Participant Evaluation of a Multi-disciplinary Oncology Preceptorship Training Program for Oncology Health Professionals from Kumasi, Ghana.

A critical shortage of skilled healthcare workers is a primary cause of disparate global cancer outcomes. We report participant evaluation of a multidisciplinary preceptorship program. In collaboration with the city of Kumasi, Ghana, Mayo Clinic and the City Cancer Challenge hosted a preceptorship program for comprehensive multidisciplinary breast and cervix cancer training. A total of 14 healthcare workers from Kumasi received two weeks of training at Mayo Clinic in November and December 2021. Each participant and preceptor were requested to complete an anonymous post-participation survey. Of the 14 trainee participants, 10 (71%) completed the survey. All respondents found the program "valuable and applicable to their clinical practice." Ninety percent reported they were able to "review effective and critical elements in the development and expansion of the multidisciplinary team" and able to "solve practical clinical cases as a team". General themes of satisfaction included: (1) organization and administration, (2) clinical observations and demonstrations, (3) guidelines development, and (4) recognizing the central importance of cultivating a team-based approach. Of the 40 preceptors, 16 (40%) completed the survey. All respondents reported they felt the training would meaningfully "influence patient care in Ghana", that participation "added value or joy to their clinical practice," and all wished to "participate in future preceptorship programs". After a focused two-week program, trainees reported high satisfaction, usefulness from observing specialized cancer care, and value in closely observing a multidisciplinary oncology team. Preceptors reported the experience added joy and perspective to their clinical practice and wished to participate in future programs.

Diversity of cervicovaginal human papillomavirus (HPV) genotypes and naturally occurring E6/E7 DNA polymorphisms of HPV-16 in Ghana.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) E6 and E7 oncogene expression is essential for cervical carcinogenesis. Evidence exists that E6/E7 variants may have different transforming activities while the risk of HPV-16 variants (A/D) differs by race/ethnicity. We determined the type-specific diversity of HPV infection in women with high grade cervical disease or cervical cancer in Ghana and investigated naturally occurring E6/E7 DNA variants in this population. HPV genotyping was carried out on 207 cervical swab samples collected from women referred to a gynaecology clinic at two teaching hospitals in Ghana. HPV-16, HPV-18 and HPV-45 were detected in 41.9%, 23.3% and 16.3% of cases respectively. HPV-16 E6/E7 DNA sequencing was performed in 36 samples. Thirty samples contained E6/E7 variants of the HPV-16-B/C lineage. 21/36 samples were of the HPV-16C1 sublineage variant and all contained the E7 A647G(N29S) single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP). This study reveals the diversity of E6/E7 DNA and the dominance of HPV16 B/C variants in cervicovaginal HPV infection in Ghana. Type-specific HPV diversity analysis indicates that most Ghanaian cervical disease cases are vaccine preventable. The study provides an important baseline from which for the impact of vaccine and antivirals on clinically relevant HPV infection and associated disease can be measured.

Human papillomavirus genotype distribution among women with and without cervical cancer: Implication for vaccination and screening in Ghana.

