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Background: Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, and its incidence and mortality rates are expected to increase significantly over the next few years, particularly in developing countries. The aim of this study was to describe the epidemiological, clinical, radiological, histopathological, and prognostic aspects of breast cancer in Togo. Materials and methods: We retrospectively analyzed at our Department of Pathology of Lomé all cases of breast cancer in women confirmed by histology over a period of 20 years (2000-2019). Results: We collected 804 cases of breast cancer in women. The median age was 46.7 years (range, 12-86 years). Patients aged Conclusion: Breast cancer is a frequent pathology in Togolese women, predominant in young adults, often diagnosed at a late stage with limited possibilities of treatment. The establishment of early care programs is essential.

International audience; Background: Access to antiretroviral treatment has improved the life expectancy of HIV-positive patients, most often associated with a desire to limit childbearing. Women living with HIV (WLHIV) commonly have unmet need for contraception and could be at risk of unintended pregnancy. Preventing unintended pregnancies among women living with HIV are effective strategies to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV. Objective: The aim of this study was to assess unmet need for limiting childbirth and its associated factors among women living with HIV in Togo. Methods: This facility based cross-sectional study was conducted, between June and August 2016, among WLHIV in their reproductive age (15–49 years) in HIV-care settings in Centrale and Kara regions Data was collected using a structured and pretested questionnaire. WLHIV who desired to limit childbirth but not using contraception were considered to have unmet need of birth limitations. Univariate and multivariate Poisson regression models with robust variance were performed to identify associated factors with unmet needs. A multi-model averaging approach was used to estimate the degree of the association between these factors and the unmet need of birth limitations. Results: A total of 443 WLHIV were enrolled, with mean age of 34.5 years (standard deviation [SD] = 7.0). Among them 244 (55.1%) were in couple and 200 (45.1%) had at least the secondary level of education. 39.1% were followed-up in a private healthcare facility. At the time of the survey, 40.0% did not desire childbearing but only 9.0% (95% CI [6.7–12.1]) of them expressed unmet needs for limiting childbirth. In multivariable analysis, associated factors with unmet needs of birth limitations were: being aged 35 years or more (adjusted prevalence ratio (aPR) = 3.11, 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) [1.52–6.38]), living in couple (aPR = 2.32 [1.15–4.65]), living in Kara region (aPR = 0.10 [0.01–0.76]), being followed in a private healthcare facility (aPR = 0.08[0.01–0.53]) and having severe HIV symptoms (aPR = 3.50 [1.31–9.37]). Conclusion: Even though the unmet need for births limitation was relatively low among WLHIV in Togo, interventions to improve more access to contraceptive methods, and targeting 35 to 49 years old women, those in couple or followed in the public healthcare facilities would contribute to the eradication of mother-to-child transmission of HIV.

Background Primary squamous cell carcinoma of the endometrium is an extremely rare tumor with poorly understood pathogenesis. Case presentation We report a case of a 28-year-old Togolese woman who had consulted for vaginal bleeding and pelvic pain. Ultrasound showed thickening of the lining of the endometrium, and biopsy curettage was done. Anatomopathological examination was noteworthy for a proliferation of squamous cells often connected by union bridges arranged in tumor lobules with dyskeratotic maturation. Immunohistochemistry showed epithelial membrane antigen positivity, anti-pancytokeratin 1 markers of tumor cells positivity, chromogranin A negativity, actin negativity, S100 negativity, estrogen receptor negativity, and progesterone receptor negativity. In situ hybridization had objectified human papillomavirus genotypes 16/18. The diagnosis of primary squamous cell carcinoma of the endometrium associated with human papilloma virus was retained. A hysterectomy was performed, and the tumor was classified pT1N0M0. Conclusion The pathogenesis of this endometrial cancer is complex, and its association with human papillomavirus does not explain its genesis.

