On January 29, 05 UNAPECLE invited Professor Jean Lemerle working in the hospital Gustav Roussy of Villejuif, near Paris in France and acting as President of the French-African Group of Paediatric Oncology (GFAOP). This group was been created in 2000 on the request of African doctors in order to improve the paediatric oncology in African countries. First a program of 3 years was created – organization, therapy and training. Innovating sectors have been implemented in different French speaking African countries in the following towns: Tunis, Alger, Oran, Rabat, Casablanca, Dakar, Yaounde, Abidjan, Madagascar and recently Bamako and Ouagadougou.

Members of this group meet once a year in Villejuif (France). The problem to be solved is: Can we cure children with cancer with modern tools in Africa?

For treatment, two diseases have been addressed first: Burkitt Lymphoma and nephroblastoma (in France 90% of the cases can be cured mostly with chemotherapy). The beginning of the treatment of Burkitt lymphoma has been very hard, 30% of the children died because of the treatment, Jean Lemerle had to review each file discovering errors. But within 3 years this rate went down to 10%. The success rate is now 65% and reaching 80% in 2 or 3 units. In nephroblastoma, a surprising cure rate of 80% has been obtained. The group will now treat Hodgkin’s disease and Leukaemia.

There is a very big demand for African doctors, their know-how has tremendously improved. Nowadays 400 patients with Burkett Lymphoma and 300 with nephroblastoma have been treated with success in Africa. These paediatric oncologists are mostly trained in their country with a speciality abroad (but not always, it can be done locally). On the theoretic point of view the training is well done, in practice it has to be improved: not enough examination of the patient, bad transmission, everything is done verbally, objective is to have them writing down everything.

GFAOP organizes training sessions in France for doctors and nurses in a Paediatric Oncology Department.

Other experience: they sent 2 very good nurses from France during 14 days, they listened, observed and after work they gave training to the entire sector.

GFAOP is also trying to help the families but until today it has not been possible to create organizations for parents.

In African countries a financial participation is requested from the parents, it is valuable for mild disorders but not for important pathologies. For example in Morocco 100% of the cancer treatments are paid by an organization.

GFAOP need funds for drugs, its budget is about 100 000Ä. It does not get any help from the government. The Institute Gutav Roussy is helping on the logistic point of view and Marie-Marthe Bruck’s association ”A Heart for Children with Cancer” (Luxembourg) gives financial support. In Yaounde, the “Malta Order” has organized a convention to help.

In order to help GFAOP which is now a member of UNAPECLE we suggest that all our associated members collect funds during the next International Cancer Day in 2006. UNAPECLE intends to contact African mothers whose children have been cured in France to stimulate them to create parent associations in their own countries. This would be our contribution of help to developing countries.

Cécile Galzy

UNAPECLE- Secretary.  Montpellier (France)