Management of gestational trophoblastic diseases in a low resource country: establishment of a national center and its results.

To describe the process of establishing a reference center for gestational trophoblastic diseases (GTD) in Senegal and to report its main results so far. We describe the history and establishment of the center, which is based on the experience of the main international centers. The adaptations made to patient follow-up are detailed, while we follow FIGO and WHO diagnostic and management criteria. Finally, we report our main results. Between 2011 and 2017, 878 files were registered at the Center. More than half of the women had no histological confirmation of GTD (60.8 %). The diagnosis was then based on ultrasound images or macroscopic examination of molar vesicles. Spontaneous remission occurred in 64.5 % of the cases, while gestational trophoblastic neoplasia developed in 23.5 %. The FIGO criteria were slightly adapted for hCG monitoring. Methotrexate was the drug of choice in the low-risk group (97.8 %), while the EMACO protocol was financially difficult for nearly half of the high-risk group. The overall remission rate was 83 % and the specific lethality 11.6 %. Our center has demonstrated the efficiency of centralizing the management of GTDs. Difficulty in access to hCG and antimitotic drugs makes management difficult. However, we have introduced alternative solutions that we are working to improve.

Simulation training for emergency obstetric and neonatal care in Senegal preliminary results.

To describe a new training approach for emergency obstetric and neonatal care (EmONC) introduced in Senegal to strengthen the skills of healthcare providers. The approach was based on skills training according to the so-called "humanist" method and on "lifesaving skills". Simulated practice took place in the classroom through 13 clinical stations summarizing the clinical skills needed for EmONC. Evaluation took place in all phases, and the results were recorded in a database to document the progress of each learner. This approach was used to train 432 providers in 10 months and to document the increase in each participants' technical achievements. The combination of training with the "learning by doing" model ensured that providers learned and mastered all EmONC skills and reduced the missed learning opportunities observed in former EmONC training sessions. Assessing the impact of training on EmONC indicators and introducing this learning modality in basic training are the two major challenges we currently face.

Profile of black woman in Senegal with breast cancer.

To describe the profile of Senegalese black women with breast cancer. This is a retrospective and prospective study of patients receiving care for breast cancer in the breast diseases department of the Aristide Le Dantec Teaching Hospital in Dakar from 2010 through June 2014. 188 women patients met the inclusion criteria. Their mean age at diagnosis was 43.3 years. The age of onset of the first menses was early (<12 years) in 7 patients (4.9%). More than two thirds of the women (71.6%) were premenopausal at diagnosis. At least one pregnancy was reported by 161 women (86.1%) and 96.3 had given birth. Mean age at first pregnancy was 19.47 years, and 85.9% had had their first pregnancy before the age of 30. Similarly, 133 (87.3%) had breastfed, for a mean duration of 18.36 months. In our country, breast cancer occurs in young women, who had their first menses after 12 years, are premenopausal, had their first pregnancy before the age of 30, and breastfed for several months. These data suggest that further study of this profile is needed but that the testing policy must change drastically, to start much earlier than 50 years.

Breast cancer in women younger than 35 years : features and outcomes in the breast unit at Aristide le Dantec Teaching Hospital, Dakar.

The aim of this study was to determine the clinical features and outcomes of women younger than 35 years with breast cancer. This study was performed at Gynecologic and Obstetric Clinic of Dakar Teaching Hospital and retrospectively reviewed the records of all women younger than 35 years seen in our department for histologically proven breast cancer. Data were analyzed with SPSS software (Statistical Package for Social Science) Version 23. Between 2007 and 2015, 62 women with breast cancer met the inclusion criteria and were included. The incidence of women in this age group treated in our department was 22.6%. The median age at diagnosis was 29.7 years. The mean time to consultation was 12.5 months, and the disease was locally advanced at diagnosis in 79% of cases. Histological study found 85.5% of cancers were invasive ductal carcinoma. The immunohistochemical study found positive hormone receptors in 12 women (19.4%) and overexpression of HER-2 in 8 (12.9%). Chemotherapy was performed in 54 patients (87.1%), and surgery in 47 (62.9%). Recurrence occurred in 12. In all, 22 women died (35.5%) by the end of the study period. Mean survival was 36.7 months (CI 29.5 to 43.9) and median survival 39.7 months (CI 22.1 to 57.5). This high incidence rate in our study is consistent with that found in young African-American women and is worrisome. These results seem to point towards a genetic origin and call for a thorough search of the profile. They also call also for the involvement of pathologists and collaboration with other research teams.

Gestational trophoblastic neoplasia after achieving a nondetectable serum human chorionic gonadotrophin level.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the risk of recurrent trophoblastic disease after normalisation of human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) levels in women with hydatidiform mole. DESIGN: A retrospective review of data from a national gestational trophoblastic disease centre. SETTING: The Trophoblastic Disease Unit, Dakar, Senegal. SAMPLE: Women with pregnancies affected by hydatidiform mole registered between 2006 and 2012. METHODS: The women were followed up in accordance with the hospital protocol 'Score de Dakar'. For women who progressed to gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN) the time to onset of GTN, treatment and evolution were evaluated. The rate of evolution to GTN after normalisation of hCG was determined. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Rate of occurrence of GTN after chemotherapy for hydatidiform mole. RESULTS: Five hundred and thirty-one women were diagnosed to have molar pregnancies. According to the hospital's protocol, 107 (20.2%) of these had chemotherapy and 224 (42.2%) had prophylactic chemotherapy. Five hundred and thirteen women (96.4%; 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 95.05-98.14%) achieved remission. Eighteen women (3.4%; 95% CI 1.86-4.94%) developed GTN (11 before remission and seven after remission). Seven women out of the 18 developed GTN after hCG normalisation (1.3%). Five of these seven were diagnosed beyond the recommended period of follow up. The mean interval to diagnosis of GTN was 18.7 months. These seven women underwent combination chemotherapy: five achieved complete remission whereas two died from GTN. CONCLUSIONS: Cytotoxic therapy for hydatidiform mole does not prevent GTN, it delays its diagnosis and promotes GTN after normalisation of hCG.

[Comparison of two cesarean techniques: classic versus Misgav Ladach cesarean]. / Comparaison de deux techniques de césarienne: césarienne classique versus césarienne Misgav Ladach.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to compare two cesarean section techniques Methodology. A prospective study was conducted UB 400 cesareans performed at the Gynecological and Obstetric Clinic of the Dakar Teaching Hospital between March 2000 and August 2000. Two hundred patients underwent the classical procedure (CL group) and the other 200 the Misgav Ladach procedure (ML group). Per- and post-operative data were compared between the two groups with Student's test and the Chi(2) test. A p-value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: The two groups were similar for socio-demographic and clinical data. The delay between the skin incision and infant delivery was significantly shorter in the ML group (5 minutes 26 seconds versus 6 minutes 20 seconds). The same trend was found for the length of operation (36 minutes 36 seconds versus 54 minutes 38 seconds). Fewer sutures were used in the ML group (2.92 versus 4.14). There is no significant difference for dose of analgesia, post-operative complications and hospital discharge. Cost analysis demonstrated that the Misgav Ladach procedure was 10000 FCFA (15 euros) less costly. CONCLUSION: Misgav Ladach method is simple, rapid, cost-effective cesarean procedure which appears to be an attractive alternative to traditional cesarean section.