Biomarker Significance of Serum CXCL8, CXCL10 and CXCL16 in Breast Tumors of Iraqi Patients

قيمت الاهمية الواسم-حياتية لثلاث من الحركيات الكيميائية (CXCL8 وCXCL10 وCXCL16) في مصول 45 من مريضات سرطان الثدي و28 من مريضات ورم الثدي الحميد و20 من نساء السيطرة. واعتمدت المرحلة السريرية وتعبير الورم لمستقبلات Estrogen وProgesterone وعامل النمو الشري HER-2 في هذا التقييم. اظهرت النتائج زيادة معنوية في متوسط CXCL8 وCXCL10 وCXCL16 لمريضات سرطان الثدي ومريضات ورم الثدي الحميد مقارنة بالسيطرة (CXCL8: 47.3 و25.7 مقابل 15.0؛ CXCL10: 37.6 و30.7 مقابل 13.1؛ CXCL16: 27.9 و25.2 مقابل 19.2 بيكوغرام/مل، على التوالي). وكانت زيادة مستوى CXCL8 وCXCL16 اكثر وضوحا في المريضات ثلاثية-سالبة التعبير والموجبة للمستقبل HER-2، على التوالي. اظهر تحليل الانحدار اللوجستي الثنائي اهمية CXCL8 كعامل تنبؤي لسرطان الثدي وان ذلك اكثر وصفا في المريضات ثلاثية سالبة التعبير. وفضلا عن ذلك فقد اظهر تحليل خصائص المستقبل التشغيلية باحتلال CXCL8 مساحة تحت المنحنى قدرها 0.988 في مريضات سرطان الثدي. يمكن الاستنتاج بان CXCL8 ذو اهمية لواسم - حياتي لسرطان الثدي خصوصا عند الاخذ بنظر الاعتبار تعبير الورم لمستقبلات Estrogen وProgesterone وعامل النمو الشري HER-2. وفي هذا الصدد، فان الدراسة تقترح الاهمية التنبؤية للحركي الكيميائي-8 في تطور سرطان الثدي لدى المريضات ثلاثية سالبة التعبير.The biomarker significance of three chemokines (CXCL8, CXCL10 and CXCL16) was evaluated in sera of 45 breast cancer (BC) and 28 benign breast lesion (BBL) patients, as well as 20 control women. Clinical stage and tumor expression of estrogen (ER), progesterone (PgR) and human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER-2) receptors were considered in this evaluation. The results demonstrated that CXCL8, CXCL10 and CXCL16 showed a significant increased median in BC and BBL patients compared to control (CXCL8: 47.3 and 25.7 vs. 15.0; CXCL10: 37.6 and 30.7 vs. 13.1; CXCL16; 27.9 and 25.2 vs. 19.2 pg/ml, respectively). The increased levels of CXCL8 and CXCL16 were more pronounced in triple-negative and HER-2 positive patients, respectively. Binary logistic regression analysis revealed that CXCL8 was a significant predictor of BC, and such prediction was more depicted in triple-negative patients. The receiver operating characteristic analysis also revealed that CXCL8 recorded an area under curve of 0.998 in BC patients. In conclusion, CXCL8 is a potential biomarker for BC, especially when ER, PgR and HER-2 expression is considered. In this context, the predictive significance of CXCL8 in influencing BC progression is suggested in triple-negative patients

Potential effects of miR‑146 expression in relation to malondialdehyde as a biomarker for oxidative damage in patients with breast cancer

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy worldwide. The expression of microRNA (miRNA/miR)-146 has been shown to be related to breast cancer progression, and its expression in breast cancer cells has been investigated in the blood of patients. In the present study, the concentration of lipid peroxidation in blood cells was measured by detecting the level of malondialdehyde (MDA) to explore the level of oxidative cellular damage in the collected blood samples of breast cancer patients, alongside healthy women used as the controls. Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR was used to analyze the expression of miR-146 in the blood of both breast cancer patients and healthy controls. As regards miR-146 expression, the fold change in expression in patients with breast cancer was 3.1-fold higher than that in healthy women. The findings revealed that the expression of miR-146 in patients with breast cancer was almost 3-fold higher than that in healthy women. Notably, the levels of MDA, which has been employed as a marker of lipid peroxidation, were significantly higher in patients with breast cancer (3.25±0.22) compared with healthy women (0.99±0.099). On the whole, the findings of the present study indicate that both miR-146 expression and MDA levels may function as potential biomarkers for determining susceptibility to breast cancer