INTRODUCTION: Determining the high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) genotypes burden in women with and without cervical cancer afford a direct comparison of their relative distributions. This quest is fundamental to implementing a future population-based cervical cancer prevention strategy in Ghana. We estimated the cervical cancer risk by HPV genotypes, and the HPV vaccine-preventable proportion of cervical cancer diagnosed in Ghana. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An unmatched case-control study was conducted at the two largest cervical cancer treatment centres in Ghana from 1st October 2014 to 31st May 2015. Cases were women diagnosed with cervical cancer and controls were women without cervical cancer who were seeking care at the two hospitals. Nested multiplex polymerase chain reaction (NM-PCR) was used to detect HPV infection in cervical samples. Logistic regression was used to determine the association between the risk of cervical cancer and identified HPV infection. P ≤0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: HPV deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) data were analysed for 177 women with cervical cancer (cases) and 201 without cancer (controls). Cervical cancer was diagnosed at older ages compared to the age at which controls were recruited (median ages, 57 years vs 34 years; p < 0.001). Most women with cervical cancer were more likely to be single with no formal education, unemployed and less likely to live in metropolitan areas compared to women without cervical cancer (all p-value <0.001). HPV DNA was detected in more women with cervical cancer compared to those without cervical cancer (84.8% vs 45.8%). HR-HPV genotypes 16, 18, 45, 35 and 52 were the most common among women with cervical cancer, while 66, 52, 35, 43 and 31 were frequently detected in those without cancer. HPV 66 and 35 were the most dominant non-vaccine genotypes; HPV 66 was more prevalent among women with cervical cancer and HPV 35 in those without cervical cancer. Cervical cancer risk was associated with a positive HPV test (Adjusted OR (AOR): 5.78; 95% CI: 2.92-11.42), infection with any of the HR-HPV genotypes (AOR: 5.56; 95% CI: 3.27-13.16) or multiple HPV infections (AOR: 9.57 95% CI 4.06-22.56). CONCLUSION: Women with cervical cancer in Ghana have HPV infection with multiple genotypes, including some non-vaccine genotypes, with an estimated cervical cancer risk of about six- to ten-fold in the presence of a positive HPV test. HPV DNA tests and multivalent vaccine targeted at HPV 16, 18, 45 and 35 genotypes will be essential in Ghana's cervical cancer control programme. Large population-based studies are required in countries where cervical cancer is most prevalent to determine non-vaccine HPV genotypes which should be considered for the next-generation HPV vaccines.

Barriers to adequate pain control among women with cervical cancer: exploring unmet pain control needs in Ghana.

BACKGROUND: Pain because of cervical cancer is a significant health issue globally, especially in women with advanced disease. However, little is known about unmet needs for pain control in low-resource settings where the burden of cervical cancer is the greatest. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to quantify the level of pain that women with cervical cancer in Ghana experience, explore attitudes toward pain and pain medications, and determine the barriers to adequate pain control. STUDY DESIGN: A cross-sectional survey was conducted on 100 adult women with a histopathologic diagnosis of cervical cancer presenting for care at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Ghana. In addition, a descriptive analysis was conducted among all participants and the subgroup of women who reported pain but did not report pain medication use. RESULTS: Among 100 participants with cervical cancer, the mean age was 59.5 years, and the median parity was 6.0 (interquartile range, 5.0-6.0); moreover, most participants presented with inoperable stage II or greater cervical cancer (99 of 100 [99%]). Of 100 participants, 80 (80%) had pain caused by their cervical cancer, with more than half (51 of 100 [51%]) rating their pain as a 3, 4, or 5 on a 5-point scale. Most participants reported pain significant enough to impact their sleep (58 of 99 [58.6%]) and their ability to carry out daily activities (54 of 100 [54%]). Furthermore, 55 of 100 participants (55%) took pain medications in the last week; however, only 5 of 54 participants (9.3%) reported complete improvement in their pain, and most participants (30 of 54 [55.6%]) felt they needed a stronger pain medication. Barriers to adequate pain control included the healthcare provider's focus on pain, with 14.1% of women reporting that their healthcare providers never asked about their pain (14 of 99 [14.1%]). In addition, participants' attitudes toward pain control demonstrated that 34 of 95 participants (35.8%) believed that they should be able to tolerate their cervical cancer pain without medication. Among participants who ever took pain medication, 16 of 58 (27.6%) were bothered that they took pain medication, and 19 of 58 (32.7%) were concerned that they used too much medication. Most participants were able to afford (51 of 58 [88%]) and access (56 of 58 [96.6%]) pain medications and did not worry their supply would run out (56 of 58 [96.6%]). CONCLUSION: Most patients had significant pain because of cervical cancer, and many of them endorsed needing more pain medications than what they were prescribed. The etiologies of the unmet need for pain control included missed opportunities to discuss pain control at clinic visits and patients' attitudes toward pain management. Financial and access barriers to obtaining pain medications were minimal.

"There is no joy in the family anymore": a mixed-methods study on the experience and impact of maternal mortality on families in Ghana.

