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Some studies have suggested that dietary medicinal plants or herbs may have a variety of biological functions such as anti-inflammatory, antiallergic, antifungal, antioxidative stress, and anticarcinogenic activities. The present study was undertaken to assess the incorporation of the extract of licorice supplementation on the growth performance, carcass yield, blood indices, and antioxidative capacity in broilers. Three hundred twenty unsexed one-day-old Ross 308 broiler chicks were allocated randomly into four groups. Chicks in each group were randomly subdivided into eight replicates of ten chicks. The first group received a basal diet and was considered a control. The respective groups received a basal diet supplemented with 1, 2, and 3 g licorice extract/kg diet. The obtained results indicated that supplementation of licorice extract to broiler chicks resulted in heavier BW and weight gain and a better feed conversion ratio during the experimental periods compared with the control group. However, feed consumption increased during the entire growing period. Supplementing the broiler's diet with licorice extract led to a higher value of erythrocytes, leukocytes, haemoglobin, plasma total protein, albumin, and antioxidant concentration and a low value in plasma cholesterol, triglycerides, uric acid, urea, and total cholesterol. It could be concluded that the dietary addition of licorice extracts 2 and 3 g licorice extract/kg diet improved broiler chicks' growth performance and physiological status., (Copyright © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To investigate the effect of second uterine curettage on the number of chemotherapy courses and relapse rate in low-risk postmolar gestational trophoblastic neoplasia., Methods: In a phase III trial, patients with low risk gestational trophoblastic neoplasia were randomised (1:1) to a second curettage or no curettage group before methotrexate treatment. Eligibility criteria were serum human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) level 5,000 international units/L or less and fit for treatment with methotrexate. Exclusion criteria were previous uterine perforation and life-threatening bleeding. With a two-sided 5% significance level and a power of 99%, a sample size of 44 patients per group was necessary to detect a mean reduction in 2.3 chemotherapy courses. The primary outcome was the number of chemotherapy courses required for hCG normalization. Secondary outcomes were needed for second-line treatment, toxicity, relapse rates, and variables associated with number of chemotherapy courses., Results: From October 2011 through February 2016, 89 patients entered the study at the Mansoura Trophoblastic Clinic; in each group, 43 patients were included in the intention-to-treat analyses. Surgical complications did not occur. The mean number of chemotherapy courses required to reach hCG normalization was 4.4±2.2 SD in the control group vs 3.8±2.3 SD in the intervention group (P=.14). Groups were comparable in terms of second-line treatment needed to reach hCG normalization, and relapse within the first year. Only hCG levels related to the number of chemotherapy cycles required for hCG normalization., Conclusion: Second uterine curettage did not reduce the number of chemotherapy courses required or affect relapse rate in patients with low-risk postmolar gestational trophoblastic neoplasia., Clinical Trials Registration: Dutch Trial Registry, NTR3390.

Objectives: To study the outcome of pregnancies complicated by malignant disease, in particular neonatal morbidity and mortality after in utero exposure to chemotherapy., Methods: This prospective study included 118 patients diagnosed with malignant disease for the first time during pregnancy over an 8-year period (March 2003-March 2011). Outcome of neonates born to mothers who received chemotherapy during pregnancy was studied and compared with a control group., Results: The commonest cancer type diagnosed during pregnancy (56/118 = 47.45 %) was breast carcinoma followed by lymphoma/leukemia (32 = 27.12 %). Gynecological tumors (all ovarian) represented 10.16 %, soft tissue tumors 5.08 %, colorectal 4.23 %, thyroid 2.54 % and others 3.38 %. Sixty-one (51.64 %) women received chemotherapy (average 3 ± 2 cycles) during the second and third trimesters. The incidence of neonatal survival, preterm birth, small for gestational age and congenital malformations was not significantly different between women who received chemotherapy during pregnancy and the control group. Five (4.23 %) women with advanced disease died during or shortly after termination of pregnancy., Conclusion: In utero exposure to chemotherapy during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy carries minimal morbidity to the unborn fetus.

Background: Post molar GTN was reported to occur in 7.5-20% of patients following evacuation of complete hydatidiform moles and in 2.5-7.5% following evacuation of partial moles. The role of uterine re-curettage in post molar GTN is not clear., Objectives: Study of the correlation of pre-evacuation and week- one level of hCG, and uterine re-curettage to the number of chemotherapy courses in treatment of post molar GTN., Patients and Methods: This retrospective study included 29 cases of post molar GTN through reviewing their medical records., Results: There were 25 cases (86.21) of low risk, and 4 cases of high risk score (13.79%). The 3 year survival was 96.6%. There were non-significant correlation of age, parity, pre-evacuation level and hCG in week-1 to number of chemotherapy courses, while uterine re-curettage was significantly correlated to number of chemotherapy courses (p = 0.04)., Conclusion: Uterine re-curettage was significantly correlated to less number of chemotherapy courses in patients with post molar GTN (p = 0.04). Pre-evacuation and week-1 hCG were not correlated to number of chemotherapy cycles. A large prospective randomized trial to clarify the beneficial effect of uterine re-curettage is recommended.