Hematological Toxicity during Breast Cancer Chemotherapy in Pointe-Noire (Congo Brazzaville)

Introduction: The objective of our study was to determine the prevalence of hematological toxicity during breast cancer chemotherapy. Patients and Methods: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study that took place in the cancerology and internal medicine department during the period from January 1, 2021 to December 31, 2021, i.e. a period of 1 year. Were included in our study: patients with and histological diagnosis, and having received at least two cycles of chemotherapy and having presented hematological toxicity: anemia and/or neutropenia. The variables studied were: Age, level of study, socioeconomic level, stage of extension, type of chemotherapy, type of toxicity: neutropenia and anemia. Bivariate analysis was done between anemia, neutropenia and type of chemotherapy. Results: The average age of the patients was 50.35 ± 13.6 years. The extremes were 27 years and 79 years old. The most represented age group was the age group from 37 to 46 years with 18 cases or 33.33%. The most represented level study in our study was the primary level 63%, followed by secondary level 26% and the upper or superior level 11%. Metastatic stage of location was represented in 16.6% of cases, the local stage was represented in 16.7% of cases. The most common chemotherapy used was FAC protocol in 50% of cases, followed by FAC + DOCETAXEL in 47% of cases, AC protocol was used in 3% of cases. The most represented grade of neutropenia was grade 3 in 53% of cases, followed by grade 2 in 27% of cases and grade 1 in 20%. Grade 1 anemia was the most represented in 70% of cases, followed respectively by grade 2 in 27%. The majority of patients had received more than 3 courses of chemotherapy in 83% of cases. Grade 3 neutropenia was observed mostly in the advanced stages, 15 cases at the locoregional stage. Grade 1 anemia was most common in patients who received more than 3 courses of chemotherapy. The FAC chemotherapy protocol was responsible for more grade 3 anemia in 14 cases. FAC-type chemotherapy was associated with grade 3 and 2 neutropenia in 8 cases and 4 cases, but the results were not significant. FAC + DOCEAXEL type chemotherapy was also responsible for grade 3 and 2 neutropenia in 8 cases and 4 cases P > 5% respectively. Conclusion: Hematological toxicity in the context of our limited resources is dominated by anemia and neutropenia. The knowledge of this hematological toxicity is necessary for the limitation of the delay of chemotherapy.

Epidemiological Clinical and Histological Aspects of Gynecological and Breast Cancer in Pointe Noire (Congo Brazzaville)

INTRODUCTION: The objective of our study was to determine the epidemiological clinical and histological aspects of gynecological and breast cancers in Pointe-Noire. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective descriptive study that took place in the cancerology and internal medicine department during the period from January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2021, i.e. a period of 10 years. Women with histological diagnosis of gynecological and breast cancers were included in our study. The variables studied were: frequency, age, alcohol and tobacco consumption, histological type, stage of extension, location of cancer. Bivariate analysis was done between age and location of the tumour. The statistical test used was the KHI2 test. The results were statistically significant for a value of p RESULTS: We collected 400 files from women with cancer. Among the 400 files, 265 were represented by gynecological and breast cancers, that is a frequency of 65.43%. Among the 265 cases of gynecological and breast cancer identified during this study period, breast cancer represented the first rank with 52% frequency. Cervical cancer accounted for 41% followed by ovarian cancer (5%) and endometrial (2%). Cancer of vulva was represented by a single case. The average age of patients with gynecological and breast cancers during our study was 52 ± 12 years. The average age of patients with cancer of the breast, cervix, ovarian, endometrial was respectively 49 ± 11.97 years, 54.73 ± 12.91 years old, 50 ± 14 years, 67 ± 14.24 years, the age of the vulva cancer patient was 51 years old. The histological type of breast cancer was represented by infiltrating ductal adenocarcinoma in 91% of cases, invasive lobular carcinoma in 7% and sarcoma in 2%. Cervical cancers were represented by squamous cell carcinomas in 95% of cases and adenocarcinomas in 5% of cases. Vulva cancer was represented by squamous cell carcinoma, ovarian cancer was represented by epithelial tumors (adenocarcinoma) in 100% of cases. Endometrial cancers were represented by endometrial adenocarcinoma. All cancers were diagnosed at advanced stages (locoregional and metastatic stage). Patients over the age of 50 had more gynecological and breast cancers;but this result was not significant. CONCLUSION: Gynecological and breast cancers are frequent and constitute the first cancer of Congolese women in Pointe-Noire. Breast cancer is the first cancer followed by cancer of the cervix and ovaries. The histological types are those of the literature. Patients with gynecological and breast cancers consult at very advanced stages.