BACKGROUND: Maternal mortality has a multifaceted impact on families, especially in low- and middle-income countries, where rates of maternal mortality are high and resources can be lacking. The objective of this study was to explore the ways that maternal mortality influences the physical and emotional wellbeing, financial stability, and caregiving structure of families, and identifies sources of and gaps in support. METHODS: Our study used a mixed-methods design. All maternal mortalities in an 18-month period at a tertiary hospital in Ghana were identified using death certificates. Participants were 51 family members (either husbands or other heads of households) in families affected by maternal mortality. A questionnaire assessed demographic characteristics and changes in family health, income, and family structure. Two validated scales assessing psychological wellbeing were administered: the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and the Inventory of Complicated Grief. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to assess impact on family wellbeing. RESULTS: Quantitative and qualitative results converged to highlight large, negative impacts of maternal mortality on four areas of family wellbeing: 1) mental health and emotional wellbeing; 2) physical health; 3) family structure; 4) financial stability and security. On the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, 54% (27/50) of participants reported elevated depressive symptoms, with 14% (7/50) of scores falling in the moderately severe or severe ranges. On the Inventory of Complicated Grief, 38% (19/50) exceeded the cutoff for significant impairment in functioning. Worsened family health was associated with greater complicated grief (b = 21.41, p = .004); there were no other significant predictors of depressive symptom severity or complicated grief. Effects on family health centered on concerns about the nutritional status and health of the surviving infant. Family structure was primarily affected by fracturing of the central family unit by sending children to live with relatives. Immense economic strain resulted from hospital bills, funeral expenses, and loss of income. The majority of participants received helpful support from their family (41/51, 80.4%), the community (32/51, 62.7%), and their religious institution (43/51, 84.3%); however, support often stopped soon after the death. CONCLUSIONS: Maternal mortality has profound negative impacts on families in Ghana. Impacts are experienced by husbands and heads of households, as well as surviving children. Both immediate and sustained support is needed for families following a maternal death, especially mental health and financial support.

Outcomes of gynecologic cancer surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic: an international, multicenter, prospective CovidSurg-Gynecologic Oncology Cancer study.

BACKGROUND: The CovidSurg-Cancer Consortium aimed to explore the impact of COVID-19 in surgical patients and services for solid cancers at the start of the pandemic. The CovidSurg-Gynecologic Oncology Cancer subgroup was particularly concerned about the magnitude of adverse outcomes caused by the disrupted surgical gynecologic cancer care during the COVID-19 pandemic, which are currently unclear. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the changes in care and short-term outcomes of surgical patients with gynecologic cancers during the COVID-19 pandemic. We hypothesized that the COVID-19 pandemic had led to a delay in surgical cancer care, especially in patients who required more extensive surgery, and such delay had an impact on cancer outcomes. STUDY DESIGN: This was a multicenter, international, prospective cohort study. Consecutive patients with gynecologic cancers who were initially planned for nonpalliative surgery, were recruited from the date of first COVID-19-related admission in each participating center for 3 months. The follow-up period was 3 months from the time of the multidisciplinary tumor board decision to operate. The primary outcome of this analysis is the incidence of pandemic-related changes in care. The secondary outcomes included 30-day perioperative mortality and morbidity and a composite outcome of unresectable disease or disease progression, emergency surgery, and death. RESULTS: We included 3973 patients (3784 operated and 189 nonoperated) from 227 centers in 52 countries and 7 world regions who were initially planned to have cancer surgery. In 20.7% (823/3973) of the patients, the standard of care was adjusted. A significant delay (>8 weeks) was observed in 11.2% (424/3784) of patients, particularly in those with ovarian cancer (213/1355; 15.7%; P<.0001). This delay was associated with a composite of adverse outcomes, including disease progression and death (95/424; 22.4% vs 601/3360; 17.9%; P=.024) compared with those who had operations within 8 weeks of tumor board decisions. One in 13 (189/2430; 7.9%) did not receive their planned operations, in whom 1 in 20 (5/189; 2.7%) died and 1 in 5 (34/189; 18%) experienced disease progression or death within 3 months of multidisciplinary team board decision for surgery. Only 22 of the 3778 surgical patients (0.6%) acquired perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infections; they had a longer postoperative stay (median 8.5 vs 4 days; P<.0001), higher predefined surgical morbidity (14/22; 63.6% vs 717/3762; 19.1%; P<.0001) and mortality (4/22; 18.2% vs 26/3762; 0.7%; P<.0001) rates than the uninfected cohort. CONCLUSION: One in 5 surgical patients with gynecologic cancer worldwide experienced management modifications during the COVID-19 pandemic. Significant adverse outcomes were observed in those with delayed or cancelled operations, and coordinated mitigating strategies are urgently needed.

