BACKGROUND: Diffuse astrocytomas constitute the largest group of primary malignant human intracranial tumours. They are classified by the World Health Organization (WHO) into three histological malignancy grades: diffuse astrocytomas (grade II), anaplastic astrocytomas (grade III) and glioblastoma (grade IV) based on histopathological features such as cellular atypia, mitotic activity, necrosis and microvascular proliferation. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a 170-kDa transmembrane tyrosine kinase receptor expressed in a variety of normal and malignant cells regulating critical cellular processes. When activated, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) triggers several signalling cascades leading to increased proliferation and angiogenesis and decreased apoptosis and hence associated with aggressive progression of the tumour. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) level is known to be a strong indicator associated with the aggressive behaviour of the tumour and acts as a prognostic factor for evaluating the survival rate. AIM: To evaluate the expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in different grades of astrocytoma. MATERIAL AND METHODS: formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded astrocytic tumours of 44 patients were collected from the archival material of pathology department of Ghazi Al Hariri Teaching Hospital during the period from June to December 2018. Hematoxylin and eosin-stained sections were used to characterise the tumours histologically based on cellularity, nuclear hyperchromasia, polymorphism, mitotic activity, vascular proliferation and necrosis with or without pseudopallisading of tumour cells. Diagnosis and grading of astrocytic tumours in this study were made according to WHO criteria (2016). Using a monoclonal antibody to the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and immunohistochemical analysis, the expression and distribution of epidermal growth factor receptor in astrocytic tumours were examined. RESULTS: The study included 1 case pilocytic astrocytoma (grade I), 20 cases diffuse astrocytoma (grade II), 5 cases anaplastic astrocytoma (grade III) and 18 cases of glioblastoma (grade IV). Expression of EGFR was found in 38.88% of the glioblastoma samples (grade IV). However, none of the astrocytomas of WHO grades I, II and III showed immunoreactivity for EGFR protein. Different patterns of immunoreactive cells and significant intratumor heterogeneity of EGFR expression were observed in glioblastomas. CONCLUSION: The immunohistochemical expression of Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) was restricted only to high-grade astrocytic tumours, namely glioblastoma, thus may use to predict glioblastoma.
Introduction/Aim. Roughly six percent of all malignancies diagnosed in children are malignant bone tumors. They have a dramatic effect on psychological status of children and their families. The aim of the study was to analyze the clinico-pathological features of bone tumors in Iraqi children and to assess response to treatment, outcome, and survival. Patients and methods. Over an eleven-year period, a retrospective study was done for children with bone tumors conducted on patients data that included a battery of pre-treatment investigations including a complete blood count, serum electrolyte, hepatic, and renal profile, bone marrow aspirate and biopsy, fine-needle aspiration, and imaging studies. Results. Data of 41 children with b
... Show MoreCervical cancer is the third most common cancer in women worldwide, and it has the fourth highest mortality rate among cancers in women. The present study aimed to reveal the impact of age factor in cervical abnormalities and cancers incidence in some Iraqi married women. 150 scraping cervical cells samples were collected from the women clinically diagnosed with cervical abnormalities and cancer who were divided into two groups; the first group included the women with abnormal pap smear which revealed 13.33% of women were less than 30 years and followed by 66.66% of women whose age between 30-50 years and 20% of them were more than 50 years old. While the second group iclude the women with normal Pap smear (Healthy women) which revealed tha
... Show MoreBackground: While two-thirds of breast cancers express hormone receptors for either estrogen (ER) and/or progesterone (PR) , genetically altered PI3K pathway was found in more than 70% of ER-positive breast cancers.An aberrant activity of cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (CDK1) in a wide variety of human cancers has selectively constituted an attractive pharmacological targets in MYC-dependent human breast cancer cells.
Aim of the study: Role of p110-beta as well as and CDK 1 in the pathogenesis of subset of breast cancers and contribution in their carcinogenesis.
Type of the study: is a retrospective study
Methods: This retr
... Show MoreThe study aimed to : - To determine whether there are significant differences between Fartlek training and the increase in the molecular biology (VEGF - basal fibroblast growth factor) for arena and field players in an (800m) youth event. - Determine whether there are statistically significant differences between Fartlek training and the increase in molecular biology and some physical variables for the players (800m) in the arena and field for youth. - Determine whether the Fartlek training method is the most appropriate to achieve statistically significant differences in the research variables for the players (800m) in the arena and field for youth. The researchers used the experimental method for its suitability and the nature of the rese
... Show MoreIntroduction: Cardiovascular diseases are the main cause of death among type 2 diabetic patients. Higher levels of plasminogen activator urokinase receptor have been found to predict morbidity and mortality across acute and chronic diseases in the common populace. This study aims to explore the role of serum plasminogen activator urokinase receptor levels as a cardiometabolic risk factor among type 2 diabetic Iraqi patients. Methods: Seventy type 2 diabetic patients (40 male and 30 female) (mean age: 46.20±7.56 years) participated in this study; 35 patients were with cardiovascular disease and 35 were without cardiovascular disease; their ages range was 40-55 years. In addition, 30 individuals who apparently healthy were selected a
... Show MoreBackground: The study was designed to evaluate the effect of local application of exogenous VEGF/collagen I separately and as a combination in socket healing. Sixty male Albino Wistar rats were subjected for a surgical tooth extraction of upper 1st molar of both sides (right side was considered as experimental site, while left be the control one, treated with 1µL of normal saline). The rats were scarified at 3, 7, 14, 28 days post extraction. Socket healing was histologically examined with immunohistochemistochemical localization of ALP&FGF2. Materials and Method: Sixty male Albino Wistar rats were subjected for a surgical tooth extraction of upper 1stmolar of both sides (right side was considered as experimental site, while left be the
... Show MoreThe invasion and spread of cancer cells are two of the most notable characteristics of malignant tumors. Recent studies suggest that the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) has been linked to this significant occurrence. It is linked to the absence of the epithelial brow and the presence of mesenchymal facial hair. The aims of the present study were to explore the immunohistochemical staining of vimentin and E-cadherin ex vivo as EMT markers and assess their potential as predictive biomarkers for transitional cell cancer (TCC). In this study, 55 paraffin-embedded biopsies from TCC patients and 10 autopsies that appeared to be normal were included. Immunohistochemistry was used to produce patterns of vimentin and E-cadherin expression. W
... Show MoreBackground: Rituximab is a chimeric IgG1 kappa immunoglobulin that has been genetically modified to incorporate human constant region sequences together with murine light- and heavy-chain variable region sequences. People use it to treat rheumatoid arthritis and certain malignancies. Objective: The study aimed to assess the potential association between the serum levels of Factor I, CD59, interleukins (IL)-6, and interferon-gamma (IFN)-γ and the response to Rituximab treatment in Iraqi rheumatoid arthritis patients. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at the rheumatology center at Baghdad Teaching Hospital. Ninety adult patients who have been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and are receiving Rituximab intravenous i
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