Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

Back ground: nasopharyngeal carcinoma is rare in Iraq and the treatment of this tumor is usually by radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Objectives: this study was conducted to estimate the effect of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in Iraqi patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma Patients and methods: This study included sixty patients already diagnosed with nasopharyngeal tumors who attended the department of oncology in Baghdad teaching hospital during the period from January 2009 to December 2010,50 patients of them were treated by using combination chemotherapy in the form of Paclitaxel,5Flurouracil and cisplatinol for 4 courses prior to radiotherapy. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy was given due to advanced stage at presentation and due to long waiting list for radiotherapy which takes at least 6 months.10 patients were excluded from the study due to different reasons. Results: About half of the patients had partial response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy,only 8 patients (16%) had complete response, 12 patients (24%) did not show any response and 5 patients (10%) have progressive disease during the course of neo adjuvant chemotherapy. Conclusion: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy is beneficial in the management of Nasopharyngeal Cancer regarding local control and overall response rate

Assessment of early side effects of radiotherapy in breast cancer patients

Background: Breast cancer is the commonest cancer in women. In radiotherapy practice, it comprises 25% of patient caseload. This makes understanding the breast irradiation toxicities of prime importance. Early radiation toxicities occur during treatment and up to six months after treatment finished. Objectives: assessment of the early side effects of adjuvant external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) in breast cancer patients. Patients and Methods: A cross sectional survey with analytic component conducted on 60 patients treated in the oncology teaching hospital of medical city from January to April 2016. Results: The most prevalent toxicities were radiation dermatitis, fatigue, pain, sore throat, nausea, dysphagia, and arm edema. There was a significant difference between prevalence of dermatitis with different radiation doses used. Dermatitis was more prevalent with conventional fractionation (CF), than in hypofractionated radiotherapy. Conclusion: Dermatitis was the most common acute toxicity of radiotherapy in breast cancer patients with prevalence of 81.6 %. It was related to dose fractionation. Fatigue was the 2nd common (70%). It was correlated with disease stage

Acute Gastrointestinal radiation toxicities in pelvic radiation therapy; types, grade and frequency

Background: quality of life of cancer survivors is adversely impacted by bowel toxicity; result from pelvic radiation therapy. In the UK, 12000 patients are treated with radiation therapy for pelvic cancer, mostly with curative intent; this carries a considerable risk for normal surrounding tissues side effects. Objective: the aim of this study was to determine the frequency, types and grade of acute gastrointestinal toxicity in radical pelvic radiation therapy in our patients so that a comparison could be made with the Western countries. Patients and Methods: a prospective analytic study was carried out in Radiotherapy department / Oncology teaching hospital / Medical city complex, from the 2nd of January to the 30th of April 2016. A total of 53 patients with histologically confirmed uterine, cervical, rectal, urinary bladder or prostatic cancer, treated by radical radiation therapy, were enrolled in the study. Patients were assessed for the frequency, types and grade of acute gastrointestinal toxicities according to grading criteria of CTC (Common Toxicities Criteria), at the start, during and at the end of the treatment. The data was analyzed by the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS 20). Result: out of 53 patients, 60.37% (32) were female and 39.62% (21) were male. Endometrial cancers represent 30.18% of the cases, cervical cancers were 24.52%, and rectal cancers 11.32%, urinary bladder cancers 24.52% and prostatic cancers were 9.43% of the total cases. Diarrhea was present in 50.9% of the patients; nausea and vomiting were present in 22.6% for each. The majority had grade 1 toxicities and only 2 patients developed grade 3 diarrhea (4.7%). Conclusion: The type and incidence of acute gastrointestinal toxicities in pelvic radiation therapy were mostly related to; Radiation dose, a combined used of chemotherapy with radiation therapy and surgery

Analyzing Predisposing Risk Factors for Breast Cancer among Iraqi Women in Baghdad Teaching Hospital and National Center for Cancer Diseases in Baghdad in 2018.: Analyzing Predisposing Risk Factors for Breast Cancer among Iraqi Women

AbstractBackgroundBreast cancer is the most frequent malignancy in women worldwide. In Iraq, Breast cancer ranks the first among cancers diagnosed in women, the goal of this study is to bring the lights towards the importance of most common risk factors for breast cancer to reduce the incidence of breast cancer.MethodsA case control study involved breast cancer women who attended national center for cancer diseases hospital in Baghdad between first of June 2018, and first of September 2018, the cases were (60) and control were (90) all of them were interviewed using questionnaire that contains risk factors for breast cancer and all cases had their medical records available. SPSS version 23 was used. Each parameter is compared separately for statistically significant differences.ResultsThis study shows that the mean age of cases is 48.30 and the mean of controls is 34.42. The Body mass index, the martial status, radiation exposure and smoking of both cases and control were not statistically significant, the gravity, abortion and breast feeding also show no significant differences. The family history is highly significant between cases and controls, 24 cases shows from 60 had family member with the disease and most of them had sisters as the affected family member. Contraceptive intake also showed significant differences, there is 35 cases from 60 use contraceptive drug.ConclusionThe majority of women with breast cancer had been in the 5th decade, Family history and contraceptive pills intake are strong predictors for Breast cancer