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Clinical and sonographic findings of three octogenarian patients with recent-onset venous insufficiency with venous ulcer were evaluated with clinical examination and venous duplex scanning. The venous duplex findings in the affected lower limb of patients with right heart failure showed phasic flow in the long saphenous vein. The phasic flow was traced back up to the inferior vena cava and the hepatic veins. Echocardiogram confirmed marked tricuspid regurgitation. Clinically, a simple compression of the sapheno-femoral junction showed an absence of pulsation in the long saphenous veins, giving clinical confirmation that venous backflow caused the pulsation in the limb veins. Right heart failure in patients with late-onset venous insufficiency and venous ulcer should be suspected. Sonography complemented with clinical examination is the key to the proper evaluation and management of chronic venous insufficiency with right heart failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Urine amylase levels are usually used to diagnose acute pancreatitis. However, there are reported cases where urine amylase levels are slightly increased in individuals without pancreatitis. Herein, we report the case of a young lady who presented with acute abdominal pain for 3 days. Her urine amylase level was 1717 U/L upon admission, and her condition was initially treated as acute pancreatitis. Unfortunately, the patient demonstrated abdominal guarding after 24 h; thus, urgent computed tomography (CT) was performed. CT revealed the presence of a dilated small bowel. She underwent emergency laparotomy, wherein a gangrenous small bowel with no evidence of saponification at the lesser sac was noted. Due to the non-specific nature of hyperamylasaemia, an alternative diagnosis other than acute pancreatitis should be considered if the clinical symptoms are not suggestive of pancreatitis or the condition worsens despite conservative management., Competing Interests: None., (© Academy of Family Physicians of Malaysia.)

The concomitant occurrence of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and primary hyperparathyroidism is rare as these conditions are often identified by the presence of hypercalcemia, which might be missed in asymptomatic individuals. We present the case of a 58-year-old asymptomatic male detected to have a left abdominal mass during his routine medical follow-up. He was subsequently diagnosed with RCC. Further history revealed that his calcium levels had been persistently elevated for the past eight years but had never been investigated. Based on elevated parathyroid hormone levels and radiological findings, a diagnosis of primary hyperparathyroidism has also been made. A right inferior parathyroidectomy was performed, and the histopathological examination results showed a right parathyroid adenoma. Intraoperative intact PTH (iPTH) measurements confirmed the complete removal of the abnormal parathyroid gland. The postoperative calcium levels have returned to normal. To the best of our knowledge, this was the first reported case of concurrent primary hyperparathyroidism and RCC in our population. This case illustrates the importance of considering a broad differential when evaluating patients with hypercalcemia., Competing Interests: Human subjects: Consent was obtained or waived by all participants in this study. Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work., (Copyright © 2024, Yahya et al.)

Objective: Pregnancy-associated breast cancer (PABC) is a rare cancer. This study aimed to determine the survival probabilities and prognostic factors in patients with PABC., Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted in two tertiary care hospitals in Kota Bharu. We included all patients with breast cancer who were diagnosed by histopathology while pregnant or within 2 years post-partum from 2001 through 2020. We matched patients with PABC to non-pregnant patients with breast cancer by age and year of diagnosis. The data were analyzed using Cox proportional hazard regression., Results: A total of 35 cases of PABC and 70 non-PABC controls were recruited. The 3-year, 5-year, and 10-year survival probabilities for patients with PABC were 58.6%, 47.54%, and 38.03%, respectively. The patients with PABC had a non-significant difference in survival probabilities compared with non-PABC patients. The significant prognostic factors of PABC were age (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 0.91; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.86-0.96; P=0.001), advanced stage of cancer (aHR, 9.97; 95% CI, 3.96-25.2; P<0.001), and no surgery (aHR, 3.16; 95% CI, 1.01-9.85; P=0.047). Pregnancy was not found to be an independent factor in the prognosis of PABC (aHR, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.39-1.28; P=0.266)., Conclusion: Women diagnosed with PABC had similar survival probabilities compared with non-PABC patients. Pregnancy was not an independent prognostic factor for breast cancer. This information can be useful when women with breast cancer are counseled and supported with the option of beginning treatment with pregnancy continuation.

Prolonged fasting prior to oesophagogastroduodenoscopy (OGDS) could be noxious to patients' well-being. Strict fasting protocol has been used prior to OGDS with the concern of reduced visibility or suboptimal endoscopic assessment. Maltodextrin beverages were also commonly used as the pre-operative carbohydrate loading in enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocol. Our study aimed to look for the effects of maltodextrin beverage 2 h before OGDS on gastric residual volume and patient's well-being scores. This was a single-blinded, stratified randomised controlled trial, comparing control group (A, received 400 ml of plain water) and carbohydrate loading group (B, received 400 ml of Carborie). The primary objectives were to measure the gastric residual volume (GRV) and patient's well-being scores using visual analogue scale (VAS) scores for hunger, thirst, anxiety, tiredness and general discomfort. Of 80 randomised patients, 78 completed the study (38 received plain water and 40 Carborie). The median (IQR) GRV was not significantly different between group A and B (5.0 ml (20) vs 4.0 ml (19), p = 0.777). Both groups showed significant reduction in VAS scores in all five parameters (p ≤ 0.001). There were no complications attributed to endoscopy in either group. Pre-endoscopy maltodextrin beverage is as safe as clear water with improved patient's well-being in both groups.Clinical Trial Registration: NCT05106933., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Objective: The aim of this study was to elucidate the association of ATP-binding cassette super-family G member 2 (ABCG2) gene polymorphisms with individual susceptibility to Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) as well as clinicopathological variables in TNBC patients. Two common polymorphisms in Asian population, ABCG2 34 G>A and 421 C>A was selected in this study., Methods: Blood samples were collected from 75 TNBC patients and 83 controls. Genomic DNA was extracted from blood samples and the SNP genotyping was performed by using PCR-RFLP technique. The genotypes were characterized and grouped into homozygous wildtype, heterozygote and homozygous variant based on the band size. The result was subjected to statistical analysis., Results: The A allele and AA genotype of ABCG2 421 C>A had OR of 3.011 (p=0.003, 95% CI: 1.417-6.398) and 9.042 (p=0.011, 95% CI: 1.640-49.837), to develop advanced staging carcinoma respectively. The AA genotype of ABCG2 421 C>A polymorphism was also associated with metaplastic and medullary carcinoma with an OR of 6.429 (p=0.018, 95% CI: 1.373-30.109). A significant association was also found in haplotype 34G/421A of ABCG2 with advanced cancer staging as well as metaplastic and medullary carcinoma with OR of 2.347 (p=0.032, 95% CI: 1.010-5.560) and 2.546 (p=0.008, 95% CI: 1.005-6.447), respectively.  Conclusion: The present study suggests that ABCG2 421 C>A polymorphism was associated with metaplastic and medullary histology and advanced cancer staging in TNBC patients.