The Clinico-epidemiologic Characteristics of Iraqi Patients with Neuroendocrine Tumors and Their Response to Long Acting Octreotide

Background: The lack of studies regarding the neuroendocrine tumors (NET) is related to the rarity of these tumors .Long acting Octreotide is an established treatment for NETs by both providing symptomatic relief & inhibiting tumor growth. However, studies regarding incidence of NETs & their response to long acting Octreotide are still insufficient. Objectives: To study the clinico-pathologic characteristics of Iraqi patients with NET & their response to long acting Octreotide. Patients & methods: This is a cross-sectional observational study that was conducted in Oncology teaching hospital using patients’ follow-up records. Data recruitment included all NET patients diagnosed after October 2013. Results: During the study period (2 years) ,38 patients were recorded in Iraq/oncology teaching hospital NET Registry. Patients ` data (age, gender, site of the tumor, metastatic status as well as type of therapy applied) were collected. Twenty one (55.3 %)of the patients were males, M:F=1.2:1 , while 23 patients (60.5%) were over the age of 50 years .The gastroenteropancreatic (GEP) tract being the most common primary site followed by pelvis We found metastatic disease at presentation in 17 (44.7% ) of patients and the Liver was the most common metastatic site found in (15.8%, 6 patients). Seventeen (44.7%) patients presented with Grade 3 . Most common therapy applied in our patients included systemic chemotherapy, surgery, long acting Sandostatin & radiotherapy for palliation only according to both NCCN & ESMO guidelines. The median time of remission following Somatostatin analogue (SSA) administration was 3 months compared to 7 months in patients received other modalities of treatment (p=0.003). Conclusion: Octreotide LAR provides symptomatic response & contributes to disease stabilization & tumor regression in both functional & non functional NETs

