Place of urolithiasis in the spectrum of urological pathologies, practices and use of endourological procedures in the management of calculi of the upper urinary tract: results of a survey of referral centres in Africa.

Our aim was to determine the current trend of endourology in the management of upper urinary tract calculi in Africa reference centres. We conducted an online multiple-choice questionnaire survey involving 46 centres from 27 countries using a structured well-designed Google Form (®) questionnaire. The questionnaires were distributed to the head of service through their emails. The questions collected demographic data about the centre, the epidemiology of urolithiasis, diagnostic means and management of upper urolithiasis, especially access to endourology procedures and their practices. Descriptive analyses were performed. The participation rate was 77.9%. Urinary lithiasis was one of the three main pathologies encountered in 42/46 centres. 33 centres had easy access to CT scanners and 34 had operating theatres equipped with endo-urological surgery equipment. Of these 34 centres, 30 perform endourology for the management of upper urinary tract stones. Rigid ureteroscopy is the main technique used by the centres. It is the only endourology technique used for stone management by 12 centres (40%). 7/30 (23.3%) have the option of performing rigid ureteroscopy, flexible ureteroscopy and percutaneous nephrolithotomy. The frequency of procedures varies widely, with 43.3% rarely performing endourological surgery. Seventeen centres have their operating theatre equipped with a fluoroscope and 6/42 centres have extracorporeal lithotripsy. Open surgery is still used in 29/42 centres (69.1%). Laparoscopy is available in 50% of centres, but none reported performing laparoscopic lithotomy. In Africa, urinary lithiasis plays an important role in the activities of referral centres. Modern management techniques are used to varying degrees (not all centres have them) and with very variable frequency. Open surgery is still widely performed as a management. Rigid ureteroscopy is the main endourological technique. It is essential to develop the practice of modern urology in Africa, mainly endourology.

Immunohistochemical and Clinicopathological Characteristics of Invasive Breast Carcinoma in Nigeria.

Objectives: We aimed to study the immunohistochemical and clinicopathological characteristics of invasive breast carcinoma among Nigerian women. Methods: We conducted a retrospective assessment of female patients diagnosed with breast carcinoma at a tertiary hospital in Nigeria between 2012 and 2019. Archived pathology request forms and processed specimens (tissue blocks and slides) were used as source data in addition to the patients' demographic and other relevant data. Results: Reports pertaining to 113 patients were assessed. Their age range was 30 to 80 years (mean = 52.1±12.1 years). Breast carcinoma was most common in patients aged 40 to 49 years (32.7%), closely followed by those aged 50 to 59 years (30.1%). Invasive ductal carcinoma was the most common histopathological subtype (94.7%). Nottingham grade III and grade II breast carcinoma accounted for 41.6% and 40.7% of the cases, respectively. Mastectomy specimens formed 68.1% of the samples. The most common tumor size (75.9%) was > 5cm (mean = 6.8±3.2cm), consistent with the most common staging of T3 (46.0%). The most common lymph node involvement was N1 (56.6%). Immunohistochemical assessment of these tumors with estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER-2) biomarkers expressed positivity of 36.3%, 28.3%, and 41.6%, respectively. These tumors were immunohistochemically classified into luminal A (16.8%), luminal B (20.4%), HER-2 enriched (20.4%), and triple-negative (42.5%) subtypes. Conclusions: The most common immunohistochemical subtype of invasive breast carcinoma among this sample of Nigerian women was the triple-negative subtype, similar to the finding among African Americans.

Clinicopathological and immunohistochemical characterization of gastrointestinal stromal tumour at four tertiary health centers in Nigeria using CD117, DOG1, and human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 biomarkers.

Aims: Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are neoplastic lesions that primarily affect the digestive tract and develop from interstitial cells of Cajal. These lesions require histopathological and immunohistochemical characterization due to their malignant potential and personalized treatment. In this investigation, the sex, age, lesional sites of origin, histopathological types, the prevalence of human epidermal growth factor receptors (HER-2) expression, prognostic indices (based on tumor size and mitotic figures), expression of CD117 and DOG1, and characteristics of patients with GIST were all characterized. Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective cross-sectional analysis of GIST cases seen at four tertiary health-care centers in Nigeria over a 10-year period (2008-2017) and investigated utilizing histopathological and immunohistochemical (CD117, DOG1, and HER-2) methods. Results: In this investigation, there were twenty GIST cases. Notably, the majority (40%) of the cases had tumors with sizes between 7.0 and 8.0 cm; the stomach was the most frequent site (70%) and the spindle cell type of GIST was the most prevalent (80%) histopathological type. In addition, the stomach was significantly associated with GIST as an origin site (with a P = 0.001), and 100% and 50% of these tumors were immunoreactive with CD117 and DOG1, respectively. Conclusions: In our study, GISTs most frequently develop in the stomach, and CD117 and DOG1 are essential for correctly diagnosing these tumors. However, HER-2 immunoreactivity is a predictive marker of survival for personalized care.

Résumé Objectifs: Les tumeurs stromales gastro-intestinales (GIST) sont des lésions néoplasiques qui affectent principalement le tube digestif et se développent à partir des cellules interstitielles de Cajal. Ces lésions nécessitent une caractérisation histopathologique et immunohistochimique en raison de leur potentiel malin et d'un traitement personnalisé. Dans cette enquête, le sexe, l'âge, les sites d'origine des lésions, les types histopathologiques, la prévalence de l'expression des récepteurs du facteur de croissance épidermique humain (HER-2), les indices pronostiques (basés sur la taille de la tumeur et les chiffres mitotiques), l'expression de CD117 et DOG1, et les caractéristiques des patients atteints de GIST ont toutes été caractérisées. Matériels et méthodes: Il s'agissait d'une analyse transversale rétrospective de cas de GIST observés dans quatre centres de soins de santé tertiaires au Nigeria sur une période de 10 ans (2008-2017) et étudiée à l'aide d'analyses histopathologiques et immunohistochimiques (CD117, DOG1 et HER). 2) méthodes. Résultats: Dans cette enquête, il y a eu vingt cas de GIST. Notamment, la majorité (40 %) des cas présentaient des tumeurs mesurant entre 7,0 et 8,0 cm ; l'estomac était le site le plus fréquent (70 %) et le type de GIST à cellules fusiformes était le type histopathologique le plus répandu (80 %). De plus, l'estomac était significativement associé au GIST comme site d'origine (avec un P = 0,001) et 100 % et 50 % de ces tumeurs étaient immunoréactives avec CD117 et DOG1, respectivement. Conclusions: Dans notre étude, les GIST se développent le plus souvent dans l'estomac, et CD117 et DOG1 sont essentiels pour diagnostiquer correctement ces tumeurs. Cependant, l'immunoréactivité HER-2 est un marqueur prédictif de survie pour une prise en charge personnalisée. Mots-clés: Biomarqueurs, tumeurs stromales gastro-intestinales, histopathologie, immunohistochimie.