management was performed in 68% of patients. In the remaining cases management consisted of chemotherapy in 22 cases, radiotherapy for pain relief in 5, and surgery in 1. Ten patients were lost from follow-up. Median survival was 7 or 3 months depending on whether or not chemotherapy was performed. The much higher rate of histological diagnosis than in the sub-region is due mainly to the availability of trained personnel with access to bronchial endoscopy and CT-scan needle biopsy since September 2003. Administration of cytotoxins is feasible but the cost is excessive due to the lack of universal health care coverage two-thirds of cases were abandoned whereas chemotherapy significantly improved median survival by 4 months (p < 0.0001). Prognosis of the disease is poor because management is undertaken at an advanced stage. Lung cancer is a health issue in Dakar, Senegal. It is urgent to develop therapeutic standards adapted to the African socio-economic setting as well as an anti-tobacco prevention policy.
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Collection:
01-internacional
Health context:
11_ODS3_cobertura_universal
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Carcinoma
/
Lung Neoplasms
Type of study:
Guideline
/
Observational_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Limits:
Aged
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
Country/Region as subject:
Africa
Language:
Fr
Journal:
Med Trop (Mars)
Year:
2007
Document type:
Article