On the University / ﻋﻦ ﺍﻟﺠﺎﻣﻌﺔ

[Edward Said delivered this Address at the AUC Commencement in 1999, on the occasion of receiving an honorary doctorate degree. The academic space, he believes, is founded on freedom, which he commends in all its forms; opposing all restrictions and violation of that consecrated space. He expresses his belief that the University should be neither a political nor a government institution. It is precisely the role of contemporary academy, he asserts, to keep open the gap between itself and the institutions of society. Moving away from the image of a University where the academic professional and the public authority correspond to the sultan and potentate, Said believes in an alternative model where the academic world is a ceaseless quest for principles and knowledge, liberation, and finally justice. / ﺃﻟﻘﻰ ﺇﺩﻭﺍﺭﺩ ﺳﻌﻴﺪ ﻫﺬﻩ ﺍﻟﻜﻠﻤﺔ ﻓﻲ ﺣﻔﻞ ﺗﺨﺮﺝ ﺩﻓﻌﺔ ١٩٩٩ ﺑﺎﻟﺠﺎﻣﻌﺔ ﺍﻷﻣﺮﻳﻜﻴﺔ ﺑﺎﻟﻘﺎﻫﺮﺓ ﺑﻤﻨﺎﺳﺒﺔ ﻣﻨﺤﻪ ﺍﻟﺪﻛﺘﻮﺭﺍﻩ ﺍﻟﻔﺨﺮﻳﺔ٠ ﻭﻓﻴﻬﺎ ﻳﺘﺤﺪﺙ ﻋﻦ ﺍﻟﺤﺮﻳﺔ ﻛﺸﺮﻁ ﺃﺳﺎﺳﻲ ﻟﻠﺤﻴﺎﺓ ﺍﻟﺠﺎﻣﻌﻴﺔ٬ ﻭﻳﻔﺼّﻞ ﻓﻲ ﻣﻌﻨﻰ ﺍﻟﺤﺮﻳﺔ ﻭﻓﻲ ﻋﻮﺍﻗﺐ ﻏﻴﺎﺑﻬﺎ ﻭﻓﻲ ﺍﻟﻘﻴﻮﺩ ﺍﻟﻤﻔﺮﻭﺿﺔ ﻋﻠﻴﻬﺎ ﻓﻲ ﺍﻟﺠﺎﻣﻌﺎﺕ ﺍﻟﻌﺮﺑﻴﺔ ﺧﺎﺻﺔ٠ ﻓﺎﻟﺠﺎﻣﻌﺔ٬ ﻓﻲ ﻧﻈﺮﻩ٬ ﻟﻴﺴﺖ ﻣﺆﺳﺴﺔ ﺣﻜﻮﻣﻴﺔ ﻭﻻ ﺳﻴﺎﺳﻴﺔ٬ ﻭﻣﻦ ﺍﻷﻫﻤﻴﺔ ﺑﻤﻜﺎﻥ ﺃﻥ ﺗﺤﺘﻔﻆ ﺑﻤﺴﺎﻓﺔ ﺑﻴﻨﻬﺎ ﻭﺑﻴﻦ ﻣﺆﺳﺴﺎﺕ ﺍﻟﻤﺠﺘﻤﻊ ﻭﺗﺤﺎﻓﻆ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺍﺳﺘﻘﻼﻟﻬﺎ ﺣﺘﻰ ﺗﺘﻤﻜﻦ ﻣﻦ ﺍﻟﻘﻴﺎﻡ ﺑﺪﻭﺭﻫﺎ٠ ﻭﺍﻟﺠﺎﻣﻌﺔ ﺇﺫ ﺗﻌﺘﻤﺪ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺗﻮﺭﻳﺚ ﺍﻟﻌﻠﻢ ﻣﻦ ﺍﻷﺳﺘﺎﺫ ﺍﻟﻤﻤﺜﻞ ﻟﻠﺴﻠﻄﺔ ﻟﻄﺎﻟﺐ ﻳﺴﻴﺮ ﺗﻤﺎﻣﺎﹰ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺧﻄﻰ ﺍﻷﺳﺘﺎﺫ ﻻ ﺗﻜﻮﻥ ﺟﺎﻣﻌﺔ٬ ﺑﻞ ﻫﻲ ﺗﻜﻮﻥ ﻛﺬﻟﻚ ﻓﻘﻂ ﺣﻴﻦ ﺗﻔﺴﺢ ﻛﻞ ﺍﻟﻤﺠﺎﻝ ﻟﻠﺘﻐﻴﻴﺮ ﻭﺍﻟﺸﻚ ﻭﺍﻟﺘﺠﺪﻳﺪ٬ ﻻ ﻳﺤﻜﻤﻬﺎ ﺳﻮﻯ ﺣﺏ ﺍﻟﻤﻌﺮﻓﺔ ﻭﺍﻟﺴﻌﻲ ﺍﻟﺤﺮ ﻧﺤﻮﻫﺎ ﺩﻭﻥ ﻗﻴﻮﺩ ﻣﻦ ﻣﺼﺎﺩﺭﺓ ﻛﺘﺎﺏ ﺃﻭ ﺣﻮﺍﺭ ﺃﻭ ﻓﻜﺮ٠