Background: Polyethylene glycol (PEG) solution is widely used as a colonoscopic bowel cleaning agent, although some patients are intolerant due to the need for ingesting large solution volumes and unpleasant taste. A low-volume solution may enhance patient tolerability and compliance in bowel preparation. Accordingly, this study compared the effectiveness of two difference PEG volumes for bowel preparation before colonoscopy in terms of bowel cleanliness, completeness of colonoscopy, patient tolerability and colonoscopy duration., Methods: Using a prospective randomised controlled single-blinded study design, 164 patients scheduled for colonoscopy were allocated to two groups ( n = 82 patients in each) to receive either the conventional PEG volume (3 L, control group) or the low volume (2 L, intervention group). The Boston Bowel Preparation Scale (BBPS), a validated scale for assessing bowel cleanliness during colonoscopy, was used to score bowel cleanliness in three colon segments. Secondarily, colonoscopy completeness, tolerability to drinking PEG and the duration of colonoscopy were compared between the groups., Results: There were no statistically significant differences between the two intervention groups in terms of bowel cleanliness ( P = 0.119), colonoscopy completion ( P = 0.535), tolerability ( P = 0.190) or the amount of sedation/analgesia required (midazolam, P = 0.162; pethidine, P = 0.708). Only the duration of colonoscopy differed between the two groups (longer duration in the control group, P = 0.039)., Conclusion: Low-volume (2 L) PEG is as effective as the standard 3 L solution in bowel cleaning before colonoscopy; however, the superiority of either solution could not be established., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest None., (© Penerbit Universiti Sains Malaysia, 2023.)

A woman in her early 50s with uncontrolled diabetes mellitus and a huge uterine fibroid presented to the emergency department with diabetic ketoacidosis and bilateral acute lower limb ischaemia. Vascular and advanced imaging studies confirmed distal aortic compression by a huge uterine fibroid, resulting in extensive lower limb arterial thrombosis. After resuscitation, the patient underwent emergency hysterectomy, thromboembolectomy and amputation of the right leg. She remained critically ill and died of fulminant sepsis and multiorgan failure 10 days later. This case reports the effects of external vascular compression by a large pelvic mass., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2023. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

The purpose is to analyze and compare postoperative recovery and complication incidence between a periareolar incision combined with Suspension-type Mastoscopic Axillary Lymph Node Dissection (SMALND) and traditional inflated Mastoscopic Axillary Lymph Node Dissection (MALND). This was a randomized trial conducted from June 1, 2020, to April 30, 2022, in the Department of Second Breast Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, and the Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Zibo Central Hospital, in accordance with the criteria of inclusion and exclusion. Overall, 126 patients diagnosed and treated for early-stage breast cancer were selected to undergo periareolar-incision breast-conserving surgery. Those patients who underwent periareolar-incision surgery combined with SMALND formed the observation group (SMALND Group), while those who underwent periareolar-incision surgery combined with traditional inflation became MALND Group. In the two groups, paired data "t" was used to examine, analyze, and compare the postoperative daily drainage volume and drain removal time, while paired data "χ 2 " was used to examine, analyze, and compare the incidences of postoperative upper limb edema and paresthesia. There were 64 cases in the SMALND Group and 62 cases in the MALND Group. Between the two clusters, no differences were found in age, clinical staging, BMI, and breast cancer classification (P > 0.05). The intraoperative surgery time of the SMALND Group was 43.37 ± 6.27 min while that of the MALND Group was longer: 45.72 ± 4.25 min (P < 0.05). The intraoperative hemorrhage volume of the SMALND Group was 88.33 ± 16.79 ml, less than that of the MALND Group: 96.76 ± 26.85 ml (P < 0.05). The postoperative axillary mean daily drainage volume of the SMALND Group was 38.17 ± 5.55 ml, less than that of the MALND Group: 40.72 ± 7.25 ml (P < 0.05). The drain removal time of the SMALND Group was 7.50 ± 1.60, less than that of the MALND Group: 9.00 ± 1.80 (P < 0.05). The upper limb edema incidence rate of the SMALND Group was 3.12% (2/64) and had no obvious difference from the MALND Group, which was 4.83% (3/62) (P = 0.62). The paresthesia incidence rate of the SMALND Group was 18.75% (12/64), while that of the MALND Group was 17.7% (11/62), without an obvious difference (P = 0.88). For axillary lymph node dissection, the use of non-lipolytic suspension-type mastoscopy has reduced the intraoperative hemorrhage volume of patients, shortened surgery time and postoperative recovery time, saved treatment expenses for patients, and avoided complications such as hypercapnia and subcutaneous emphysema caused by traditional inflated mastoscopic surgery. Moreover, it has not increased the incidence of postoperative upper limb edema and paresthesia, supporting its safety and effectiveness., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Women with breast cancer are keen to know their predicted survival. We developed a new prognostic model for women with breast cancer in Malaysia. Using the model, this study aimed to design the user interface and develop the contents of a web-based prognostic tool for the care provider to convey survival estimates. We employed an iterative website development process which includes: (1) an initial development stage informed by reviewing existing tools and deliberation among breast surgeons and epidemiologists, (2) content validation and feedback by medical specialists, and (3) face validation and end-user feedback among medical officers. Several iterative prototypes were produced and improved based on the feedback. The experts (n = 8) highly agreed on the website content and predictors for survival with content validity indices ≥ 0.88. Users (n = 20) scored face validity indices of more than 0.90. They expressed favourable responses. The tool, named Malaysian Breast cancer Survival prognostic Tool (myBeST), is accessible online. The tool estimates an individualised five-year survival prediction probability. Accompanying contents were included to explain the tool's aim, target user, and development process. The tool could act as an additional tool to provide evidence-based and personalised breast cancer outcomes.

Background: Breast cancer developed at a young age (≤45 years) is hypothesized to have unique biology; however, findings in this field are controversial. Methods: We compared the whole transcriptomic profile of young vs. old-age breast cancer using DNA microarray. RNA was extracted from 13 fresh estrogen receptor (ER)-positive primary breast cancer tissues of untreated patients (7 = young age ≤45 years and 6 = old age ≥55 years). In silico validation for the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) by young-age patients was conducted using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Next, we analyzed the protein expression encoded by two of the significantly down-regulated genes by young-age patients, Glycine N-acyltransferase-like 1 (GLYATL-1) and Ran-binding protein 3 like (RANBP3L), using immunohistochemical analysis in an independent cohort of 56 and 74 ER-positive pre-therapeutic primary breast cancer tissues, respectively. Results: 12 genes were significantly differentially expressed by young-age breast cancers (fold change >2 or <2- with FDR p-value < 0.05). TCGA data confirmed the differential expression of six genes. Protein expression analysis of GLYATL-1 and RANBP3L did not show heterogeneous expression between young and old-age breast cancer tissues. Loss of expression of GLYATL-1 was significantly (p-value 0.005) associated with positive lymph node status. Higher expression of RANBP3L was significantly associated with breast cancers with lower histopathological grades (p-value 0.038). Conclusions: At the transcriptomic level, breast cancer developed in young and old age patients seems homogenous. The variation in the transcriptomic profiles can be attributed to the other clinicopathological characteristics rather than the age of the patient.

