BACKGROUND: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma is a multifactorial disease mainly affecting the Asian and North African populations including Morocco. This study aimed to determine the epidemiological profile of nasopharyngeal carcinoma in Northern Morocco as well as its clinicopathological, therapeutic, and prognostic characteristics. METHODS: 129 patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma followed at the regional center of oncology of Tangier in the period between April 2017 and July 2019, and diagnosed elsewhere from March 2000 to February 2019, were included in this study. Statistical analysis of the data was realized using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software. RESULTS: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) represented 5% of all cases with a median age of 50. The most affected age group was 40-54 years (41.1%). Of all patients, 65.9% were men and 34.1% were women with a sex ratio of 1.93 (Male/Female). Undifferentiated nasopharyngeal carcinomas were the most common histological type affecting 96.12% of patients. At diagnosis, the majority of patients (82.2%) had an advanced stage of NPC (III, VIa, b, c) including 5.4% of metastatic cases (IVc). Most cases (86%) had lymph node involvement with cervical mass being the most common clinical presentation. 81.4% of patients received radiotherapy combined with chemotherapy. Among these patients, 54.3% had concurrent radiochemotherapy preceded by induction chemotherapy. The 5-year overall survival (OS) was 86.8% for all patients. It represented 91.3% for early stages, 87.9% for locally advanced stages, and 57.1% for the metastatic stage significantly. The disease-free survival (DFS) at 5 years was 87.6% knowing that relapse occurred in 16 cases. CONCLUSIONS: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma is a particular disease with a late declaration. It is common in Morocco as is the case in other endemic areas with a high prevalence. Patients' survival is significantly influenced by disease staging.
Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma/epidemiology , Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma/pathology , Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms/epidemiology , Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms/pathology , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Child , Disease-Free Survival , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Morocco/epidemiology , Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma/therapy , Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms/therapy , Neoplasm Recurrence, Local , Neoplasm Staging , Prognosis , Survival Analysis , Young Adult
Background: The goal of this study is to determine the efficacy and toxicity of a non-platinum based chemotherapy combination using irinotecan associated to bolus 5-FU as first line treatment in advanced gastric cancer. Materiel and methods: Retrospective analysis of a population of patients treated for metastatic and locally advanced gastric cancer with irinotecan and 5-FU as upfront chemotherapy. Results: Thirteen patients were enrolled. The median age was 56 years. Seven patients were males and six were of females. Ten patients had a metastatic disease and three patients had a locally advanced disease. Patients received a total number of 43 cycles of chemotherapy. Overall response rate was 38,4%, median time to progression (TTP) was 3 months, and median overall survival was 4 months. Three patients (23,1%) presented grade 3 /4 neutropenia complicated with an infectious episode with fever in two cases, three patients (23,1%) required blood transfusion for a grade 4 anemia, and one patient (7,6%) was hospitalized for a severe episode of diarrhea. Conclusion: Three weekly irinotecan and bolus 5-FU is an interesting combination as first line treatment of advanced gastric cancer; designed clinical trials are needed to confirm the activity of this combination
Neoplasm Staging , Stomach Neoplasms
Primary non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) of the bladder is a very rare entity. The clinical, radiological and endoscopic signs are not specifics. The diagnosis is exclusively histological. Chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery are the different therapeutic options used either alone or in combination. We report a 57 years old patient treated with chemotherapy (6 cycles of R-CHOP) for primary NHL of the bladder with a complete response while discussing the different specificities of this disease.
Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin/diagnosis , Urinary Bladder Neoplasms/diagnosis , Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived , Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols , Cyclophosphamide , Diagnosis, Differential , Doxorubicin , Female , Hematuria/diagnosis , Hematuria/drug therapy , Humans , Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin/drug therapy , Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin/pathology , Middle Aged , Prednisone , Rituximab , Urinary Bladder Neoplasms/drug therapy , Urinary Bladder Neoplasms/pathology , Vincristine
BACKGROUND: Bevacizumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody that blocks vascular endothelial factor. It demonstrated an efficacy in many cancer types. The standard recommendation of administration is the 90-, 60-, and 30-min infusion sequence for all doses. We evaluated in this study the possibility of reducing infusion time to 10 min for bevacizumab given at 5 or 7.5 mg/kg in metastatic colorectal cancer (MCRC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: All patients who received bevacizumab for MCRC were analyzed. Patients were divided into two groups: Group A (bevacizumab was given in the 90-, 60-, and 30-min infusion sequence) and group B (bevacizumab was given over 10 min). Patients' medical records were used to identify any hypersensitivity reactions (HSR) possibly related to bevacizumab. RESULTS: There were 38 patients in group A and 43 in group B. In group A, 459 doses of bevacizumab were given (286 doses at 5 mg/kg and 173 doses at 7.5 mg/kg). No HSR occurred in this group. In group B, 527 doses of bevacizumab were given (335 doses at 5 mg/kg and 192 doses at 7.5 mg/kg). Only two events of HSR grade 2 were reported in the 7.5 mg/kg infusions. Both of them were easily resolved with symptomatic treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Bevacizumab 5 or 7.5 mg/kg in MCRC can be infused safely over 10 min.
Angiogenesis Inhibitors/administration & dosage , Angiogenesis Inhibitors/adverse effects , Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized/administration & dosage , Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized/adverse effects , Colorectal Neoplasms/drug therapy , Adult , Bevacizumab , Colorectal Neoplasms/pathology , Drug Hypersensitivity/epidemiology , Female , Humans , Infusions, Intravenous , Male , Middle Aged , Neoplasm Metastasis , Retrospective Studies
BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is the most common cancer affecting women in Morocco. Screening for early detection has led to reduction in mortality from the disease. It is known that female healthcare professionals have greater influence on women's positive perception of breast cancer and motivation to practice screening methods for early detection of the disease. This study aims to investigate knowledge of breast cancer risk factors, beliefs about treatment and practice of screening methods among a cohort of female healthcare professionals in Morocco. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted using a self-administered questionnaire to assess the knowledge of breast cancer risk factors, beliefs about treatment and practice of screening methods among 136 female doctors and nurses working in the university hospital of Rabat, Morocco. Stratified random sampling method was employed. Chi square test, analysis of variance and Mantel-Haenszel test were performed in data analysis using SPSS v19.0. RESULTS: Female doctors were the only professional group that had satisfactory knowledge of risk factors while the nurses had an unsatisfactory knowledge with a mean score of 43%. A half of participants believed that that herbal therapy can cure breast cancer. 75% practice breast self-examination once a month and only 15% have ever had a mammogram. Age, profession and beliefs were not significantly associated with rate of BSE in this study; however this rate is influenced by knowledge of breast cancer risk factors. CONCLUSION: Results from this study suggest the need for continuing medical education programs aimed at improving knowledge of breast cancer among the nurses.
Attitude of Health Personnel , Breast Neoplasms , Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice , Practice Patterns, Nurses' , Practice Patterns, Physicians' , Adult , Breast Neoplasms/diagnosis , Breast Neoplasms/therapy , Cross-Sectional Studies , Female , Humans , Middle Aged , Morocco , Risk Factors , Young Adult
INTRODUCTION: The occurrence of multiple primary cancers is rare. Only a few cases and patient reviews of an association of triple malignancy have been reported. CASE PRESENTATION: We report here a case of a 78-year-old Moroccan woman presenting initially with a synchronous double malignancy, the first in her cervix and the second in her skin. Our patient was treated with radiation therapy for both tumors and remained in good control for 17 years, when she developed a metastatic disease from a neuroendocrine carcinoma of an unknown primary site. CONCLUSIONS: Although the association of multiple primary cancers can be considered a rare occurrence, improving survival in cancer patients has made this situation more frequent.
BACKGROUND: Multiple primary cancers have a low incidence particularly when cancers are synchronous. Few cases of synchronous head and neck cancer and breast carcinoma are reported in the literature. CASE PRESENTATION: We report here an exceptional case of a 47 years old Moroccan woman presenting two synchronous cancers, the first in the nasopharynx and the second in the breast. The patient was treated successfully with a combined strategy associating chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery. She remains disease free after 27 months of follow up. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment strategy in the case of multiple primary cancers remains controversial because of the variety of presentations; initial aggressive treatment reports good results.