Health-related quality of life among cervical cancer survivors at a tertiary hospital in Ghana.

INTRODUCTION: Cervical cancer is the second most common female cancer in Ghana. The disease and its treatment significantly affect survivors' health-related quality of life (HRQoL). We determined the overall quality of life (QoL) and identified its predictors among cervical cancer survivors after treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A hospital-based cross-sectional analytical study was conducted on 153 disease-free cervical cancer survivors who completed curative treatment between January 2004 and December 2018 at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi, Ghana. We used the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer core-30 item (EORTC QLQ-C30) and cervical cancer module (EORTC QLQ-CX24) to assess the survivors' overall QoL. QoL domain scores were dichotomised as affected or unaffected by disease and its treatment. Significant differences between the affected and unaffected groups within each QoL domain were determined using the student T-test. We used Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn's tests to examine the difference in QoL domains between treatment types, with significance based on Bonferroni corrections. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify predictors of overall QoL. A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: One hundred and fifty-three (153) women having a mean age of 58.3 (SD 11.4) years were studied. The overall QoL score was 79.6 (SD 16.0), and 74.5% of survivors reported good QoL score within the median follow up time of 41.8 months (interquartile range [IQR], 25.5-71.1 months) after cervical cancer diagnosis. Although the majority (66.0-84.3%) of the QoL functioning scale were unaffected, about a fifth (22.2%) to a third (34.5%) of the subjects had perceptual impairment in cognitive and role functioning. Financial difficulties, peripheral neuropathy and pain were most common symptoms reported as affected. A third of the survivors were worried that sex would be painful, and 36.6% indicated that their sexual activity as affected. The overall QoL scores for survivors who had surgery, chemoradiation and radiation-alone were 86.1 (SD 9.7), 76.9 (SD 17.7), and 80.7 (SD 14.7), respectively (p = 0.025). The predictors of survivor's overall QoL were loss of appetite [Adjusted Odd Ratio (AOR) = 9.34, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) = 2.13-35.8, p = 0.001], pain (AOR = 3.53, 95% CI = 1.25-9.31, p = 0.017) and body image (AOR = 5.89, 95% CI = 1.80-19.27, p = 0.003). CONCLUSION: About 75% of the survivors had a good overall quality of life. Primary surgical treatment affords the best prospects for quality of life with the least symptom complaints and financial burden. Loss of appetite, pain or diminution in body image perception predicted the overall quality of life of cervical cancer survivors after treatment.

Determinants of cervical cancer screening uptake among women with access to free screening: A community-based study in peri-urban Ghana.

OBJECTIVE: Cervical cancer can be prevented by regular screening; however, screening rates are low in developing countries. We evaluated the proportion of women screened, modalities of screening utilized, and factors influencing uptake among Ghanaian women with access to free screening services. METHODS: Participants were women aged 25-65 in Asokore-Mampong, Ghana. A structured questionnaire collected socio-demographic characteristics, risk factors, knowledge of, and utilization of cervical cancer screening. Adjusted logistic regression evaluated predictors of screening. RESULTS: Of 710 participants, the majority had heard of cervical cancer (64.6%) and screening (57.7%). Screening utilization was 24.6%. Visual inspection with acetic acid was the most common screening method (97.1%). For those who had never been screened, common reasons were believing they were healthy (21.7%), fearing pain (12.9%), lacking awareness of screening (11.8%), and being too busy (11.6%). Participants who were aged 35-44 (aOR 1.82; 95% CI 1.09-3.03; p = 0.023), married (aOR 3.98; 95% CI 1.68-9.40; p = 0.002), formally employed (aOR 9.31; 95% CI 2.86-30.35; p <0.001), and had higher cervical cancer knowledge (aOR 3.98; 95% CI 2.64-6.02; p <0.001) were more likely to have been screened. CONCLUSION: Despite geographic proximity to a health center that provides free cervical cancer screening, screening uptake among Ghanaian women remains low.