Abnormal miRNA expression has been associated with breast cancer. Knowing miRNA and its target genes gives a better understanding of the biological mechanism behind the development of breast cancer. Here, we evaluated the potential prognostic and predictive values of miRNAs in breast cancer development by analyzing Malay women with breast cancer expression profiles. Seven differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs) were subjected to miRNA‒target interaction network analysis (MTIN). A comprehensive MTIN was developed by integrating the information on miRNA and target gene interactions from five independent databases, including DIANA-TarBase, miRTarBase, miRNet, miRDB, and DIANA-microT. To understand the role of miRNAs in the progress of breast cancer, functional enrichment analysis of the miRNA target genes was conducted, followed by survival analysis to assess the prognostic values of the miRNAs and their target genes. In total, 1416 interactions were discovered among seven DEMs and 1274 target genes with a confidence score (CS) > 0.8. The overall survival analysis of the three most DEMs revealed a significant association of miR-27b-3p with poor prognosis in the TCGA breast cancer patient cohort. Further functional analysis of 606 miR-27b-3p target genes revealed their involvement in cancer-related processes and pathways, including the progesterone receptor signaling pathway, PI3K-Akt pathway, and EGFR transactivation. Notably, six high-confidence target genes (BTG2, DNAJC13, GRB2, GSK3B, KRAS, and UBR5) were discovered to be associated with worse overall survival in breast cancer patients, underscoring their essential roles in breast cancer development. Thus, we suggest that miR-27b-3p has significant potential as a biomarker for detecting breast cancer and can provide valuable understanding regarding the molecular mechanisms of the disease., (© The Author(s).)

Introduction: The impact of breast reconstruction on spinal alignment is not well studied, especially in immediate autologous breast reconstruction. Studies on body posture have shown greater asymmetry among those without reconstruction. This study compared the changes in spinal alignment pre- and post-operatively among women who underwent unilateral mastectomy without reconstruction (MA) versus immediate autologous breast reconstruction (IABR)., Methods: A cross sectional, retrospective study analysed MA and IABRs performed from January 2007 to December 2017 and their pre- and post-operative anterior chest radiographs. The change in Cobb's angle (degrees) less than 1 year, 1 to 2 years, more than 2 years post-operatively were analysed using GE Healthcare Centricity Picture Archive and Communications Systems., Results: 537 patients underwent mastectomy; 76 fulfilled the inclusion criteria (36 IABR, 40 MA). No significant difference existed between mean pre- and post-operative Cobb's angle change across all 3 groups, less than 1 year (MA 3.57±3.84, IABR 3.316±2.72, p=0.81), 1 to 2 years (MA 1.84±4.81, IABR -2.68±3.21, p=0.577) and more than 2 years post-operatively (MA -1.14±5.30, IABR -0.94±5.10, p=0.898). However raw data indicated IABR improved spinal alignment in the short and intermediate period post-operatively. Among IABR, free flap breast reconstruction improved spinal alignment compared to pedicled flaps [free flaps: 2.21±3.28, pedicled flaps: 0.01±3.67 (p=0.027)]., Conclusion: IABR has a positive impact on spinal alignment in early and intermediate post-operative period compared to MA, especially in women with larger breast volume. Physical benefits of IABR should be highlighted to improve patient's access to breast reconstruction globally., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Purpose: Laparoscopic appendicectomy (LA) has several advantages over conventional open appendicectomy (OA). However, about 5% to 10% of LA patients still need to be converted to open surgery. Identifying risk factors that contribute to conversion to OA allows for early identification of patients who may benefit from primary OA. This study aimed to determine the conversion rate of LA to OA and to identify its associated risk factors among patients with acute or perforated appendicitis., Methods: A retrospective review of medical records was performed among patients with acute or perforated appendicitis who underwent LA between December 2015 and January 2017. With the use of multivariable logistic regression analyses, the predictors of conversion from laparoscopic to OA were investigated., Results: Out of 120 patients, 33 cases were converted to OA which gives a conversion rate of 27.5%. Among 33 patients who were converted to OA, 27 patients (81.8%) had perforated appendix, while in the LA group, perforated appendix cases consisted of 34.5% (P<0.001). Histopathology of the appendix was the predictor of conversion from LA to OA (adjusted odds ratio, 8.82; 95% confidence interval, 3.13-24.91; P<0.001)., Conclusion: The result from our study shows that the overall conversion rate for the study period was high. Patients with perforated appendicitis had a higher risk of conversion to OA. Therefore, preoperative diagnosis of perforated appendicitis may be paramount in predicting conversion to OA.

Prediction of survival probabilities based on models developed by other countries has shown inconsistent findings among Malaysian patients. This study aimed to develop predictive models for survival among women with breast cancer in Malaysia. A retrospective cohort study was conducted involving patients who were diagnosed between 2012 and 2016 in seven breast cancer centres, where their survival status was followed until 31 December 2021. A total of 13 predictors were selected to model five-year survival probabilities by applying Cox proportional hazards (PH), artificial neural networks (ANN), and decision tree (DT) classification analysis. The random-split dataset strategy was used to develop and measure the models' performance. Among 1006 patients, the majority were Malay, with ductal carcinoma, hormone-sensitive, HER2-negative, at T2-, N1-stage, without metastasis, received surgery and chemotherapy. The estimated five-year survival rate was 60.5% (95% CI: 57.6, 63.6). For Cox PH, the c-index was 0.82 for model derivation and 0.81 for validation. The model was well-calibrated. The Cox PH model outperformed the DT and ANN models in most performance indices, with the Cox PH model having the highest accuracy of 0.841. The accuracies of the DT and ANN models were 0.811 and 0.821, respectively. The Cox PH model is more useful for survival prediction in this study's setting.

