AMAFRICA, a patient-navigator program for accompanying lymphoma patients during chemotherapy in Ivory Coast: a prospective randomized study.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have indicated that accompanying socially underserved cancer patients through Patient Navigator (PN) or PN-derived procedures improves therapy management and reassurance. At the Cancer Institute of Toulouse-Oncopole (France), we have implemented AMA (Ambulatory Medical Assistance), a PN-based procedure adapted for malignant lymphoma (ML) patients under therapy. We found that AMA improves adherence to chemotherapy and safety. In low-middle income countries (LMIC), refusal and abandonment were documented as major adverse factors for cancer therapy. We reasoned that AMA could improve clinical management of ML patients in LMIC. METHODS: This study was set up in the Abidjan University Medical Center (Ivory Coast) in collaboration with Toulouse. One hundred African patients were randomly assigned to either an AMA or control group. Main criteria of judgment were refusal and abandonment of CHOP or ABVD chemotherapy. RESULTS: We found that AMA was feasible and had significant impact on refusal and abandonment. However, only one third of patients completed their therapy in both groups. No differences were noted in terms of complete response rate (CR) (16% based on intent-to-treat) and median overall survival (OS) (6 months). The main reason for refusal and abandonment was limitation of financial resources. CONCLUSION: Altogether, this study showed that PN may reduce refusal and abandonment of treatment. However, due to insufficient health care coverage, its ultimate impact on OS remains limited.

Endometrial osseous metaplasia and infertility: a case report.

Endometrial osseous metaplasia is a rare clinical entity. It causes infertility and occurs in more than 80% of cases after an abortion. Various theories have been proposed and the most accepted theory is metaplasia of the stromal cells into osteoblastic cells that produce bone. This disease may be misdiagnosed. However once diagnosed, the complete removal of bone spicules by hysteroscopy allows, in most cases, fertility to be restored. We present the case of a 36-year-old patient nulliparous with a history of abortion for eight years who consulted May 5, 2008 to become pregnant. Detailed examination showed chronic endometritis with bone metaplasia as a possible cause of her infertility. Seven months after complete removal of bone fragments by hysteroscopy, the patient had a spontaneous pregnancy with normal development. She gave birth to a male infant weighing 3,000 g with an Apgar score of 9 at 1 and 5 min. Delivery and postpartum were normal.