[Breast cancer in Tunisia: epidemiologic characteristics and trends in incidence]. / Cancer du sein en Tunisie: caracteristiques epidemiologiques et tendance evolutive de l'incidence.

The goal of this study is to analyze certain epidemiologic characteristics of breast cancer in Tunisia and to foresee the consequences that will arise from the trends in incidence of this cancer. Data obtained from the North-Tunisia Cancer Registry (NTCR) and from the Salah AZAIZ Institute (SAI) Registry is used to estimate the different incidence rates and to compare these rates with those of other countries. In 15 years the crude incidence rate for breast cancer in the North Tunisia almost doubled to reach 21.5 cases/100,000 women per year during 1994-1998. The high rate of this cancer among women younger than 35 years (11%) could be related to a relatively low incidence among post-menopausal women. The clinical profile of breast cancer remains quite alarming: 40.2% of cases have a tumor with a clinical diameter equal or greater than 5 cm. Birth cohort effect, also know as the generation effect, is expected to lead to an increase of cancer incidence in the future. The rather high number of young cases is a source of additional cost on social and financial level. The priority is now to solve the problem of late diagnosis it has aggravated the prognosis of this cancer in Tunisia.

[Autologous versus homologous transfusion in cervico-fascial oncologic and ENT surgery]. / Transfusion autologue versus. Transfusion homologue en chirurgie oncologique cervico-faciale et ORL.

The objective was to evaluate the interest of the normovolemic hemodilution (NVH) in cervico-facial oncologic and ENT surgery. It was a prospective, randomised and simple blind study having included A(n = 17) having benefitted before induction of a blood withdrawal of 6-8 ml.kg-1, substituted by an intravenous drip of colloid. B group (n = 21). The transfusional objective having been to assure for the two groups, during operative and in postoperative periods, a rate of Hb > or = 10 g.dl-1 and a rate of Ht > or = 30%. The two groups were comparable for the demographic and anesthetic characteristics, and the blood losses during operative period. A variation significantly more important between before and postoperative hemoglobin has been objectified in the group A. The infectious morbidity was significantly more elevated in the group A (23.5% versus 4%). The cost was distinctly more elevated in the hemodiluted group. The NVH doesn't seem to be an indication of choice in the cervico-facial and ENT oncologic surgery.