Clinical benefits and safety of carbohydrate loading pre-gastroscopy remain unclear. We aimed to determine the effects of a commercial carbohydrate-rich whey protein beverage versus plain water given pre-gastroscopy on gastric residual volume and well-being, and to determine adverse events. This was a single centre, single-blinded, parallel-group, sex-stratified randomized controlled trial. Participants were randomized either to carbohydrate-rich whey protein beverage group (Resource ® , Nestle Health Science) or control group (250 ml plain water) given pre-gastroscopy. Gastric contents were aspirated into a suction reservoir bottle to determine the gastric residual volume (GRV). Visual analogue scale (VAS) of well-being (anxiety, hunger, thirst, tiredness, and weakness) was compared before and after the intervention. Adverse events were also evaluated post-intervention. Of 369 screened, 78 participants (36 males, mean age 49 ± 14.3 years) were randomized. Compared with the control group, carbohydrate beverage was associated with significantly higher GRV (p < 0.001). Anxiety was less after intervention with carbohydrate beverage (p = 0.016), and after adjustment for confounders, fewer participants also experienced hunger (p = 0.043) and thirst (p = 0.021). No serious adverse events were reported with both interventions. Commercial carbohydrate-rich whey protein beverage is associated with higher gastric residual volume, better well-being and safe.Trial registration Clinicaltrial.gov. Identifier: NCT03948594, Date of registration: 14/05/2019., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women worldwide. Early detection and intervention are associated with better prognosis and survival. The study aim was to investigate the factors associated with delayed presentation among women with breast symptoms., Methods: After ethics approval, a cross-sectional study was conducted from January to October 2020 in women with new breast cancer symptoms at their first visit to our clinic. The "Delayed Presentation" questionnaires in the Malay language were used and distributed among the participants. Demographic data and presentation time were recorded. Presentation time was defined as the duration of symptoms prior to visiting any health care facilities. Respondents with presentation times > 90 days comprised the delayed group. The potential factors associated with the delayed presentation were analyzed using cross-tabulation and multiple logistic regression., Results: There were 106 respondents to the questionnaire, with a mean age of 34.0 (SD: 11.2) years, and 73.6% (n = 78) were < 39 years old. A total of 35.8% (n = 38) visited the local government clinic first and only 28.3% (n = 30) came to the BestARi clinic directly. The reasons for presentation were a palpable breast lump on breast self-examination (75.5%, n = 80), mastalgia (15.1%, n = 16), nipple discharge (5.7%, n = 6), skin changes (0.9%, n = 1), and others (2.8%, n = 3). Among the respondents, 10.4% (n = 11) had alternative treatments prior to presentation to a hospital. The mean presentation time was 98.9 (SD: 323.7) days. Most of the participants (61.3%, n = 65) presented to us within 1 month. The delayed presentation group accounted for 19.8% (n = 21) of the respondents. The factor that was significantly associated with delayed presentation was the participants' perception of symptoms as not dangerous (adjusted OR 3.05, 95% CI 1.11, 8.38)., Conclusions: The percentage of delayed presentations among our patients was lower than the percentage reported in a previous study. Interpretation of a symptom as harmless by the respondent was the only factor significantly associated with delayed presentation., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Purpose: The Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) lexicon used in reporting breast imaging has several categories with specific positive predictive values for breast cancer. Among those, BI-RADS 4 is associated with a wider range of risk for breast cancer, which makes the decision for biopsy difficult. The study aim was to determine the malignancy rate and clinical outcomes of BI-RADS 4 lesions in Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (HUSM) for a period of five years., Methods: This was a retrospective study of patients diagnosed by mammographic or ultrasonographic findings with BI-RADS 4 breast lesions in HUSM, Kelantan from July 2015 to June 2020. Data were collected from the medical records and an electronic database. Patients with BI-RADS 4 lesions who underwent biopsy and had a known tissue diagnosis were included in this study. The data was used to calculate the malignancy rate and associated positive predictive factors for breast cancer associated with BI-RADS 4 lesions., Results: From the mammography and ultrasonography performed at HUSM from July 2015 to June 2020, a total of 256 lesions were categorized as BI-RADS 4. However, only 198 BI-RADS 4 lesions underwent biopsy and were included in the study. Of these 198 lesions, 26.8% were malignant on histopathological examination of the biopsy samples. Simple logistic regression analysis showed that age, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, number of parity, and certain mammogram findings were significantly associated with breast cancer. Invasive breast cancer was the most common type. Fibrocystic disease was the most common benign pathology, followed by fibroadenoma., Conclusion: The malignancy rate of BI-RADS 4 lesions in HUSM was similar to previously reported rates. A thorough evaluation of positive predictive factors and careful selection of patients for biopsy in BI-RADS 4 lesions will minimize unwanted biopsies and associated patient anxiety, in addition to reducing the health care burden., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2022, Marthay et al.)

Background: Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is associated with poor prognosis, aggressive phenotype(s) of tumours, partial chemotherapy response, and lack of clinically proven therapies. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) can target and modulate key genes that are involved in TNBC chemotherapy. Deregulated miRNA expression is highly involved in anti-cancer drug resistance phenotype and thus, miRNAs tend to be promising candidates for prediction of chemotherapy response and recurrence., Aim: This study aimed to investigate the expression levels of selected miRNAs (miR-21, miR-27b, miR-34a, miR-182, miR-200c and miR-451a) in cancerous and normal adjacent tissues of TNBC patients and to correlate with the clinicopathological data., Methods: Forty-one (41) FFPE tissue block of histopathologically confirmed TNBC patients was collected. Total RNA from the cancerous and adjacent non-cancerous tissues were isolated, transcribed, and pre-amplified. The relative expression level of miRNAs in tumour and normal adjacent tissues of TNBC patients was analysed using qRT-PCR., Results: Out of six miRNAs studied, the relative expression of miR-27b and miR-451a were found to be significantly lower in cancerous as compared to normal adjacent tissues of TNBC patients. In addition, a significant down regulation of miR-451a was also observed in infiltrating ductal carcinoma subtype, stages I and II, in both grade II and III, premenopausal and postmenopausal as well as in those with positive axillary lymph node metastases., Conclusion: The results suggest the possible utilization of miR-27b and miR-451a expression levels as potential predictive risk markers for TNBC patients undergoing TAC chemotherapy.

