Tropical Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology

LETTER TO EDITOR
Year
: 2018  |  Volume : 35  |  Issue : 3  |  Page : 370-

A rare case of ovarian dysgerminoma in a 6-year-old child in Lagos: A case report


Mahmood Dhahir AL-Mendalawi 
 Department of Paediatrics, Al-Kindy College of Medicine, University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq

Correspondence Address:
Prof. Mahmood Dhahir AL-Mendalawi
Professor in Paediatrics and Child Health, Consultant Paediatrician, Department of Paediatrics, Al-Kindy College of Medicine, University of Baghdad, P. O. Box 55302, Baghdad Post Office, Baghdad
Iraq




How to cite this article:
AL-Mendalawi MD. A rare case of ovarian dysgerminoma in a 6-year-old child in Lagos: A case report.Trop J Obstet Gynaecol 2018;35:370-370


How to cite this URL:
AL-Mendalawi MD. A rare case of ovarian dysgerminoma in a 6-year-old child in Lagos: A case report. Trop J Obstet Gynaecol [serial online] 2018 [cited 2024 Mar 28 ];35:370-370
Available from: https://www.tjogonline.com/text.asp?2018/35/3/370/251960


Full Text

Sir,

I read with interest the case report by Okunade et al. on the ovarian dysgerminoma (OD) in a 6-year-old Nigerian child.[1] It is obvious that individuals infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immune deficiency syndrome are generally at increased risk to various neoplasms compared to the immunocompetent individuals.[2] Various factors have been suggested to explain that increased risk, notably co-infection with oncogenic viruses, immunosuppression, and life prolongation secondary to the use of antiretroviral therapy.[3] Among neoplasms, OD has been reported in HIV-positive patients.[4] To my knowledge, HIV infection is a worrisome health threat in the sub-Saharan countries, including Nigeria. Although no recent data are yet present on the pediatric HIV seroprevalence in Nigeria, the available data pointed out that 3% of the pregnant who were HIV negative at booking visit tested positive (seroconverted) to HIV.[5] Regrettably, the HIV status of the mother of the studied child was not defined. I presume that some sort of vertical HIV transmission needed to be considered in the studied patient. Hence, the arrangement for the diagnostic panel of CD4 count and viral overload measurements was envisaged in the studied child. If that diagnostic set was done and it revealed underlying HIV infection, the case in question could be truly regarded as a novel case report. This is because HIV-associated pediatric OD has never been reported in the pediatric literature so far.

Declaration of patient consent

The authors certify that they have obtained all appropriate patient consent forms. In the form the patient(s) has/have given his/her/their consent for his/her/their images and other clinical information to be reported in the journal. The patients understand that their names and initials will not be published and due efforts will be made to conceal their identity, but anonymity cannot be guaranteed.

Financial support and sponsorship

Nil.

Conflicts of interest

There are no conflicts of interest.

References

1Okunade KS, Yakubu CI, Osuji N, Salako O. A rare case of ovarian dysgerminoma in a 6-year old child in Lagos: A case report. Trop J Obstet Gynaecol 2017;34:246-9.
2Ji Y, Lu H. Malignancies in HIV-infected and AIDS patients. Adv Exp Med Biol 2017;1018:167-79.
3Valencia Ortega ME. Malignancies and infection due to the human immunodeficiency virus. Are these emerging diseases? Rev Clin Esp 2018;218:149-55.
4Moodley M, Moodley J. Ovarian germ cell malignancy and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection: A case report. Int J Gynecol Cancer 2003;13:541-2.
5Nyoyoko NP, Umoh AV. The prevalence and determinants of HIV seroconversion among booked ante natal clients in the university of Uyo teaching hospital, Uyo Akwa Ibom state, Nigeria. Pan Afr Med J 2016;25:247.