Introduction/Aim. Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is the most common soft tissue sarcoma in pediatric population and adolescents. Limited data is available on the characteristics of RMS in Iraqi pediatric patients. The aim of the study was to examine the clinical and histological aspects of RMS in Iraqi children, with a focus on their response to treatment, prognosis, and survival. Methods. A retrospective cohort study was conducted at the Oncology Unit of Children's Welfare Teaching Hospital, Medical City, Baghdad, Iraq and included patients who were newly diagnosed with RMS and received treatment during the period between January 1, 2015, and December 31, 2019. The patients were followed up from the time of diagnosis until October 1, 2020. Results. A total of 59 patients were included with a median age of 3.5 years ranging between 1-12 years, with a male-to-female ratio of 3.2:1. The most frequent clinical presentation was urine retention in 15 patients (25.4%), followed by proptosis in 14 (23.7%) patients. However, the main sites of involvement were the head and neck in 23 (39%) patients, followed by the trunk and the genitourinary tract observed in 17 (28.8%) and 15 (25.4%) patients, respectively. The alveolar type, found in 11 (18.7%) patients, was the most prevalent histological variety, followed by the embryonal type reported in 42 (71.3%) patients, whereas six patients (9.7%) had other varieties. Of the 49 patients included in the prognosis assessment, 18 patients (36.7%) had a complete response, 20 patients (40.8%) died, and 11 patients abandoned treatment. The average duration of disease recurrence was 21.3 months, with a 7% recurrence rate. The overall survival rate was 36.7%, with a mean survival duration of 14.1 months. Conclusions. Pediatric RMS in Iraq is primarily prevalent in males. There is a significant delay in disease diagnosis from the onset of the symptoms. A high rate of advanced-stage disease may relate to patients reluctant to discontinue treatment. The low disease-free survival rate is due to impediments that hindered the effectiveness of therapy.
The emergence of oil fields and subsequent changes in adjacent land use are known to affect settlements and communities. Everywhere the industry emerges, there is little understanding about the impact of oil fields on land use in the surrounding areas. The oil industry in Iraq is one of the most important industries and is almost the main industry in the Iraqi economic sector, and it is very clear that this industry is spread over large areas, and at the same time adjoins with population communities linked to it developmentally.
The rapid development and expansion of oil extraction activities in various regions has led to many challenges related to land-use planning and management. Here, the problem of research arises on th
... Show MoreBegging is an ancient social phenomenon since the Man's creation. It was simple at its beginning to get a living and the family needed, but presently, this simple social phenomenon converted to a big phenomenon which controlled by competent groups away from the values and principles. Their doings are far from humanity representing by the cutting of a hand or a foot and facial distortion or removed eye as a way of attracting people's emotions to get material and incorporeal helps; these doings became a trade which is exchanged by slave traders. Furthermore, different illegal and greedy methods were followed as a way of blackmailing others; contrariwise other cases of begging are doing by a people who real poor and needy. In this case, the
... Show MoreThe personal drama in particular, and one of the key elements underlying the dramatic structure to convey ideas and visions presented by the author when writing the text of the dramatic fall after that on the way out the submission form that suits the proposals of the text and processors directorial would push the wheel of dramatic structure to the front. So take the maker of the artwork (writer) undertook the transfer of those events and personalities in art presumed sometimes real and sometimes, in order to enrich the art inspired by the human reality through the ages, and full of its themes and ideas that led to the development experiences of peoples experiences of living. Therefore, we find it important to research in the characters
... Show MoreIn a world of limited space, the owners are always surrounded by others next to them, and, consequently, there is hardly any activity which the owner may exercise on his land which would not affect the other owners. If he builds a building, that building may block the sun's rays or the air from the buildings next to it and owned by other people. And if he runs a business, the lands adjacent to that business may be overburdened with the accompanying noise or traffic. If oil is prospected in a land, the neighboring lands may be deprived of oil or their owners may be exposed to toxic fumes. Hence the importance of researching the intention of harming others, as it is one of the most important forms of abuse in the use of the right (especially
... Show MoreThe heavy metal cadmium is extremely harmful to both humans and animals. Zinc supplementation protects the biological system and reduces cadmium-induced toxicity. This study aimed to determine whether zinc chloride (ZnCl2) could protect male mice with the damaged liver induced by cadmium chloride (CdCl2). The protective role of zinc chloride and expression of the metallothionein (MT), Ki-67, and Bcl-2 apoptotic proteins in hepatocytes were studied after subchronic exposure of mice to cadmium chloride for 21 days. Thirty male mice were randomly categorized into 6 groups (5 mice/group) as follows: a control group that did not receive any treatment, a group given ZnCl2 at 10 mg/kg alone, and two groups received ZnCl2 (10 mg/kg) i
... Show MoreBackground: The iron deficiency anemia along with hyperphosphatemia are the main complications of dialysis patients. Traditional iron supplement has been failed to correct iron deficiency anemia, therefore, the current study aimed to investigate the efficacy and tolerability of new phosphate binder, ferric citrate, in a sample of Iraqi patients with end stage renal disease on maintenance hemodialysis. Method: Prospective, randomized, open label, active controlled trial was conducted in one center for dialysis in Babylon governance. Patients were randomized to receive ferric citrate with dose of 6 g/d and calcium carbonate with dose of 3 g/d for eight weeks. Hemoglobin concentration, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration and count o
... Show MoreA cross-sectional study was conducted on 80 type 2 diabetic patients aged 20-60 years in Baghdad and 20 non diabetic persons as controls. Laboratory assessment of glucose related parameters; Fasting blood sugar (FBS), Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), Insulin and Insulin resistance (IR), renal function test; Blood urea, serum creatinine, Calcium (Ca) and Phosphorus (P), Calcium regulating hormones; Parathyroid hormone (PTH), calcitonin and vitamin D, cytokines, Adiponectin and Tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) and comparison these parameters between patients and controls. The results: a high significant (p˂0.01) increase in FBG level in the patients (211.34 ± 11.20 mg/dl) as compared with control (85.89 ± 3.07 mg/dl). A high significant (p˂0.01
... Show MoreAryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor and 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) is a potent ligand for AhR and a known carcinogen. While AhR activation by TCDD leads to significant immunosuppression, how this translates into carcinogenic signal is unclear. Recently, we demonstrated that activation of AhR by TCDD in naïve C57BL6 mice leads to massive induction of myeloid derived-suppressor cells (MDSCs). In the current study, we investigated the role of the gut microbiota in TCDD-mediated MDSC induction. TCDD caused significant alterations in the gut microbiome, such as increases in Prevotella and Lactobacillus, while decreasing Sutterella and Bacteroides. Fecal transplants from TCDD-treated
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