Background: The elderly cancers are worldwide a major public health issue. Their exact incidence is unknown in Togo. The purpose of this study was to describe epidemiological and histological data of cancers in the elderly in Togo. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional and descriptive study of cases of elderly cancers diagnosed at the laboratory of pathology of the university teaching hospital of Lome from 1995 to 2014 (20 years). Cases of examination on samples of the elderly (biopsy, excision, surgical specimens) were collected from the data records of that laboratory. Results: Overall, 792/5200 cases of elderly cancer were collected representing 15.2% of all cancers diagnosed in the laboratory. The annual incidence was 39.6 cases. Patient age ranged from 65 to 103 years old, with a mean of 68.5 ± 4 years old. The sex ratio (M/F) was 1.3. At pathological level, the study material included pieces (n=290 cases; 36.6%) and biopsies (n=502 cases; 63.4%). Cancers located preferably in prostate in men (38%), and in women the most frequent locations were cervix (16.2%) and breast (15.8%). We noticed four histological groups: carcinomas (n = 706 cases; 89.1%), sarcomas (n = 43 cases; 5.5%), lymphoma (n = 34 cases; 4.3%) and melanoma (n = 9 cases; 1.1%). Carcinomas were dominated by adenocarcinomas (50.1%) and squamous cell carcinomas (33.8%); Kaposi’s sarcoma (32.6%) was the most common histological type in sarcomas. Conclusion: Our results showed that the elderly cancers were frequent in Togo, locating mostly in uterus cervix and breast in female, and prostate in men. This study could help to advocate the establishment of a cancer registry in Togo.

We report a case of poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva induced by human papillomavirus in a 23-year-old woman, in whom we experienced diagnostic difficulties.

Objective of the study was to determine the association of cervical cancer association and schistosomiasis infection. We conducted a retrospective and descriptive study of cases of cervical cancer and identified cases associated with schistosomiasis. A total of 1027 cases of cervical cancer were collected, and 19 cases revealed an association with schistosomiasis. This association was mainly related to squamous carcinoma with 18/19 cases. All patients were from rural areas. Of the 19 cases of association, 17 cases showed signs of HPV infection. Our data show a high degree of HPV infection that causes cervical cancer and not schistosomiasis.

Background Ovarian sarcomas represent less than 1% of all ovary cancers and usually are frequent in adults. Primary angiosarcomas are exceptional in the ovaries within children. Case presentation We reported a case of primary ovarian angiosarcoma in a 12-year-old girl in a resource-constrained context. Immunohistochemistry study showed the positivity of CD34, CD31, factor VIII, while S100 was negative. The diagnosis of primary non-metastatic angiosarcoma was retained. She was unable to undergo the CWS-2002P chemotherapy since her parents could not afford it. Conclusion This case report described a rare type of a primary ovarian angiosarcoma within a child, diagnosed in a low-income country in a laboratory with limited resources.

Breast cancer in young female patients represents a public health problem in developing countries. The objectives of the study were to study the epidemiological and histological characteristics of breast cancer in female patients under 35 years of age. This was a retrospective analytical study of a series of 158 cases of breast cancer in female patients under 35 years of age, conducted at the University Teaching Hospital of Lome between 2000 and 2015. A total of 158 cases were collected, representing 36.2% (436) of all breast cancer cases. The average age of the patients was 30.9 years (range, 16-35 years). A family history of breast cancer at the 1st or 2nd degree was identified in 13.9% of cases. Genetic mutation studies were carried out for 7 patients, 5 of which revealed mutations (4 BRCA1 and 1 BRCA2). According to the locus, the cancer was located preferentially in the left breast in 88 cases (55.7%). Malignant mammary lesions were epithelial tumors (n=144 cases, 91.1%), infiltrating (n=125 cases, 79.1%) and non-infiltrating (n=19 cases, 12.0%). The other histological groups consisted of 8 cases of sarcomas (5 cases of angiosarcoma, 2 cases of fibrosarcoma and 1 case of Kaposi's sarcoma), 5 cases of lymphomas and one case of melanoma. Not otherwise specified infiltrating ductal carcinomas were SBR II and III in 43.2 and 35.2% of cases, respectively. The tumors classified as T4 were the most frequent (30.4%). Regarding the lymph node status, lymph node metastasis was noted in 22.8% of cases. Studies of hormone receptors were carried out in 23 patients and were positive for 11 patients: Estrogen receptor (ER)+plus progesterone receptor (PR)+(7 patients), ER+PR-(4 patients). Of the aforementioned 8 cases of sarcoma, 5 were angiosarcoma. The lymphomas were predominantly Burkitt's type for 4 cases. Mammary ultrasonography was performed in 45.6% of the patients and 54.4% underwent the combined ultrasonography and mammography. Ultrasound identified one or more sign of malignancy in 67 patients (42.4%), and combined ultrasonography and mammography classified 51.9% of lesions in BIRADS 4 and 5. The incidence of breast cancer in young Togolese patients is high. It is a disease distinguished by a delay in diagnosis, which contributes to the high number of cases that initially diagnosed at an advanced stage, particularly the high histo-prognosis grades of infiltrating ductal carcinoma. These results indicate a genetic origin; therefore, a thorough investigation into genetic mutations should be carried. In addition, further collaborative studies are required to verify these results.

