Publications by authors named "Lucien Ferndale"

Pancreatitis, encompassing acute and chronic forms, and pancreatic cancer pose significant challenges to the exocrine tissue of the pancreas. Recurrence rates and complications following acute pancreatitis episodes can lead to long-term risks, including diabetes mellitus. Chronic pancreatitis can develop in approximately 15% of cases, regardless of the initial episode's severity.

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Article Synopsis
  • Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa, but there have been no extensive genetic studies focusing on African populations, despite significant findings in East Asian groups.
  • A genome-wide association study (GWAS) involving 1,686 African ESCC patients and 3,217 matched controls identified a significant risk locus near the FAM120A gene on chromosome 9 and a potential African-specific risk locus on chromosome 2 (MYO1B).
  • A meta-analysis combining African and Chinese data revealed shared and unique genetic risk factors for ESCC, highlighting the important genetic contributions to the disease in African populations.
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Although infectious diseases continue to present a major health care problem in Africa, the incidence of cancer is increasing rapidly on the African continent and this merits an increased investment in cancer research in low to medium resource settings. Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) has a high incidence in Eastern and Southern Africa, with late clinical presentation and a very poor prognosis. There is limited research on the molecular pathology of this cancer in Africa, partly as a result of a lack of infrastructure for biobanking and sample processing in many African countries.

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(1) Oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma is common in Africa and has a male preponderance. The gender-based differences in clinical presentation and risk factor exposure are poorly studied in the African context. Our aim was to compare males and females with this disease.

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Background: Self-expanding metal stents (SEMS) are widely used to palliate patients with oesophageal cancer. Placement is usually done under endoscopic and fluoroscopic guidance. We have developed an exclusively endoscopic technique to deploy these stents.

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Background: Laparoscopic splenectomy has become the preferred method of splenectomy for refractory immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). We present our experience with the introduction of laparoscopic splenectomy for ITP.

Methods: Over a 2-year period, retrospective and prospective data were collected on all patients undergoing laparoscopic splenectomy for ITP at our institution.

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