Aggressive tissue biopsy is commonly unavoidable in the management of most suspected tumor cases to conclusively verify the presence of cancerous cells through histological assessment. The extracted tissue is also immunostained for detection of antigens (tissue tumor markers) of potential prognostic or therapeutic importance to assist in treatment decision. Although liquid biopsies can be a powerful tool for monitoring treatment response, they are still excluded from standard cancer diagnostics, and their utility is still being debated in the scientific community. With a myriad of soluble tissue tumor markers now being discovered, liquid biopsies could completely change the current paradigms of cancer management. Recently, soluble programmed cell death ligand-1 (sPD-L1), which is found in the peripheral blood, i.e. serum and plasma, has shown potential as a pre-therapeutic predictive marker as well as a prognostic biomarker to monitor treatment efficacy. Thus, this review focuses on the emergence of sPD-L1 and promising technologies for its detection in order to support liquid biopsies for future cancer management., (© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Introduction: Women' sexuality becomes complex after breast cancer diagnosis and sexual health is highly neglected in the management of the illness., Aims: To explore the coping and strategies to overcome sexuality problems and sexual dysfunction among women with breast cancer., Material and Methods: Using the in-depth and photo-elicitation interview methods, this qualitative study following phenomenological analysis was conducted on fourteen married female respondents with breast cancer and had the positive result for female sexual dysfunction (FSD) screened by Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI-6 items) from Kelantan, Malaysia. The interviews data were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and managed in analytic computer software NVivo11 Pro. The transcriptions were analyzed using thematic analysis by referring to the meaning-making theory., Main Outcome Measures: We identified overlapping themes of coping and strategies among women with breast cancer to overcome sexual problems and sexual dysfunction which correspond with meaning-making theory., Results: Three themes have emerged. Women with breast cancer that developed sexuality problem and sexual dysfunction strived to accept the illness using religious belief and conform by altering sexual practices. These individuals positively look for a solution by seeking formal healthcare advice, modify their physical appearance, active discussion with the husband and support from other survivors. A few of them passively struggle with the subject by averting the intimacy and receptive toward polygamy., Conclusion: This study highlighted the various mechanisms that emphasized the pivotal role of religious belief and relationship context as key factors in the coping strategies among women with breast cancer in Malaysia. The finding may not be generalized to other countries. Che Ya SN, Muhamad R, Zain NM, et al. Coping Strategies for Sexual Problems and Sexual Dysfunction Amongst Malay Women With Breast Cancer. A Qualitative Study. Sex Med 2021;9:100336., (Copyright © 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: This study aimed to characterize the miRNA expression profiles from plasma samples of our local breast cancer patients in comparison to healthy control by using miRNA PCR Array., Methods: In this study, plasma miRNA profiles from eight early-stage breast cancer patients and nine age-matched (± 2 years) healthy controls were characterized by miRNA array-based approach, followed by differential gene expression analysis, Independent T-test and construction of Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve to determine the capability of the assays to discriminate between breast cancer and the healthy control., Results: Based on the 372-miRNAs microarray profiling, a set of 40 differential miRNAs was extracted regarding to the fold change value at 2 and above. We further sub grouped 40 miRNAs of breast cancer patients that were significantly expressed at 2-fold change and higher. In this set, we discovered that 24 miRNAs were significantly upregulated and 16 miRNAs were significantly downregulated in breast cancer patients, as compared to the miRNA expression of healthy subjects. ROC curve analysis revealed that seven miRNAs (miR-125b-5p, miR-142-3p, miR-145-5p, miR-193a-5p, miR-27b-3p, miR-22-5p and miR-423-5p) had area under curve (AUC) value > 0.7 (AUC p-value < 0.05). Overlapping findings from differential gene expression analysis, ROC analysis, and Independent T-Test resulted in three miRNAs (miR-27b-3p, miR-22-5p, miR-145-5p). Cohen's effect size for these three miRNAs was large with d value are more than 0.95., Conclusion: miR-27b-3p, miR-22-5p, miR-145-5p could be potential biomarkers to distinguish breast cancer patients from healthy controls. A validation study for these three miRNAs in an external set of samples is ongoing., .

Cancer metastasis to the thyroid gland from non-thyroid sites is a rare presentation in clinical practice. The most frequent primary cancers that metastasise to the thyroid are renal cell carcinoma, followed by colorectal, lung and breast. We report a case of a 64-year-old Malay lady who presented with anterior neck swelling 4 years after an initial diagnosis of uterine leiomyosarcoma. She had undergone a hysterectomy procedure four years ago. Fine needle aspiration cytology of the thyroid mass suggested undifferentiated thyroid carcinoma. After multi-disciplinary discussion, the patient underwent thyroidectomy and the final histopathological diagnosis was metastatic leiomyosarcoma of the thyroid. The diagnosis was aided by an immunohistochemistry panel of positive myogenic markers, negative epithelial markers as well as the previous medical history of uterine leiomyosarcoma. Metastatic leiomyosarcoma of the thyroid may mimic primary undifferentiated (anaplastic) thyroid carcinoma (UTC) with a sarcomatoid pattern, medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) with spindle cells morphology and spindle cell tumour with thymus-like differentiation (SETTLE). Hence, a multidisciplinary approach must be practised by pathologists, surgeons and radiologists to consider metastatic lesions of the thyroid gland, especially when a previous history of cancer exists or is suspected.

Background: Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) which is treated with taxane, adriamycin and cyclophosphamide (TAC) chemotherapy regimen show variation in treatment response. CYP1B1 4326 C>G polymorphism has been implicated in contributing to the differences in treatment response in various types of cancers., Aim: The objective of the present study was to investigate whether this polymorphism modulate the risk of disease recurrence in TNBC patients undergoing TAC chemotherapy regimen., Methods: Blood samples of 76 immunohistochemistry confirmed TNBC patients were recruited. The genotyping of CYP1B1 4326 C>G polymorphism was carried out using PCR-RFLP technique. The genotype patterns were categorized into homozygous wildtype, heterozygous and homozygous variant. Kaplan-Meier analysis followed by Cox proportional hazard regression model were performed to evaluate the TNBC patients' recurrence risk., Results: Out of 76 TNBC patients, 25 (33.0%) showed disease recurrence after one-year evaluation. Kaplan Meier analysis showed that TNBC patients who are carriers of CYP1B1 4326 GG variant genotypes (37.0%) had a significantly lower probability of disease-free rates as compared to TNBC patients who are carriers of CYP1B1 4326 CC/CG genotypes (71.0%). Univariate and multivariate Cox analysis demonstrated that TNBC patients who carried CYP1B1 4326 GG variant genotype had a significantly higher risk of recurrence with HR: 2.50 and HR: 4.18 respectively, even after adjustment as compared to TNBC patients who were carriers of CYP1B1 4326 CC and CG genotypes., Conclusion: Our results demonstrate the potential use of CYP1B1 4325 GG variant genotype as a candidate biomarker in predicting risk of recurrence in TNBC patients undergoing TAC chemotherapy regimen.

