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Abstract : Prevalence of Malnutrition among Cancer Patients in a Nigerian Institution
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Abstract: Background: Cancer is a major health problem. Successful management includes adequate supportive care. Nutritional problems are common among cancer patients and these are not routinely addressed by oncologists during oncology care leading to suboptimal outcome even in developed countries. In Nigeria and other low and medium income countries, the situation is worse as nutritional screening and assessment of cancer patients are not routinely carried out. Objectives: To determine the proportion of cancer patients at risk of malnutrition and compare convergence of risk assessment using SGA and MUST tools. Methods: This was a prospective study carried out among cancer patients who presented for cancer care in the Department of Radiation Oncology, University College Hospital Ibadan, Nigeria. Nutritional assessment tools which included Malnutrition Universal Scoring Tool (MUST) and Subjective Global Assessment (SGA) were used to assess the nutritional status of the participants. Results: A total of 89 patients aged between 18 and 85 years participated in the study. The number of males were 13 (15%) while females were 76(85%). In our study 54 (60.8%) of our patients were at risk of malnutrition using the malnutrition universal scoring tool (MUST) scale while 53(60%) were malnourished using the subjective global assessment (SGA) scale. The reliability for the classifications using the MUST and SGA scales was positive (moderate) [Kappa = 0.584 (p<0.0005), 95% CI (0.410, 0.758)]. Conclusion: There is a high proportion of clinical malnutrition among cancer patients in the study population. According to this study, there was similarity between the classifications of nutritional risk, using the MUST and SGA tools. Keywords: Nutrition, Status, oncology, MUST, SGA, nutritional assessment. |
Abstract : Breast Cancer Treatment Protocols: Systematic Review of the Last 35 Years
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Abstract: Breast cancer is the main leading type of cancer for women around the world and is responsible for 522,000 deaths per year worldwide. In order to reduce this number, clinicians and researchers are always looking for new strategies and protocols. However, the treatment for breast cancer is challenging and requires as much information as possible. To this end, we conducted a review of all protocols used for breast cancer treatment in the last 35 years with the objective to help clinicians to choose the best treatment possible available in their region. Many of the protocols are international references, and for that reason have been used in many countries like USA and Europe. The data, depicted in tables, may be helpful for clinicians worldwide and researchers to better understand the evolution of breast cancer protocols such as helping make daily routine decisions. Keywords: Breast cancer, protocols, systematic review. |
Abstract : Comparison of Analytical Characteristics of Commercial and in-House Methods for DNA Isolation from Paraffin Histology Blocks
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Abstract: One of the hotspots in clinical research today is molecular genetic analysis of structural DNA alterations. Working with DNA obtained from formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue specimens is particularly challenging, due to cross-linking and fragmentation of DNA. We performed a comparative analysis of DNA extraction methods from FFPE tissue using two in-house protocols and Qiagen (QIAamp DNA FFPE Tissue Kit) and Roche (High Pure FFPET DNA Isolation Kit) commercial kits presented in the Russian market and used in clinical practice. To assess the quantity and quality of the isolated DNA, we used the real-time PCR to rate DNA yield, the inhibited impurity content and the degree of fragmentation. Our findings may be useful for a medical laboratory that performs testing of somatic mutations for the targeted therapy selection, and researchers who specialized in tumor genome structure studies in respect to patient prognosis and prediction of the sensitivity or resistance of tumor cells to therapy. Keywords: DNA extraction, formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue blocks, QIAamp DNA FFPE Tissue Kit, High Pure FFPET DNA Isolation Kit, PCR.Download Full Article |
Abstract : Distribution of Breast Cancer Biomarkers by Age in Iran
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Abstract: Background and Objectives: Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer related death globally and presents as the most common female malignancy in Iran. Multiple factors are associated with an increased risk of developing breast cancer; for example first degree family history of breast cancer, BRCA1, 2 mutation and history of atypical hyperplasia on biopsy are the most important risk factors for developing breast cancer. Some prognostic factors are classically used that it would help us to either choosing recommended optimal treatment or recognizing the prognosis. In several studies it is shown that these factors have different patterns in age groups or histopathologic types. The aim of this study was to determine the age distribution of hormone receptors and biomarkers and determine their relation to the histopathologic types. Methods: Data were gathered from the medical records of Baqiyatallah hospital, Tehran, Iran. Breast cancer patients whose disease was confirmed by pathologic studies and had immunohistochemical profile, were included. Estrogen receptor (ER), Progesterone receptors (PR), HER2/neu and p53 were selected as biomarkers of this study. Results: Mean age of patients was 49.47±12.50 years (range 20 to 86). The most common histopathologic type was invasive ductal carcinoma. Distribution of ER and PR against age detected similar; ER positivity increased with age and it peaked in fifth decade of life, and PR positivity showed more regular pattern and it also peaked in fifth decade of life (p <0.05) HER2/neu positivity also had trend to increase with age and it peaked in sixth decade of life, but P53 had trend to show unimodal distribution pattern that peaked in sixth decade of life, but this findings were not statistically significant (p>0.05). Conclusions: Our breast cancer patients were generally younger than patients round the world. The different distribution pattern of biomarkers in our studies in comparison with similar studies, may suggest different biologic behavior of breast cancer in our patients. Further studies will help illuminate this point. Keywords: Age groups, Biological tumor markers, Breast Neoplasms, Pathology, Iran.Download Full Article |