Factors associated with late-stage presentation of cervical cancer in Ghana.

Objective: To explore factors associated with late clinical presentation among Ghanaian women with cervical cancer. Design: This is a cross-sectional survey using a paper questionnaire. Setting: Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi, Ghana. Participants: Participants were women presenting for cervical cancer care at KATH. Inclusion criteria were histologically diagnosed cervical cancer and age ≥18 years. The exclusion criteria was age <18. All women presenting from August 2018-August 2019 were recruited. Main outcome measures: The primary outcome was the proportion of participants presenting with late-stage cervical cancer, defined as stage II or higher. Results: Of 351 total participants, 33.6% were unemployed, 35.3% had no formal education, and 96.6% had an average monthly income of less than five hundred Ghana cedis ($86 USD). Time from symptoms to seeing a doctor ranged from fewer than two weeks (16.0%) to more than twelve months (8.6%). Participants' most common barrier in seeking healthcare was financial constraints (50.0%). Most participants presented at late-stage cervical cancer (95.2%, n=334), with only 4.8% (n=17) presenting at stage I. Of participants presenting with late-stage cervical cancer, the vast majority had never had a Papanicolaou (Pap) smear (99.1%) nor a recent gynecologic exam (99.3%). After adjusting for age, parity, and distance to a healthcare facility, a late-stage presentation was associated with lower income and living in a rural area. Conclusions: In Ghana, 95% of women with cervical cancer seek care at a late clinical stage, defined as stage II or greater, when the cancer is inoperable. Funding: None declared.

Assessment of Adult Women With Ovarian Masses and Treatment of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer: ASCO Resource-Stratified Guideline.

PURPOSE: To provide expert guidance to clinicians and policymakers in three resource-constrained settings on diagnosis and staging of adult women with ovarian masses and treatment of patients with epithelial ovarian (including fallopian tube and primary peritoneal) cancer. METHODS: A multidisciplinary, multinational ASCO Expert Panel reviewed existing guidelines, conducted a modified ADAPTE process, and conducted a formal consensus process with additional experts. RESULTS: Existing sets of guidelines from eight guideline developers were found and reviewed for resource-constrained settings; adapted recommendations from nine guidelines form the evidence base, informing two rounds of formal consensus; and all recommendations received ≥ 75% agreement. RECOMMENDATIONS: Evaluation of adult symptomatic women in all settings includes symptom assessment, family history, and ultrasound and cancer antigen 125 serum tumor marker levels where feasible. In limited and enhanced settings, additional imaging may be requested. Diagnosis, staging, and/or treatment involves surgery. Presurgical workup of every suspected ovarian cancer requires a metastatic workup. Only trained clinicians with logistical support should perform surgical staging; treatment requires histologic confirmation; surgical goal is staging disease and performing complete cytoreduction to no gross residual disease. In first-line therapy, platinum-based chemotherapy is recommended; in advanced stages, patients may receive neoadjuvant chemotherapy. After neoadjuvant chemotherapy, all patients should be evaluated for interval debulking surgery. Targeted therapy is not recommended in basic or limited settings. Specialized interventions are resource-dependent, for example, laparoscopy, fertility-sparing surgery, genetic testing, and targeted therapy. Multidisciplinary cancer care and palliative care should be offered.Additional information can be found at www.asco.org/resource-stratified-guidelines. It is ASCO's view that health care providers and health care system decision makers should be guided by the recommendations for the highest stratum of resources available. The guideline is intended to complement but not replace local guidelines.

Two rare presentations of embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma of the cervix in teenagers at a low-resource teaching hospital in Ghana: A case series.