Breast cancer commonly affects women of older age; however, in developing countries, up to 20% of breast cancer cases present in young women (younger than 40 years as defined by oncology literature). Breast cancer in young women is often defined to be aggressive in nature, usually of high histological grade at the time of diagnosis and negative for endocrine receptors with poor overall survival rate. Several researchers have attributed this aggressive nature to a hidden unique biology. However, findings in this aspect remain controversial. Thus, in this article, we aimed to review published work addressing somatic mutations, chromosome copy number variants, single nucleotide polymorphisms, differential gene expression, microRNAs and gene methylation profile of early-onset breast cancer, as well as its altered pathways resulting from those aberrations. Distinct biology behind early-onset of breast cancer was clear among estrogen receptor-positive and sporadic cases. However, further research is needed to determine and validate specific novel markers, which may help in customizing therapy for this group of patients.

Neonatal Nav1.5 (nNav1.5) is the alternative splice variant of Nav1.5 and it has been widely associated with the progression of breast cancer. The immunological context of nNav1.5 with respect to breast cancer metastases remains unexplored. The presence of antibodies against nNav1.5 may highlight the immunogenicity of nNav1.5. Hence, the aim of the present study was to detect the presence of antineonatal Nav1.5 antibodies (antinNav1.5-Ab) in the serum of patients with breast cancer and to elucidate the effects of breast cancer therapy on its expression. A total of 32 healthy female volunteers and 64 patients with breast cancer were randomly recruited into the present study as the control and breast cancer group, respectively. Patients with breast cancer were divided equally based on their pre- and ongoing-treatment status. Serum samples were tested with in-house indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to detect antinNav1.5-Ab, CD25 (T regulatory cell marker) using an ELISA kit and Luminex assay to detect the expression of metastasis-associated cytokines, such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), interleukin (IL)-6, IL-10, IL-8, chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 2 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) The mean difference in the expression of antinNav1.5-Ab among the three groups (control, pretreatment and ongoing-treatment) was significant (P=0.0005) and the pretreatment breast cancer group exhibited the highest expression. The concentration of CD25 was highest in the pretreatment breast cancer group compared with the control and ongoing-treatment groups. There was a significant positive correlation between antinNav1.5-Ab and IL-6 in the pretreatment group (r=0.7260; P=0.0210) and a significant negative correlation between antinNav1.5-Ab and VEGF in the ongoing-treatment group (r=-0.842; P-value=0.0040). The high expression of antinNav1.5-Ab in the pretreatment group was in accordance with the uninterrupted presence of metastasis and highlighted the immunogenicity of nNav1.5 whereas the low expression of antinNav1.5-Ab in the ongoing-treatment group reflected the efficacy of breast cancer therapy in eliminating metastases. The augmented manifestation of T regulatory cells in the pretreatment group highlighted the functional role of nNav1.5 in promoting metastasis. The parallel expression of antinNav1.5-Ab with the imbalanced expression of cytokines promoting metastasis (IL-8, IL-6 and TNF-α) and cytokines that prevent metastasis (IL-10) indicated the role of nNav1.5 in breast cancer growth. The expression of antinNav1.5-Ab in accordance to the metastatic microenvironment indicates the immunogenicity of the protein and highlights the influence of breast cancer therapy on its expression level., (Copyright: © Rajaratinam et al.)

Purpose: Patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism are at high risk for developing postoperative hypocalcemia. However, there are limited data regarding predictors of postoperative hypocalcemia in renal failure patient with secondary hyperparathyroidism. This study aimed to determine the clinical presentations of renal hyperparathyroidism and the predictors of early postoperative hypocalcemia after total parathyroidectomy., Methods: Data of patients with renal hyperparathyroidism who underwent total parathyroidectomy between January 2007 to December 2014 were reviewed retrospectively. Patients were divided into 2 cohort groups according to their serum calcium levels within 24 hours of parathyroidectomy: the hypocalcemia group (calcium levels of 2 mmol/L or less), and the normocalcemia group (calcium levels more than 2 mmol/L). With the use of multivariable logistic regression analyses, the predictors of early postoperative hypocalcemia after total parathyroidectomy in patients with renal hyperparathyroidism were investigated., Results: Among 68 patients, 56 patients (82.4%) were symptomatic preoperatively. Fifty patients (73.5%) presented with bone pain and 14 patients (20.6%) had muscle weakness. Early postoperative hypocalcemia occurred in 25 patients (36.8%). Preoperative alkaline phosphatase level was the predictor of early postoperative hypocalcemia (adjusted odds ratio, 1.004; 95% confidence interval, 1.001-1.006; P = 0.002)., Conclusion: Results from our study show that most of the patients with renal hyperparathyroidism were symptomatic preoperatively and the most common clinical presentations were bone pain and muscle weakness. The significant predictor of early postoperative hypocalcemia after total parathyroidectomy was the preoperative alkaline phosphatase levels., Competing Interests: CONFLICTS OF INTEREST: No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported., (Copyright © 2020, the Korean Surgical Society.)

Background: Breast reconstruction after mastectomy is important in breast cancer care., Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was designed to assess surgeons' and patients' perceptions toward breast reconstruction. Questionnaires were distributed to general and breast surgeons in East Coast Malaysian hospitals and Hospital Kuala Lumpur and to postmastectomy patients with and without breast reconstruction at the Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia and Hospital Raja Perempuan Zainab II. The response rates were 82.5% for the surgeons (n = 33), 95.4% for the patients with reconstruction (n = 63), and 95.5% for the patients without reconstruction (n = 278)., Results: The median surgeon age and experience was 42 and 6 years, respectively. Each surgeon saw an average of 20 new breast cancer cases annually. Most surgeons (86.7%) discussed reconstruction options with their patients but had only referred an average of 4 patients for reconstruction during a 3-year period. Surgeons' concerns regarding the qualitative outcome increased the likelihood of a breast reconstruction discussion (β = 4.833; P = .044). The women who underwent breast reconstruction were younger (mean age, 42 vs. 50 years), were more often working (69.4% vs. 42.2%), and more often had previous awareness of the option (90.3% vs. 44.3%). The most common reasons for undergoing breast reconstruction were "to feel more balanced" (92.1%) and "surgeon's strong recommendation" (92.1%). Previous knowledge of breast reconstruction increased the likelihood of reconstruction (odds ratio, 5.805; P = .026). Although 70% of surgeons thought that patients would not be interested in reconstruction, only 37.9% of patients with previous awareness reported having no interest., Conclusion: The low reconstruction rate (20.6%) can be attributed to the low referral rate. Patients' likelihood to undergo reconstruction with their surgeon's recommendation and with previous awareness were reflective of the surgeons' strong influence on their patients. Thus, clarification of surgeons' hypothetical criticisms could conceivably increase the reconstructive surgery rate., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Liver disease is a worldwide problem. It represents one of the main causes of morbidity and mortality in humans. Achillea biebersteinii is used as herbal remedy for various ailments including liver diseases. But the scientific basis for its medicinal use remains unknown. Thus, this research was undertaken to evaluate the efficiency of A. biebersteinii essential oil (ABEO) (0.2 mL/kg) in the amelioration of CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity in rodent model. Moreover, the chemical content of the oil was investigated using GC and GC-MS. The following biochemical parameters were evaluated: serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT), glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (GPT), gamma-glutamyl-transpeptidase (γ-GGT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and total bilirubin. Furthermore, lipid profile, malondialdehyde (MDA), nonprotein sulfhydryl (NP-SH), and total protein (TP) contents in liver tissue were estimated. 44 components (92.0%) of the total oil have been identified by GC-MS analysis where α-terpinene and p-cymene were the most abundant. The high serum enzymatic (GOT, GPT, GGT, and ALP) and bilirubin concentrations as well as the level of MDA, NP-SH, and TP contents in liver tissues were significantly reinstated towards normalization by the ABEO. Histopathological study further confirmed these findings. In addition, ABEO showed mild antioxidant activity in 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging and β-carotene-linoleic acid assays.

