BACKGROUND: The rapidly growing knowledge regarding factors controlling tumour growth, with the new modalities of therapy acting on the biological activity of the tumours draw the attention of most cancer researches nowadays and represent a major focus for clinical oncology practice. For the detection of HER2/neu protein overexpression and gene amplification, immunohistochemistry (IHC) and in-situ hybridisation (ISH) is the recommended techniques, respectively, with high concordance between the two techniques. The current United Kingdom recommendations for HER2/neu testing are either for a two-tier system using IHC with reflex ISH testing in equivocal positive cases, or a one-tier ISH strategy. AIM: To compare the results of HER2/neu gene status in patients with breast carcinoma obtained by chromogenic in situ hybridisation with those obtained by immunohistochemistry, and to compare these results with hormonal receptors expression by immunohistochemistry and with age of patients.METHODS: Immunohistochemistry technique was used for evaluation of status of estrogen receptors (ER) and progesterone receptors (PR) and HER2/neu protein expression in 448 Iraqi patients with invasive breast carcinoma with different grades and histological types and then chromogenic in situ hybridization (CISH) technique was applied for all scores of HER2/neu to detect the gene status and compare the results in all negative, equivocal and positive cases by immunohistochemistry (IHC). The cases were referred from different centres, and IHC and CISH techniques were done in central public health laboratory in Baghdad over 28 months, from July 2013 to November 2015. A comparison of the results was made to find the relationship between HER2/neu and hormone receptors status and other clinical parameters like patients age. RESULTS: The mean age of the study cases was 49.08 years, ranging from 24 to 83 years. Of the 448 cases of breast carcinoma, 44 (9.8%) cases were of score 0 by IHC, none of them (0%) showed HER2/neu gene amplification by CISH. 71(15.8%) cases were of score 1 by IHC, 15 (21.12%) of them showed HER2/neu gene amplification by CISH, all were of low amplification. There were 306 (68.3%) cases of score 2 by IHC, of which 102 (33.33%) cases showed HER2/neu gene amplification by CISH, with 79 (25.81%) of them with low amplification and 23 (7.51%) cases with high amplification, while only one case (0.32%) remained in equivocal category. In score 3, all the 27 (6.0%) cases showed gene amplification with 12 (44.44%) cases with low amplification and 15 (55.55) cases with high amplification with overall percentage of gene amplification in score 3 of 100%. There was a significant inverse relationship between hormone receptors (ER and PR) status and HER2/neu gene amplification. No significant relationship was found between the patient’s age and HER2/neu gene amplification.CONCLUSION: Although immunohistochemistry is a widely used, less expensive and reliable test, we strongly advice performance of chromogenic in situ hybridization in assessment of HER2/neu gene status in all cases diagnosed with breast carcinoma as significant number of cases that were reported as negative by immunohistochemistry showed positive amplification by chromogenic in situ hybridization and can get benefit from anti-HER2 targeted treatments.
Exogenous levothyroxine dose modulation and euthyroidism achievement is a persistent challenge in clinical settings. This study strives to assess the adequacy of treatment and identify the patients’ factors that can be used to estimate the euthyroid levothyroxine dose. A secondary objective was to assess vitamin D supplementation impact on thyroid status.
A review of a prospectively collected information from 142 female patients from Baghdad Center of Nuclear Medicine from June 2019 until March 2020 who were receiving levothyroxine for different causes was done. After a follow-up period, the patients’ thyroid tests were assessed and the euthyroid doses for each cause category were statistically analyzed. Thyroid function was
... Show MoreBreast cancer is the most repeatedly detected cancer category and the second reason cause of cancer-linked deaths among women worldwide. Tumor bio-indictor is a term utilized to describe possible indicators for carcinoma diagnosis, development and progression. The goal of this study is to evaluate part of some cytokines and biomarkers for both serum and saliva samples in breast cancer then estimate their potential value in the early diagnosis of breast cancer by doing more researches in saliva, and utilizing saliva instead of blood (serum and plasma) in sample collection from patients. Serum and salivary samples were taken from 72 patients with breast cancer and 45 healthy controls, in order to investigate the following
... Show MoreThe B-type Raf kinase (BRAF) is a member of RAS\RAF\MEK\ERK pathway and this pathway can lead to increased cellular growth, invasion and metastasis. The mutated BRAF protein activates MAPK signaling pathway, results in abnormal cellular growth, apoptosis resistance, tumor progression and metastasis. Pan-BRAF is one of available BRAF monoclonal antibodies and shared by both the wild and mutant BRAF.BRAF status is mostly determined by DNA sequencing methods. In this investigation we assessed the monoclonal Pan BRAF specific antibody that can identify wild and mutant type proteins together in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded thyroid tumor tissues by Immunohistochemistry (IHC). Archival thyroid samples from 43 iraqi patients were immunohisto
... Show MoreBackground: Because of its clinical and surgical importance and lack of precise information about this rare and important anatomical landmark, this study was designed to detect the presence, configurations and length of Mandibular Retromolar Canal (MRMC) with aid of CBCT visualization. Materials and methods: In this retrospective study the data was obtained from Specialist Health Center in AL-Sadder city in Baghdad for (100) patients with 200 inferior dental canal, all of them referred to CBCT scan (Kodak 9500, French origin). The scanning was done with tube voltage 90 kVp, tube current with 10mA and exposure time was 10 s., the field of view was measured with 5cm x 3.7cmwith 0.03mm voxel size Results: In the present study the prevalence of
... Show MoreSchizophrenic patients who are at great risk of relapse are characterized by non-compliance,
denial of illness and need for treatment and no contact with family. So, the prevention of relapse
and readmission to hospital are crucial in mental health practice.
