Pure mucinous carcinoma of breast cancer in 56 Tunisian women

Background: Pure mucinous carcinoma breast cancer (PMBC) is a relatively rare subtype cancer of breast malignancy and associated with favorable prognosis. This retrospective study aims to investigate clinical, pathological features and clinical long-term outcomes. Methods: A retrospective review of 56 patients' files with pure mucinous breast cancer was performed. We evaluated the clinic-pathologic characteristics and survival status. Results: The mean age was 59 years. 37 patients underwent modified radical mastectomy; 14 underwent breast-conserving surgery. The 5-years overall survival (OS) and disease free survival (DFS) rates were respectively 75,3% and 74%. According to univariate analysis for OS, age (p = 0,049), menopausal status (p = 0,024), clinical T stage (p = 0,037), N stage (p = 0,002) and pathological T stage (p = 0,033) were statistically significant factors for survival. The DFS was better in postmenopausal women (p = 0,02), histological tumor size smaller than 20 mm (p = 0,024), and negative lymph nodes (p = 0,049). Conclusion: Pure mucinous breast cancer has a favorable prognosis and is characterized by lower tumor grade, higher hormone receptor expression and lower incidence of nodal involvement. Thanks to its good prognosis, this subtype of cancer should be treated less aggressively than invasive ductal carcinoma

Distribution of free amino acids, polyphenols and sugars of <i>Ziziphus jujuba</i> pulps harvested from plants grown in Tunisia

<div><p><i>Ziziphus jujuba</i> pulps are very much appreciated by the inhabitants and have been recently exported. This article reports on the chemical composition (amino acids, polyphenols and sugars) of the pulps of four <i>Z. jujuba</i> ecotypes (Choutrana, Mahdia, Mahres and Sfax). The major amino acids identified were proline, aspartic acid and glutamic acid. Among these, proline was the most abundant amino acid (17.4 mol). Considerable differences in total phenolic contents (15.85 mg/L) were found. Predominant phenols identified by using HPLC were rutin (1.09 mg/L) and chlorogenic acid (2.57 mg/100 g). Sugars isolated from <i>Ziziphus</i> pulps were found at a rate of 43.52%. Using HPLC method, three sugars from the pulp extract were identified: glucose, galactose and sucrose. The Mahdia ecotype was the richest in these sugars with 0.45, 136.51 and 113.28 mg/L, respectively.</p></div

Phenolic profile, antioxidant capacity of five Z<i>iziphus spina</i>-<i>christi</i> (L.) Willd provenances and their allelopathic effects on <i>Trigonella foenum</i>-<i>graecum</i> L. and <i>Lens culinaris</i> L. seeds

<p>The aim of this work was to evaluate some secondary metabolites, antioxidant activity of methanolic leaf extracts of five <i>Ziziphus spina</i>-<i>christi</i> provenances (INRGREF, Tozeur, Degueche, Nafta and Kebelli) and their allelopathic effects on <i>Trigonella foenum</i>-<i>graecum</i> and <i>Lens culinaris</i>. Leaves were collected during 2013 and 2014. Total phenols, flavonoids, tannins and antioxidant activity were evaluated using the Folin ciocalteux, Aluminum trichloride, vanillin and scavenging activity on 22-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical methods, respectively. Total phenols, tannins and flavonoids were present, at levels of 57.41 mg GAE/g DW, 31.98 mg RE/g DW and 14.68 μg CE/g DW, respectively. The high antioxidant activity (0.086 μg/mL) was noted in kebelli provenance (2013). The highest germination, plumule and radicle lengths of tested species were observed in INRGREF provenance. <i>Z. spina</i>-<i>christi</i> leaf extracts may be suggested in foods and pharmaceutical industries. Leaf extracts could also provide a natural herbicide with a positive impact on the environment.</p