Background: Lung cancer is the most frequent malignancy of men worldwide. In Ninawa in Iraq, lung cancer ranks first among cancers diagnosed in men. Since no prior studies have been conducted on incidence trends in our population the present investigation of rates during 2000-2010 was therefore performed., Materials and Methods: Registy data for lung cancer cases were collected from the Directorate of Health in Ninawa-Mosul Continuing Medical Education Center. We restricted our analyses to men categorized according to the age groups of 0- 39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69 and 70+ years. The significance of incidence rate trends during 2000-2010 was tested using Poisson regression. Age-standardized rates (ASR), and age-specific rates per 100,000 population were calculated., Results: A total of 1,206 incident lung cancer were registered among males, accounting for 15.5% of all male cancers registered during 2000-2010. It ranked first throughout the period. Median age at diagnosis was 69 (mean 66.8± 11.0) years. The incidence rate of all male lung cancers in Ninawa (all ages) decreased from 26.4 per 100,000 in 2000 to 12.7 in 2010 (APC=-6.55%, p<.0001). The incidences in age groups 40-49, 50-59, 60-69 and 70+ decreased in earlier years and recently appeared (2007-2010) stable. The incidence in age group (0-39) remained stable between 2000-2010. Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC)was the most common type of lung cancer, while adenocarcinoma was relatively rare., Conclusions: With the data from Directorate of Health in Ninawa during the period 2000-2010, lung cancer is the most common cancer but generally declining. Among all age groups, the recent incidence of lung cancer remained stable. The SCC predominance suggests change in tobacco habits as an important factor in the trends observed.

Background: Breast cancer is the most frequent malignancy of women worldwide. In Iraq, breast cancer ranks first among cancers diagnosed in women but no studies have been conducted on incidence trends. The present study of breast cancer in the country during 2000-2009 was therefore performed., Materials and Methods: The registered data for breast cancer cases were collected from the Iraqi Cancer Registry/Ministry of Health. The significance of incidence rate trends during 2000-2009 was tested using Poisson regression. Age-standardized rates (ASR), and age-specific rates per 100,000 population were calculated., Results: A total of 23,792 incident breast cancer cases were registered among females aged ≥15 years, represented 33.8% of all cancers in females registered during 2000-2009. It ranked first in all the years. The median age at diagnosis was 49 and the mean age was 52 years. The incidence rate of all female breast cancer in Iraq (all ages) increased from 26.6 per 100,000 in 2000 to 31.5 per 100,000 in 2009 (APC=1.14%, p<.0001). The incidence in age groups (40-49), (50-59) and (70+) increased in earlier years and has recently (2005-2009) become stable. The incidence in age group (60-69) did not decline since 2003, while the incidence rates in the age group (15-39) started to decline in 2004., Conclusions: With the Iraqi Cancer Registry data during the period 2000-2009, the incidence of all female breast cancer in Iraq (all ages) has risen. We found rapid increase in the age specific incidence rate among age group 60-69. However, breast cancer among Iraqi women still affects younger age groups than their counterparts in developed countries. Further epidemiological research is needed to examine possible causes and prevention measures.

Background: Iraq fought three wars in three consecutive decades, Iran-Iraq war (1980-1988), Persian Gulf War in 1991, and the Iraq's war in 2003. In the nineties of the last century and up to the present time, there have been anecdotal reports of increase in cancer in Ninawa as in all provinces of Iraq, possibly as a result of exposure to depleted uranium used by American troops in the last two wars. This paper deals with cancer incidence in Ninawa, the most importance province in Iraq, where many of her sons were soldiers in the Iraqi army, and they have participated in the wars., Materials and Methods: The data was derived from the Directorate of Health in Ninawa. The data was divided into three sub periods: 1980-1990, 1991-2000, and 2001-2010. The analyses are performed using Poisson regressions. The response variable is the cancer incidence number. Cancer cases, age, sex, and years were considered as the explanatory variables. The logarithm of the population of Ninawa is used as an offset. The aim of this paper is to model the cancer incidence data and estimate the cancer incidence rate ratio (IRR) to illustrate the changes that have occurred of incidence cancer in Ninawa in these three periods., Results: There is evidence of a reduction in the cancer IRR in Ninawa in the third period as well as in the second period. Our analyses found that breast cancer remained the first common cancer; while the lung, trachea, and bronchus the second in spite of decreasing as dramatically. Modest increases in incidence of prostate, penis, and other male genitals for the duration of the study period and stability in incidence of colon in the second and third periods. Modest increases in incidence of placenta and metastatic tumors, while the highest increase was in leukemia in the third period relates to the second period but not to the first period. The cancer IRR in men was decreased from more than 33% than those of females in the first period, more than 39% in the second period, and regressed to 9.56% in the third period., Conclusion: Our paper confirms the media reports that there are increases in the number of cancer cases, but when it analyzed statistically with population growth in the Ninawa province, there are decreases in incidence rates in most cancer types.