The present study is a descriptive-analytical study that was carried out from November 2nd
2006 through the end of 20 of April 2008.
Objectives: To assess the associated factors with the risk of relapse in schizophrenic patients at
psychiatric hospitals in Baghdad city.
Methodology: A purposive "non-probability" sample of (50) schizophrenic patient who hasd
relapsed was involved in the present study. Data were collected through the use of the constructed
qu
Background: Population studies suggest that 3–8% of asymptomatic adults have thyroid nodules. Nodules have a 5–15% prevalence of malignancy. Fine-needle aspiration cytology is the primary and frequently initial tool for assessing the risk of malignancy in thyroid nodules and selecting patients for thyroid surgery.
Patients and Methods: This prospective study was done during the period from June 2007 to November 2008. The study includes 141 patients with palpable solitary or multiple thyroid nodules. Only patients with normal or low TSH values were referred for ultrasound examination and ultrasound guided FNAC, which were done using fine needles (G 20).
Results: eleven patients (7.8%) have insuffici
Background: Although, different protocols of chemotherapy are recommended for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer, still response rates are variable.
Objectives: The aim of this study is to investigate the effects and correlation of different chemotherapy administered to metastatic breast cancer patients on serum levels of some biomarkers.
Patients and methods: Thirty metastatic breast cancer patients were enrolled in the study. The patients received different protocols of chemotherapy. Blood samples were taken from the patients before and after the last cycle of each protocol and from 20 healthy control and serum levels of biomarkers IL-6, leptin, CA 15-3 and p53 were estimated by Elisa.
Results: The mean serum levels of
Background: Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among women worldwide and in Iraq.
Objectives: To evaluate the reliability of the immunocytochemical method in breast carcinoma aspirates with those obtained by immunohistochemistry of the corresponding excised breast tissue sections.
Patients and methods: This is a prospective study. A total of (41) patient complain from malignant breast lump and (10) cases with benign mass (fibro adenoma) visited the Oncology Teaching Hospital in the Medical City in Baghdad during the period from the first of April 2012 to the end of December 2012. FNA sample taken for routine cytopathological and immuncytological study and the patient where followed up and immunhistological study was
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome called coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Due to its concerning rate of transmission and intensity, coronavirus was classified as a pandemic on March 11, 2020. With the continuous evolution of the viral genome and mutations that may alter infectivity, disease severity or interactions with host immunity, SARS-CoV-2 has evolved into many variants: Alpha (B.1.1.7 lineage), Delta (B.1.617.2 lineage), Delta plus (B.1.617.2.1), Omicron (B.1.1.529 lineage) and other variants. Thus, this study aimed to find and provide database for local clinical characteristics of different variants of SARS-COV-2 and severity of infection with viral load compared with the wild
... Show MoreBackground: Epstein Barr Virus (EBV) infection has been implicated in pathogenesis of several types of carcinomas such as nasopharyngeal carcinoma, gastric cancer and bladder cancer and has recently been associated with breast cancer.
Objective: To evaluate the relations between Epstein Barr virus-encoded small RNA (EBER) and breast cancer.
Methods: Twenty two cases of breast cancer were retrieved from the Al-Kadhimiya Teaching Hospital in Baghdad. Clinical data were analyzed from the medical records and formalin fixed, paraffin embedded tumor tissue were examined by Chromogeneic in situ hybridization (ISH) technique for the detection of EBER.
Results: The expression of EBER in tissues patients with breast cancer in the present