Rectal cancer and chemoradiation in Iraq: systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: Rectal cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors of gastrointestinal tract. Combining chemotherapy with radiotherapy has a sound effect on its management. Objectives: Assessment the patterns of characterizations of rectal cancer. Evaluation of the efficacy, and long-term survival of pre-/ postoperative chemoradiation. Collecting all eligible evidence articles and summarize the results. Methods: By this systematic review and meta-analysis study, we include data of chemoradiation of rectal cancer articles from 2015 until 2019. The research was carried out at Baghdad Medical City oncology centers. Accordance with the PRISMA guidelines, and the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale used. Results: Starting with gender distribution as M:F ratio of 0.94:1.06. Regarding the age, recorded mean ± SD of 48.7 ± 14.2 years. Rectosigmoid represented the most common site as 50(49.5%), and adenocarcinoma was common histopathology as 76(75.2%) of patients, with localized stage in 50(49.5%). The moderate differentiation was most grade as 65(64.4%). The distant from anal verge mostly seen was 5–10 cm in 59(58.4%). The pulmonary was commonest site of metastasis in 11(10.9%). Most patients undergo APR operation, which has done in 41(40.6%). Adjuvant chemoradiation received by 40(39.6%) patients, whereas neoadjuvant chemoradiation gave to 25 patients. A total of 2609 articles from 12 databases met our search strategies. The highest Newcastle–Ottawa score (8) demonstrated in three studies, and median score (7) calculated in five studies. Conclusions: The incidence belonged to 5th and 6th decade of life. Rectosigmoid represented the most common site. Mostly, the 5–10 cm distant of tumor from anal verge was common finding. The pulmonary was most site of metastasis. We concluded the formulation of a novel point that survival benefit found in many pre or postoperative chemoradiation trials in rectal cancer. Resumo: Introdução: O câncer retal é um dos tumores malignos mais comuns do trato gastrointestinal. A combinação de quimioterapia e radioterapia em seu tratamento é eficaz. Objetivos: Avaliar os padrões de caracterização do câncer retal. Avaliar a eficácia e sobrevida a longo prazo em pacientes submetidos a quimiorradioterapia pré- ou pós-operatória. Coletar todos os artigos de evidências qualificados e resumir os resultados. Métodos: Esta revisão sistemática e metanálise incluiu dados de ensaios clínicos randomizados por cluster de 2015 até 2019. A pesquisa foi realizada nos centros de oncologia do Baghdad Medical City. As diretrizes PRISMA e a escala de Newcastle-Ottawa foram utilizadas para avaliar os estudos. Resultados: Quanto à distribuição por sexo, observou-se uma relação homem:mulher de 0,94:1,06. Em relação à idade, a média ± DP foi de 48,7 ± 14,2 anos. O retossigmoide fpo o local mais comum em 50 pacientes (49,5%); a histopatologia mais comum foi adenocarcinoma, observada em 76 pacientes (75,2%), com estágio localizado em 50 (49,5%). Diferenciação moderada foi observada em 65 pacientes (64,4%). A distância da borda anal variou entre 5 e 10 cm em 59 pacientes (58,4%). O pulmão foi o local mais comum de metástase, sendo observado em 11 pacientes (10,9%). A maioria dos pacientes (41 [40,6%]) foi submetida à ressecção abdominoperineal. Um total de 40 pacientes (39,6%) foram submetidos a quimiorradioterapia adjuvante e 25, a quimiorradioterapia neoadjuvante. Na revisão da literatura, foram encontrados 2.609 artigos que atendiam aos critérios de pesquisa utilizados em 12 bancos de dados. Três estudos atingiram o escore máximo na escala de Newcastle-Ottawa (8); cinco estudos atingiram o escore mediano (7). Conclusões: No presente estudo, a maior incidência de câncer retal foi observada entre a quinta e sexta décadas de vida. O retossigmoide foi o sítio tumoral mais comum. A maioria dos tumores estava localizado entre 5 a 10 cm de distância da margem anal. O pulmão foi o local mais importante de metástase. No presente estudo, quimiorradioterapia pré- ou pós-operatória estava relacionada a uma maior sobrevida em casos de câncer retal. Keywords: Rectal cancer, Chemoradiation, Rectosigmoid, TMR, APR, Palavras-chave: Câncer retal, Quimiorradioterapia, Retossigmoide, TMR, Ressecção abdominoperinea