Entamoeba histolytica is a causative agent of amoebic liver abscess (ALA) and is endemic in many underdeveloped countries. We investigated antigenic E. histolytica proteins in liver abscess aspirates using proteomics approach. Pus samples were first tested by real-time PCR to confirm the presence of E. histolytica DNA and the corresponding serum samples tested for E. histolytica-specific IgG by a commercial ELISA. Proteins were extracted from three and one pool(s) of pus samples from ALA and PLA (pyogenic liver abscess) patients respectively, followed by analysis using isoelectric focussing, SDS-PAGE and Western blot. Unpurified pooled serum samples from infected hamsters and pooled human amoebic-specific IgG were used as primary antibodies. The antigenic protein band was excised from the gel, digested and analysed by MALDI-TOF/TOF and LC-MS/MS. The results using both primary antibodies showed an antigenic protein band of ∼14kDa. Based on the mass spectrum analysis, putative tyrosine kinase is the most probable identification of the antigenic band., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The protein profile of serum samples from patients with amoebic liver abscess (ALA) was compared to those of normal individuals to determine their expression levels and to identify potential surrogate disease markers. Serum samples were resolved by two dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) followed by image analysis. The up and down-regulated protein spots were excised from the gels and analysed by MS/MS. The concentration of three clusters of proteins i.e. haptoglobin (HP), α1-antitrypsin (AAT) and transferrin in serum samples of ALA patients and healthy controls were compared using competitive ELISA. In addition, serum concentrations of HP and transferrin in samples of patients with ALA and pyogenic liver abscess (PLA) were also compared. The results of the protein 2-DE expression analysis showed that HP cluster, AAT cluster, one spot each from unknown spots no. 1 and 2 were significantly up-regulated and transferrin cluster was significantly down-regulated in ALA patients' sera (p<0.05). The MS/MS analysis identified the unknown protein spot no.1 as human transcript and haptoglobin and spot no. 2 as albumin. Competitive ELISA which compared concentrations of selected proteins in sera of ALA and healthy controls verified the up-regulated expression (p<0.05) of HP and the down-regulated expression (p<0.01) of transferrin in the former, while there was no significant difference in AAT expression (p> 0.05). However, when ALA and PLA samples were compared, competitive ELISA showed significant increased concentration of HP (p<0.05) while transferrin levels were not different. In conclusion, this study showed that HP is a potential surrogate disease marker for ALA.

Colorectal cancer is one of the most common cancers in many countries, including Malaysia. The accumulation of genomic alterations is an important feature of colorectal carcinogenesis. A better understanding of the molecular events underlying the stages of colorectal carcinogenesis might be helpful in the detection and management of the disease. We used a commercially available single-nucleotide polymorphism genotyping array to detect both copy number abnormalities (CNAs) and copy-neutral loss of heterozygosity (LOH) in sporadic colorectal carcinomas. Matched tumor and normal tissues of 13 colorectal carcinomas (Dukes' stages A-D) were analyzed using a 250K single nucleotide polymorphism array. An additional assay was performed to determine the microsatellite instability status by using the National Cancer Institute-recommended BAT-26 panel. In general, copy number gain (92.3%) was most common, followed by copy number loss (53.8%) and copy-neutral LOH (46.2%). Frequent CNAs of gains and losses were observed on chromosomes 7p, 8, 13q, 17p, 18q, and 20q, and copy-neutral LOH was observed on chromosomes 2, 6, 12, 13q, 14q, 17, 20p, 19q, and 22q. Even though genomic alterations are associated with colorectal cancer progression, our results showed that DNA CNAs and copy-neutral LOH do not reflect disease progression in at least 50% tumors. Copy-neutral LOH was observed in both early and advanced tumors, which favors the involvement of these genomic alterations in the early stages of tumor development.

For efficient pain reduction in severe skin wounds, topically applied opioids may be a new option. Moreover, by stimulating keratinocyte migration opioids may also accelerate wound healing. Yet, conventional formulations failed to consistently provide sufficient pain control in patients which may be due to local drug degradation or insufficient concentrations at the target site. After having excluded major morphine glucuronidation by keratinocytes and fibroblasts, we next aimed for an optimised formulation. Since long intervals for painful wound dressing changes are intended, the formulations should allow for prolonged opioid release and should not impair the healing process. We developed morphine-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN, mean size about 180 nm), and tested improvement of wound closure in a new human-based 3D-wound healing model. Standardised wounds were induced by CO(2)-laser irradiation of reconstructed human full-thickness skin equivalents (EpiDermFT). Morphine, morphine-loaded and unloaded SLN accelerated reepithelialization. Keratinocytes almost completely covered the dermis equivalent after 4 days, which was not the case when applying the vehicle. In conclusion, acceleration of wound closure, low cytotoxicity and irritation as well as possible prolonged morphine release make SLN an interesting approach for innovative wound management., (Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: Amphotericin B (AMB), an effective antifungal and antileishmanial agent associated with low oral bioavailability (0.3%) and severe nephrotoxicity, was entrapped into poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) nanoparticles to improve the oral bioavailability and to minimize the adverse effects associated with it., Materials and Methods: The AMB-nanoparticles (AMB-NP) were prepared by nanoprecipitation method employing Vitamin E-TPGS as a stabilizer. In vitro release was carried out using membrane dialysis method. The in vitro hemolytic activity of AMB-NP was evaluated by incubation with red blood cells (RBCs). The acute nephrotoxicity profile and oral bioavailability of AMB-NP were evaluated in rats., Results: The prepared AMB-NP formulation contained monodispersed particles in the size range of 165.6 +/- 2.9 nm with 34.5 +/- 2.1% entrapment at 10% w/w initial drug loading. AMB-NP formulation showed biphasic drug release, an initial rapid release followed by a sustained release. The AMB-NP formulation exerted lower hemolysis and nephrotoxicity as compared to Fungizone. The relative oral bioavailability of the AMB-NP was found to be approximately 800% as compared to Fungizone., Conclusion: Together, these results offer a possibility of treating systemic fungal infection and leishmaniasis with oral AMB-NP, which could revolutionize the infectious disease treatment modalities.

Background: Popliteal artery injury is uncommon but poses a significant challenge in Australian trauma care. Blunt trauma and knee dislocations appear to be associated with higher amputation rates. The aim of the present study was to review the authors' experience with this condition and discuss the best approach to investigation and management., Methods: The medical records of all patients with popliteal artery injury (n = 19) who were entered prospectively onto the Royal Perth Hospital Trauma Registry from 1995 to 2003 were reviewed. Their demographic data, investigations, primary operative procedures, fasciotomy, primary and secondary amputation rates and mortality were determined., Results: There were 17 male and two female patients with a median age of 34 years (range 17-62 years). Most patients (84%) were under 40 years in age. Blunt trauma was the commonest cause of popliteal artery injury (68.4%), and 84.6% of the patients had associated skeletal injury. The amputation rate in the present study was 26.3% (5/19). There were no intraoperative or in-hospital deaths. Three of 13 patients (23%) with blunt trauma underwent amputation, compared to two of six (33.3%) with penetrating injury. Two of three amputee patients in the blunt trauma group had dislocated knees., Conclusion: Despite technical improvements in management of popliteal artery injury, a high amputation rate is still seen, especially in patients with one or more of the following factors: extensive soft-issue injury, associated skeletal trauma, knee dislocation, and prolonged ischaemia time. Measures to reduce the amputation rate, ranging from more prompt diagnosis to modified surgical treatment techniques, are discussed.