Value of Serum Growth Differentiation Factor 15 in diagnosis of Colorectal Cancer

Background: Colorectal Cancer (CRC) is considered the third most deadly and fourth most commonly diagnosed cancer in the world.Objective: The aim of the present study was to compare serum levels of growth differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15) in patients with CRC and in those healthy control subjects.Patients and methods: The study included 60 subjects that were divided in two groups: Group Ι included 30 patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer and group ΙΙ that included 30 healthy volunteers as control group. They didn`t have any acute or chronic diseases. All subjects of this study were subjected to full history taking, clinical examination and laboratory investigations. The study was conducted at Internal Medicine Department (gastroenterology and endoscopy unit), Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University. Results: The study comprised 35 males (58.3%) and 25 females (41.7%), with a mean age of 61 ± 9 years. Twenty-six participants were from urban areas (43.3%) and 34 from rural areas (56.7%). Thirteen participants had a suspicious occupational exposure (21.7%) and 27 were smokers (45%). Mean BMI of all participants was 31 ± 6 kg/m2 with no statistically significant differences between the studied groups. Regarding Hb level and GDF-15, there were statistically significant differences between CRC group and control group where Hb was higher in the control group, while GDF15 was higher in CRC group. Conclusion: Growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF-15) could be used as a valuable independent biomarker for screening CRC

Magnetic resonance imaging features of post-COVID-19 regional and invasive sino-nasal mucormycosis

Abstract Background Sino-nasal mucormycosis is an opportunistic, invasive fungal disease which has shown a rising trend in the setting of COVID-19. The objective of this study is to document and analyze demographic data, clinical presentation and MR imaging spectra for early detection and management of post-COVID-19 sino-nasal mucormycosis. Results Sixty-two cases of sino-nasal mucormycosis were enrolled in this study; their mean age was 50.65 ± 8.25 years, with significant female predominance. Nine patients (14.5%) had active COVID-19 and 53 (85.5%) were recent COVID-19 cases. Sixty patients have not received COVID-19 vaccine. The mean duration from the initial COVID-19 laboratory confirmation to the detection of sino-nasal mucormycosis was 25.7 +/− 4.6 days. Thirty-five patients (56.5%) were kept in the hospital for COVID management and 4 of them received intensive care unit (ICU) treatment. Twenty-seven patients (43.5%) were treated in home isolation. Corticosteroids were administered in 48 cases (77.4%). Twenty-nine patients (46.8%) had been given oxygen for an average time of 11.2 ± 4.15 days. Diabetes was found in 56 cases (90.3%). The most common clinical symptoms were headache, seen in 52 patients (83.87%). The ethmoid sinus was the most common paranasal sinus involved in our study, seen in 47 cases (75.81%). In 36 cases (58%), multiple sinuses were involved. MRI staging according to the extent of regional involvement. Stage 1 seen in 2 cases (3.23%), stage 2 in 13 cases (20.97%), stage 3 in 35 cases (56.45%) and stage 4 in 12 cases (19.35%). Conclusions MRI shows a spectrum of findings in sino-nasal mucormycosis. Imaging plays a major role in staging and assessing the extent of involvement and complications. In light of this, mortality and morbidity can be dramatically decreased with adequate evaluation and therapy