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Biomedical subjects

R Owor

Publications and source records attributed to R Owor.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1989

Multiple infections in cases of cervical cancer from a high-incidence area in tropical Africa.

The presence of several infections was determined in tissue and serum samples from 34 cases and 23 controls seen in 1984-85 at Mulago Hospital in Kampala, Uganda. When assessing single infections, association with cervical cancer could be shown for 5 agents, namely by Southern blot assay for human papillomavirus types 16 and 18 (HPV), and by serological tests at varying levels of antibody titres, for herpes simplex virus type I and/or 2 (HSV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), Epstein-Barr virus, viral capsid antigen (EBV-VCA), and Chlamydia trachomatis (CLT). Due to interaction, HSV and CMV were associated with cervical cancer only when infection by both of these agents was demonstrable. In the assessment of the simultaneous presence of these 5 infections, moderately high antibody titres were taken as the cut-off point for infection by HSV, CMV, EBV-VCA, and CLT. This showed that 3 and 4 infections at a time were seen in the majority of the cases in contrast to the controls with essentially no more than 2 such infections. A linear trend in the rise of risk for cervical cancer was noted with increasing number of infections.

Antibodies, Viral↗
PubMed1984

Epidemiological aspects of cervical cancer in tropical Africa.

Cervical cancer is one of the most common malignant tumours in tropical Africa accounting, for example, for nearly one-quarter of female cancer cases overall in Uganda. The disease is likely to be under-reported and available incidence rates are probably gross underestimates. Spread is through sexual contacts. Both female and male promiscuity and a low standard of sexual hygiene lead to a high incidence within a given community. A number of investigations show that the risk of cervical cancer varies little, whether or not the male partner has been circumcised, but these findings seem to indicate only that extreme cleanliness is more effective than circumcision alone. Populations of Uganda who practise male circumcision have a lower incidence than those who do not, favouring the view that partial protection is provided by this custom. Herpes simplex virus type 2 remains a candidate oncogenic agent, but the results of comparative seroepidemiological surveys of titres among cases and controls are inconsistent, not only in Uganda, but also in other areas of the world. Human papillomaviruses are clearly more important. Analyses of the geographical and age distribution of cancer in Uganda, based on the results of a country-wide biopsy service, show that cervical cancer and cancer of the vulva, vagina, and penis share common causes and are related to genital warts. Recently, a number of different papillomaviruses have been found in various forms of squamous-cell neoplasia of the genital tract, and similar studies would be worthwhile in tropical Africa.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

Carcinoma of the penis in Uganda.

Carcinoma of the penis is the commonest cancer of males in Uganda, particularly among the different uncircumcised ethnic groups. The great variations in frequency among those groups, however, suggest that other factors may play an important role. These factors may be infections, so that circumcision may act only by permitting better penile hygiene. Condylomata acuminata are also common in Uganda and can resemble carcinoma both clinically and histologically.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Burkitt's lymphoma in the appendicular skeleton.

Of 290 Ugandan children and adolescents with proven Burkitt's lymphoma 11 had lesions in the long bones or the pelvis. These started in the medulla as small osteolytic foci which coalesced and penetrated the cortex causing subperiosteal new bone formation in layers or spicules, and giving rise to large soft-tissue masses. Common sites were the femoral and tibial diaphyses and the metaphyses around the knee. Five were in the epiphyses. Other sites were the pelvis, humerus and ulna. One patient had a lymphomatous synovial effusion of the knee. In the lower limbs the lesions were often bilateral and symmetrical. Five patients had pathological fractures. Radiologically the lesions mimicked Ewing's sarcoma, osteosarcoma, osteomyelitis, acute leukaemia, syphilis and yaws, but clinically they were relatively painless, an important differential diagnostic feature. In the five patients with sustained remissions after chemotherapy the lesions and fractures healed well and the growth plates were undamaged.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

Condylomatous tumours of vulva, vagina, and penis. Relation between histological appearance and age.

Among 237 cases of condyloma diagnosed in Uganda between 1964 and 1975 seven types of lesions were defined. Three of these were found within a wide age range in both young and elderly people, namely, the common (49.4%) and the flat (2.0%) condyloma acuminatum, and condyloma acuminatum of irregular outline (13.5%). Four variants, on the other hand, fell into different age groups. Condyloma acuminatum, showing marked cell death (5.1%) and observed exclusively among girls in the first decade of life, displayed numerous aciophil bodies, presumably reflecting single cell necroses. Condylomata acuminata showing marked acanthosis (16.9%) were found in patients between 12 and 30 years, dysplastic condylomata acuminata (5.9%) between 20 and 62 years, and proliferative (giant) condylomata acuminata (7.2%) between 31 and 80 years of age. In the latter two groups of lesions, the inflammatory stromal infiltrate was more prominent, but cytoplasmic vacuolation, often believed to be a sign of viral infection, was seen less frequently than in the remaining types. In young people, the features seen resemble, therefore, a cytocidal and/or vacuolating viral infection, whereas the dysplastic and proliferative changes observed in older patients are compatible with malignant transformation being under way.

Adolescent↗