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Biomedical subjects

E B Attah

Publications and source records attributed to E B Attah.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Characterization of breast cancer subgroups in an African population.

A detailed prospective study of 58 consecutive breast cancer patients and contemporaneous controls, using age, duration of tumour and presence or absence of poor prognostic signs as clinical parameters, clearly showed that the patients fell into three distinct groups. Group A accounted for 30 per cent of cancers and consisted of young women (21-45 years) with advanced cancers, a short history (3 months or less) and poor prognostic signs; these patients had fast-growing tumours. Group B, to which nearly 60 per cent of patients belonged, was made up of menopausal women (46-50 years) with advanced disease, a history of from 3 months to 1 year and poor prognostic signs; their tumour growth rate was intermediate. Group C made up slightly more than 10 per cent of cases and consisted of postmenopausal women (50 years and above) who gave a long history (1 year or more), and had resectable tumours without poor prognostic signs. Thus, although advanced breast cancer in tropical Africa is due to late presentation in the majority of cases, a small but significant proportion of women have advanced disease in spite of early presentation, attributable to fast tumour growth rate.

Adult

Eosinophilic cystitis.

4 cases of eosinophilic granulomatous cystitis are reported. The clinical presentation of this rare entity is disucssed. It is suggested that the lesion is probably akin to eosinophilic enteritis or eosinophilic granuloma of the gastrointestinal tract and represents a local intense allergic reaction of eosinophilic type. The causative agents are yet to be identified. Management by an allergist is suggested as a first line of treatment as it appears that the bladder lesions are usually too extensive for local resection.

Adolescent

Atypical stromal hyperplasia of the prostate gland.

Hyperplastic lesions of the prostatic stroma with atypical changes are presented and discussed. One lesion was a leiomyoma with atypical organization and a limited area of nuclear pleomorphism without mitotic figures. One was a lesion which in many portions was histologically indistinguishable from leiomyosarcoma. It, however, had certain features probably connoting less sinister behavior, and at autopsy 16 months after resection there was no evidence of recurrence or metastasis. One lesion histologically resembled fibroadenoma of the female breast. These three lesions occurred in patients more than 50 years who had symptoms and signs of prostatism. Reference is made to two previously reported lesions reminiscent of cystosarcoma phyllodes of the female breast. All the lesions were located in the craniad prostate, which is estrogen-influenced. A parallel is drawn between these atypical changes in prostatic fibromuscular stroma and atypical changes in the connective tissue stroma of the female breast.

Adenofibroma

Urogenital rhabdomyosarcoma in Nigerian children.

Four cases of urogenital rhabdomyosarcoma in Nigerian children are reported. One of the patients is alive and well six years after surgical excision of a stage 1 tumour. The remaining three children had more advanced neoplasms and died soon after surgery despite adjuvant therapy with one or more cytotoxic agents. The probable value of combination chemotherapy with vincristine, actinomycin D and cyclophosphamide in this tumour type is discussed.

Child

Congenital generalized fibromatosis. An African case with gingival hypertrophy and other unusual features.

What is believed to be the first reported case of congenital generalized fibromatosis in an African infant is described. Features in our patient, which were not noted in previous reports of the disease, include gingival hypertrophy, ankylosis of joints, skeletal hyperostosis, and lymphatic dilation of the ileal villi. Corticosteroid therapy was tried in the patient, but did not produce any beneficial effect.

Ankylosis

Phyllodes type of atypical prostatic hyperplasia.

A prostatic lesion characterized by atypical epithelial hyperplasia and pleomorphism of the stromal elements is presented. The features bear a strong resemblance to cystosarcoma phyllodes of the female breast and probably represent a comparable lesion. Such atypical hyperplasia has not been described previously.

Adult

Schistosomiasis and carcinoma of the bladder: a critical appraisal of causal relationship.

The pathology of 154 cases of carcinoma of the urinary bladder diagnosed in surgical specimens in Ibadan is reviewed. Schistosoma haematobium-infections are found in association with all varieties of urothelial carcinoma. The majority of tumours in this and previously reported series from bilharzial and nonbilharzial underdeveloped regions presented in advanced stages. It is suggested that the preponderance of squamous cell carcinoma in these regions is a reflection of late clinical presentation. The evidence so far presented to support a causal relationship between schistosomiasis and carcinoma of the bladder is reviewed. It is concluded that such relationship is probably not true.

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell

Infective endocarditis-experience in Nigeria.

Ninety cases of infective endocarditis seen over a 10-year-period at University College Hospital, Ibadan, are reviewed. The peak incidence was in the third decade and rheumatic heart disease was the commonest pre-existing lesion in 59 cases with subacute endocarditis. In most cases the source of infection was not known. In 41 of the 90 cases (44%) the diagnosis was made only at autopsy. The bacterial isolation rate was low, the commonest organisms being staphylococci, streptococci, micrococci and gramnegative bacilli. The overall mortality was 70%. A plea is made for increasing awareness of the disease and prompt institution of effective treatment.

Adolescent

Dermatofibrosarcoma protruberans: analysis of eight cases in an African population.

Eight cases of dermatofibrosarcoma protruberans seen in the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria between 1960 and 1972 are reviewed. The condition is rare in this population and affects young adults of both sexes. All were treated by wide excision and skin grafting with no recurrence at follow-up. The apparently low incidence being reported may be due in part to the inconsistent histological pattern of the lesion. Clinicians are urged to be more aware of this condition when a cutaneous, nodular or multiobulated tumor is encountered.

Adolescent

Herediatary anhidrotic ectodermal dysplasia. Studies in a Nigerian famil.

Studies in a Nigerian family with hereditary anhidrous ectodermal dysplasia are reported. Microscopical examinations of finger tips for sweat pores were diagnostic in phenotypes, and it is suggested that this simple nonsurgical procedure is a preferred alternative to skin biopsies in the diagnosis of the syndrome. The clinical implications of a tropical environment for the syndrome, as well as the factors that may favour maintenance of the gene in such an environment are discussed.

Anodontia