We report two cases of embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma (ERMS) of the cervix in teenagers presenting to Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi, Ghana within one month of each other. Between October and November 2019, two patients presented with ERMS of the cervix. They both underwent fertility-sparing surgery followed by chemotherapy with vincristine, actinomycin-D, and cyclophosphamide. Preoperative workup for the two patients was minimal due to limited availability and high cost of imaging in a low-resource setting. Both patients were discussed at a multidisciplinary tumor board meeting to guide best management practices. Both patients had local surgical resection with histological confirmation of ERMS and negative margins, followed by six cycles of vincristine, actinomycin-D, and cyclophosphamide. Neither of the patients had perioperative complications or received radiation therapy. At the time of publication, both patients are currently alive and without evidence of recurrence. Fertility-sparing surgery followed by chemotherapy for patients with ERMS of the cervix is accessible in low-income countries.

Preferences and perspectives on vaginal breech delivery in Ghana.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate obstetrician/gynecologist and midwife perspectives and experiences with vaginal breech deliveries in Ghana. METHODS: Respondents completed a survey on their experiences, training, comfort levels, and decision making about vaginal breech deliveries. Comparisons were made across obstetricians/gynecologists and midwives. Multiple logistic regression explored predictors of comfort performing vaginal breech deliveries. RESULTS: Respondents comprised 93 (36.5%) obstetricians/gynecologists and 162 (63.5%) midwives. Most believed that some breech fetuses should be delivered vaginally, with higher agreement from obstetricians/gynecologists than from midwives (n = 86, 97.7% versus n = 207, 80.8%, P = 0.001). Midwives were more likely to strongly agree that training was adequate for obstetricians/gynecologists (n = 65, 55.6% versus n = 8, 9.8%, P < 0.001) and midwives (n = 60, 49.6% versus n = 6, 7.4%, P < 0.001). Most (n = 192, 94%) respondents wanted more experience and/or training. Despite most providers performing only one ot five breech vaginal deliveries yearly, 77.4% (n = 199) were comfortable performing them and 79.5% (n = 202) were comfortable supervising them. Significant predictors of comfort performing vaginal breech delivery were perceived adequacy of training (odds ratio 8.74, 95% CI 3.39-22.52) and belief that vaginal breech deliveries should be performed (odds ratio 4.28, 95% CI 1.33-13.72). CONCLUSION: Respondents were more likely to feel comfortable performing breech vaginal deliveries if they felt that their training was adequate. Vaginal breech deliveries can only be offered as safe alternatives to cesarean delivery if training and experience are maintained in low-resource settings.

Gynecologic Oncology Sub-Specialty Training in Ghana: A Model for Sustainable Impact on Gynecologic Cancer Care in Sub-Saharan Africa.

African women have double the risk of dying from cancer than women in high-income countries. In Ghana, most women with gynecological malignancies present with advanced-stage disease when treatment is less effective. Barriers to improved cancer outcomes include the availability of cancer screening, affordability of treatment, and access to gynecologic oncology specialists. In response to a paucity of gynecologic oncology providers, an in-country fellowship training program was established at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in 2013. Historically, Ghanaian resident physicians were sent to other countries for fellowship training and were unlikely to repatriate. The establishment of an in-country training program not only addresses the challenge of "brain drain," but also builds local capacity in gynecologic oncology education and emphasizes culturally relevant and accessible healthcare. The four-years gynecologic oncology fellowship program at KATH was developed as part of a longitudinal multi-decade partnership between the University of Michigan and academic medical centers in Ghana. The fellowship trains obstetricians and gynecologists to provide subspecialist clinical and surgical care to patients with gynecologic malignancies. Fellows collaborate with the radiation, oncology and pathology departments, participate in monthly inter-institutional tumor board meetings, conduct research, advise on health policy issues, and train subsequent cohorts. This fellowship is representative of emerging twenty-first-century trends in which subspecialty training programs in low-income countries are strengthened by international collaborations. Providing specialized training in gynecologic oncology can help develop and maintain resources that will improve clinical outcomes for women in low-resources settings.