Epidemiological and prognostic single center study of anal carcinoma

Background: Anorectal carcinoma includes the anal margin, the anal canal, and the lower rectum. The incidences of anal tumors represent 1.4 % of all gastrointestinal tumors. Patients and methods: Our study is retrospective and was conducted at Baghdad Medical City. Patient’s data were collected from the medical records through a predesigned sheet that included the following information: demographic data, medical history, past-history, presenting symptoms, pathological data, and treatment details. Results: The median age was 49 years. As regard tumor extension, 85.71 % of patients had anal disease, while anorectal cancer was encountered in 14.28 % of cases only. Male to female ratio was 1:3. Most of cases were SCC 78.57 %. Only 11 patients (39.28 %) were diagnosed as Stage I, whereas 12 patients (42.85 %) had Stage II-III disease. Moderate differentiated tumors are the most common. The tumor mass located between 5–10 cm das a distance from anal verge in 12 (42.85 %) of patients. We found 6 (21.42 %) patients with positive virology tests with no specificity detected. APR was the mainstay for treatment of stage I disease. Neoadjuvant treatment followed by TME resection was the treatment found in locally advanced tumors. The mean Overall Survival (OS) for patients received neoadjuvant CRT in the study was 43.5 months, while, the mean OS was 45.73 months in the adjuvant setting. Univariate analysis for OS according to prognostic factors revealed that sites of cancer, grades and histopathology were significant independent prognostic factors for OS in this study. The anal canal tumor was associated with shorter OS (33.25) months in comparison to the anorectal cancer (OS = 47.22 months). Based on tumor grade, well and moderate differentiation have better OS (60.21 months) while, poorly grade was associated with shorter OS (43.07 months). On the concern of SCC, it was associated with shorter OS (37 months) in comparison to higher survival in patients with adenocarcinoma (46.13 months). Conclusion: Anal canal cancer has poorer prognosis than anorectal. The early-stage has a better OS that needs more effort for early diagnosis and treatment. Resumo: Antecedentes: O carcinoma anorretal inclui a margem anal, o canal anal e o reto inferior. A incidência de tumores anais representa 1.4 % de todos os tumores gastrointestinais. Pacientes e métodos: Nosso estudo é retrospectivo e foi realizado no Baghdad Medical City. Os dados do paciente foram coletados dos registros médicos por meio de uma folha pré-projetada que incluía as seguintes informações: dados demográficos, histórico médico, histórico anterior, sintomas de apresentação, dados patológicos e detalhes do tratamento. Resultados: A idade média foi de 49 anos. Quanto à extensão do tumor; 85,71 % dos pacientes apresentavam doença anal, enquanto o câncer anorretal foi encontrado em 14,28 % dos casos. A proporção homem/mulher foi de 1:3. A maioria dos casos foi de CEC 78,57 %. Apenas 11 pacientes (39,28 %) foram diagnosticados como Estágio I, enquanto 12 pacientes (42,85 %) apresentavam doença em Estágio II?III. Tumores diferenciados moderados são os mais comuns. A massa tumoral localizada entre 5–10 cm das distâncias da margem anal em 12 (42,85 %) dos pacientes. Foram encontrados 6 (21,42 % pacientes com testes virológicos positivos sem especificidade detectada. A TAEG foi a base para o tratamento da doença em Estágio I. O tratamento neoadjuvante seguido pela ressecção do TME foi o tratamento encontrado em tumores localmente avançados. A sobrevida global média OS dos pacientes que receberam TRC neoadjuvante no estudo foi de 43,5 meses, enquanto a OS média foi de 45,73 meses no cenário adjuvante. A análise univariada para OS de acordo com fatores prognósticos revelou que locais de câncer, notas e histopatologia foram fatores prognósticos independentes significativos para OS neste estudo. O tumor do canal anal foi associado a SG mais curtos 33,25 meses em comparação ao câncer anorretal OS = 47,22 meses. Com base no grau do tumor, a diferenciação boa e moderada apresenta melhor OS 60,21 meses, enquanto o grau ruim foi associado a um OS mais curto 43,07 meses. No que diz respeito ao CEC, este foi associado a uma OS mais curta 37 meses em comparação à maior sobrevida em pacientes com adenocarcinoma 46,13 meses. Conclusão: O câncer de canal anal tem pior prognóstico que o anorretal. O estágio inicial tem um sistema operacional melhor que precisa de mais esforço para diagnóstico e tratamento precoces