Purpose: Cervical cancer remains a real public health problem in Togo. This study was undertaken to sensitize women and to determine the prevalence of precancerous and canrous lesions of the cervix in the Togolese woman. Material and methods: This is a retrospective descriptive study of the results of a consecutive series of Pap smears performed in the Laboratory of Pathological Anatomy and Cytology CHU Tokoin Lome 2011-2013. Results: Epidemiological, 512 FCV were interpretable. The average age of women was 37.6 years, extreme 19 and 87 years. By occupation, we noted a predominance of unemployed women (351cas, 68,6%), followed by women traders (103 cases, 20,1%) . The distribution by marital status was possible to observe a predominance of married women (234 cases, 45, 7 %). In terms of reproductive history, we found a mean gravidity and parity respectively 3, 5 and 2. We noted 22 women living with HIV, 77.2% were infected with HIV1. Cytopathological, 512 smears selected, we observed 44 abnormal smears (8,6%). It was indeterminate lesions ASCUS / ASCUS (8 cases), endocervical hyperplasia (3 cases), low-grade lesions (17 cases), high-grade lesions (10 cases) and invasive carcinoma (6 cases). Conclusion: The detection rate of cervical cancer is low among the Togolese woman. The health professionals should take the habit of asking the FCV any woman having a consultation.

Background In 2008, the proportion of truck drivers who were not systematically protected during sex was 63% with casual partners and 60% with sex workers. Despite the high level of knowledge on HIV/AIDS and the growing awareness of the existence of the risk of HIV infection, condom use always encounters resistance among truck drivers in Togo. We sought to document the factors associated with condom use during casual sex among trucks’ drivers in Togo. Methods This was an analytical cross-sectional study conducted in 2010 and targeted truckers at truck station on the two main roads of Togo, Lomé-Cinkassé and Kodjoviakopé-Sanvee Condji. Results In this study, 1,782 trucks’ drivers and their helpers were interviewed. All were men, and their mean age was 28.8 ± 8.8 years. Trucks’ drivers were doing an average of 3 stops on their journeys and 1,229 (69%) of them had at least two years of experience in the work. Of the 1,782 trucks’ drivers, only 620 (34.8%) had consistently used condoms during casual sex in the last three months. In multivariate analysis, predictors were: education level (primary schooling: OR = 1.54; p = 0.002; Secondary schooling and higher OR = 1.38; p = 0.036), good knowledge of ways of HIV transmission (OR = 1.53; p = 0.000), tested for HIV (OR = 1.67, p = 0.000), duration in the profession (2–5 years: OR = 1.43, p = 0.008; more than 5 years: OR = 1.38, p = 0.027), and HIV risk’s perception (OR = 1.44, p = 0.000). Conclusion These results highlight factors associated with consistent condom use during casual sex by truck drivers in Togo. This is a key population group at high risk of HIV transmission toward which the national HIV/AIDS control program should strengthen the HIV prevention strategies.