Use of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) in the Management of Diagnostic Uncertainty in Low-Resource Settings: A Case Report of Cesarean Ectopic Pregnancy in a Tertiary Hospital in Ghana.

BACKGROUND Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) account for the overwhelming majority of maternal deaths worldwide. Cesarean section rates have increased globally over the last 10 years, including in LMICs, and are an important intervention to decrease neonatal and maternal mortality. However, cesarean sections also contribute to increased complications in subsequent pregnancies, including invasive placentation and cesarean scar ectopic pregnancies (CSEP). Potential CSEP complications include rupture of the uterus, bladder invasion, and maternal mortality. CASE REPORT We present the case of a 35-year-old Ghanaian woman (gravidity 5, parity 3) with a positive urine pregnancy test and 2 months of amenorrhea. Ultrasound scanning demonstrated a gestational sac with a fetal pole and absent cardiac activity located in the lower uterine segment. Myometrium infiltration was present, with only 2 mm of anterior myometrium between the gestational sac and the urinary bladder. Owing to concern for CSEP with uncertain bladder invasion, a pelvic MRI was obtained for preoperative planning. Following the MRI, which demonstrated an intact bladder, the patient underwent an uncomplicated exploratory laparotomy and excision of the CSEP. CONCLUSIONS In LMICs, pelvic ultrasound continues to be the diagnostic tool of choice for CSEP. However, in cases with diagnostic uncertainty or possible bladder invasion, MRI is an additional imaging tool that can optimize preoperative planning and minimize the risk of maternal mortality and potential post-surgical complications.

Familial adenomatous polyposis: a case study.

Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) is an inherited syndrome characterized by several adenomatous polyps of the gastrointestinal (GI) mucosa. If treatment is not provided, an average individual with classic FAP will develop colorectal carcinoma around the age of 40 years. The incidence rate of FAP in developing countries like Ghana is unknown compared to advanced countries. We present the first FAP case of a 22-year-old Ghanaian female who presented with massive lower GI bleeding and underwent surgical management after a thorough investigation. The initial assumption that colonic polyps are scarce in native Africans may be more than what is perceived. This highlights the need for the availability of endoscopic services in Ghana.

Acute Gastric Necrosis in a Teenager.

Gastric infarction is a rare condition often associated with high mortality due to a delay in diagnosis. The stomach which has a rich supply of blood is a rare site for such a condition. Gastric infarction has a long list of etiological factors. We report a case of a patient who was managed successfully following gastric infarction from gastric dilatation. An 18-year-old female student presented with a three-day history of abdominal pain associated with abdominal distension of two days. The abdomen was distended with generalized tenderness, rebound tenderness, and guarding. Bowel sounds were absent. Digital rectal examination was unremarkable, and a pregnancy test was negative. Biochemical tests were all normal. Intraoperatively, two litres of serosanguinous fluid was suctioned from the abdomen. About 300 mL of pus was suctioned from the pelvis. The gangrenous portion was resected, and repair was done in two layers using Conell and Lambert suture techniques. Acute gastric necrosis is a rare surgical condition that requires a high index of suspicion and prompts aggressive resuscitation and surgical intervention to obviate the high mortality rate associated with the condition.

Emergency hysterectomy in a tertiary care hospital: indications, surgical outcomes and challenges: a 2-year retrospective descriptive cross-sectional study.

