Relationship between Family History of Breast Cancer and Clinicopathological Features in Moroccan Patients

Background: Breast cancer is the most common cancer affecting women all over the world. In addition to hormonal and environmental causes, family history is emerging as an important risk factor in the etiology of this disease. The aim of the present study is thus to compare the clinico- pathological features of familial and sporadic breast cancer in Moroccan patients.Methods: A comparative retrospective cohort study was conducted on 570 women with familial and sporadic breast cancer who were diagnosed and treated in the Oncology Center of Ibn Rochd University Hospital in 2009. Data on breast cancer risk factors and clinico-pathological characteristics of the tumors were extracted from patients’ medical records.Results: Familial cases represented 18.4% of breast cancer patients. The age of onset appears to be earlier in familial breast cancers (P=0.0024). There were no significant differences between familial and sporadic groups according to histological type, tumor size and estrogen receptor status. However, Scarff-Bloom-Richardson grade III was found in 43.8% of familial cases vs 26.7% of sporadic cases (P=0.0127) and the lymph node involvement was observed in 72.4% of familial cases vs 58.9% in sporadic cases (P=0.0213). Moreover, familial breast cancer patients present especially progesterone receptor-negative tumors (P=0.0380).Conclusions: Our initial significant findings show that familial breast cancer seems to affect young women and tends to present high Scarff-Bloom-Richardson grade tumors with lymph node involvement and absence of progesterone receptors. These preliminary results may be useful as clinical marker to identify familial breast cancer allowing the development of careful follow-up for this patients subtype.Keywords: Breast neoplasm, family history, clinico-pathological characteristics, Morocc

Typical carcinoid tumor of the larynx in a woman: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Neuroendocrine tumors are the second most common neoplasms of the larynx. Histopathologically, neuroendocrine tumors can be classified into four types: typical carcinoid tumors, atypical carcinoid tumors, small cell neuroendocrine tumors and paragangliomas. Typical carcinoid tumor of the larynx is a particularly rare occurrence. We present a case of this rare disease, and review and discuss its diagnosis and treatment.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>A 55-year-old Turkish woman presented with a two-year history of persistent hoarseness. Endoscopic laryngeal examination and computed tomography revealed a supraglottic mass. Direct laryngoscopy was performed and a biopsy taken. Results of the histopathologic examination and immunohistochemical analysis were consistent with typical carcinoid tumor of the larynx. A supraglottic laryngectomy was performed. There was no recurrence during a follow-up period of three years.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Carcinoid tumors require an accurate diagnosis because of their varied clinical behavior and prognosis. A correct pathologic diagnosis is essential, differentiating the tumors from other neuroendocrine neoplasms and medullary cancer of the thyroid gland. Immunohistochemical analysis is supplementary to a standard histopathologic evaluation. Currently, conservative surgical resection without elective neck dissection is the recommended treatment for typical carcinoid tumor of the larynx. Additional cases and case series with long-term follow-up will be useful for understanding the nature of this tumor and should clarify the prognosis.</p

Lung Fibrosis after Chemotherapy Containing Docetaxel in a Patient Treated for Breast Cancer

Docetaxel has proven effective in many solid tumors, including breast cancer. Hypersensitivity reactions are the most common toxicity associated with docetaxel. However, acute interstitial pneumonia is rarely reported in the literature. We report the case of a woman born in 1969, treated for invasive ductal carcinoma of the left breast and who presented 6 years later with an invasive ductal carcinoma locally advanced in the right breast. Neo-adjuvant chemotherapy based on docetaxel was indicated. Fifteen days after the third course, she had a stage IV dyspnea with a dry cough. Chest radiography showed a bilateral diffuse interstitial infiltrate appearance labeled as an acute interstitial lung disease secondary to docetaxel. The outcome was good after a high dose of corticosteroids. Clinicians should be aware of the risk of interstitial lung disease with docetaxel and introduce a special monitoring of lung function

CARCINOSARCOME DU SEIN. A PROPOS D’UN CAS

Breast Carcinosarcome is a rare and aggressive cancer. We report a case of Carcinosarcoma of the right breast in a 51 year old patient, single person, diabetic, treated by surgery first, six cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy then radiotherapy on the right wall. The patient is in complete remission after a 12 months of follow up. The goal of our work is to bring back the anatomopathologic, therapeutic and finally prognostic characteristics of this rare entity.Le Carcinosarcome du sein est un cancer rare et agressif. Nous rapportons un cas de Carcinosarcome du sein droit chez une patiente de 51 ans, célibataire, diabétique type II, traitée par chirurgie première, six cycles de chimiothérapie en adjuvant puis radiothérapie sur la paroi droite. La patiente est en rémission complète après un recul de 12 mois. Le but de notre travail est de rapporter les caractéristiques anatomopathologiques, thérapeutiques et enfin pronostiques de cette entité rare

TUMEUR D’ASKIN. A PROPOS DE HUIT OBSERVATIONS

La tumeur d’Askin est une tumeur neuroectodermique primitive de la région thoracopulmonaire. Elle est rare représentant 6.5% des sarcomes, survenant chez l’enfant et le sujet jeune. Son pronostic est très défavorable ; la survie à 2 ans étant de 38% [1]. Le traitement est basé sur la chimiothérapie néo-adjuvante, suivie d'une chirurgie radicale si possible et/ou d'une irradiation, puis d'une chimiothérapie adjuvante selon la réponse de la tumeur à la chimiothérapie initiale [2,3] .Nous rapportons 8 cas de tumeurs d’Askin traités dans notre service. C’est une étude rétrospective de 8 cas de tumeurs d’Askin colligés au centre d’oncologie Ibn Rochd de Casablanca, durant la période 1998 -2003. Nous rapportons les résultats de notre expérience ainsi qu’une revue de la littérature

Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase C677T polymorphism and breast cancer risk in Moroccan women

BACKGROUND: Methylenetetrahydrofolate (MTHFR) enzyme plays an important role in folate metabolism which is involved in DNA methylation, repair, and synthesis. OBJECTIVE: We investigated if the MTHFR C677T polymorphism modulates the risk of developing breast cancer in Moroccan women. METHODS: Genotyping was performed by PCR-RFLP method on a sample of 96 patients with breast cancer and 117 controls. RESULTS: A positive correlation was found between the MTHFR C677T polymorphism and progesterone receptors expression (p= 0.04). According to menopausal status, the heterozygous CT (OR = 2.29 and P = 0.03) was statistically significant in pre-menopausal women. There was a significant association between C677T polymorphism and breast cancer risk in both additive (OR = 2.2, 95% CI = 1.24–3.86, p = 0.007) and dominant (OR = 2.10, CI 95% = 1.21–3.64, p = 0.008) models. In addition, the T allele were associated with a high breast cancer risk (OR = 1.59, 95% CI = 1.04–2.44, p = 0.03). CONCLUSION: In the light of our preliminary study, 677T allele and 677CT MTHFR genotype may represent a genetic determinant increasing breast cancer risk in Moroccan women. A larger study including a larger sample size and more information is needed to confirm our conclusions