INTRODUCTION: emergency hysterectomy (EH) remains a life-saving procedure in cases of life-threatening obstetric hemorrhage and other gynaecological emergencies. We aim to determine the indications, surgical outcomes and challenges of EH in our tertiary centre. METHODS: an ethically approved retrospective descriptive cross-sectional study on all EHs performed at a tertiary hospital during the period of 1st January 2018 to 31st December 2019 was conducted. Medical records of eligible patients were retrieved, reviewed and analysed using frequencies and percentages and then summarized in tables. RESULTS: there were 146 EHs over the two year period. The age of participants ranged from 19 to 59 years, with a mean of 34.3 years (SD = 6.06). SD: standard deviation.The main indication for EH was primary postpartum haemorrhage (PPH): 73.28% (n = 110/146). The other indications were uterine perforation with necrosis: 8.9% (n = 13/146), secondary postpartum haemorrhage: 4.8% (n = 7/146), choriocarcinoma and pelvic abscess: 2.74% (n = 4/146) each and broad ligament haematoma: 2.06% (n = 3/146). There were 3.42% (n = 5/146) which were classified as 'others **': two cases of ovarian cyst torsion; one case of placental site tumour; one case of incomplete septic abortion; one case of bulky multinodular fibroid uterus with severe unremitting lower abdominal pain.The most common indication for the subgroup of hysterectomy due to PPH was uterine atony 54.20% (n = 60/110), followed by ruptured uterus20.56% (n = 23/110) and then, morbidly adherent placenta 14.95% (n = 16/110). Placenta accreta constituted 62.5% (n = 10/16) of the morbidly adherent placenta.There were 91.78% (n=134/146) total abdominal hysterectomies and 8.22% (n = 12/146) subtotalhysterectomies. About eighty percent 79.45% (n = 116/146) of the surgeries required general anaesthesia, 15.07% (n = 22/146) required regional anaesthesia whilst 5.48% (n = 8/146) were started as regional anaesthesia but were converted to general anaesthesia.There were no associated intraoperative complications in 96.60% (141/146) of the cases. The most frequent intraoperative complications included bowel injury 2.04% (3/146), bladder injury 0.68% (1/146) and maternal death 0.68% (1/146).Twoof the three bowel injuries required bowel resection and anastomosis. Most of the surgeries 89.73% (n = 131/146) were performed by skilled doctors above the level of a Specialist. Major challenges faced include delayed referral of patients to the tertiary centre for prompt management and lack of quick access to blood products. CONCLUSION: emergency hysterectomy is performed in women who are relatively young with primary postpartum haemorrhage as the commonest indication but there are other non-obstetric indications for this emergency surgery. Though a challenging procedure, it is safe in the hands of a skilled surgical team.

Cancer incidence in Ghana, 2012: evidence from a population-based cancer registry.

BACKGROUND: Data on cancers is a challenge in most developing countries. Population-based cancer registries are also not common in developing countries despite the usefulness of such registries in informing cancer prevention and control programmes. The availability of population-based data on cancers in Africa varies across different countries. In Ghana, data and research on cancer have focussed on specific cancers and have been hospital-based with no reference population. The Kumasi Cancer Registry was established as the first population-based cancer registry in Ghana in 2012 to provide information on cancer cases seen in the city of Kumasi. METHODS: This paper reviews data from the Kumasi Cancer Registry for the year 2012. The reference geographic area for the registry is the city of Kumasi as designated by the 2010 Ghana Population and Housing Census. Data was from all clinical departments of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Pathology Laboratory Results, Death Certificates and the Kumasi South Regional Hospital. Data was abstracted and entered into Canreg 5 database. Analysis was conducted using Canreg 5, Microsoft Excel and Epi Info Version 7.1.2.0. RESULTS: The majority of cancers were recorded among females accounting for 69.6% of all cases. The mean age at diagnosis for all cases was 51.6 years. Among males, the mean age at diagnosis was 48.4 compared with 53.0 years for females. The commonest cancers among males were cancers of the Liver (21.1%), Prostate (13.2%), Lung (5.3%) and Stomach (5.3%). Among females, the commonest cancers were cancers of the Breast (33.9%), Cervix (29.4%), Ovary (11.3%) and Endometrium (4.5%). Histology of the primary tumour was the basis of diagnosis in 74% of cases with clinical and other investigations accounting for 17% and 9% respectively. The estimated cancer incidence Age Adjusted Standardised Rate for males was 10.9/100,000 and 22.4/100, 000 for females. CONCLUSION: This first attempt at population-based cancer registration in Ghana indicates that such registries are feasible in resource limited settings as ours. Strengthening Public Health Surveillance and establishing more Population-based Cancer Registries will help improve data quality and national efforts at cancer prevention and control in Ghana.