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.
Background: Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is caused of 85% of all lung cancers. Among the most important factors for lung tumor growth and proliferation are the tyrosine kinase receptors that coded by the epidermal growth factor recep-tor (EGFR) gene. Activation of EGFR ultimately leads to developing of lung cancer. The present study was undertaken with an objective to detect EGFR mutations in bronchial wash from Iraqi patients with NSCLC before treatment. Methods: DNA was extracted from bronchial wash samples collected from 50 patients with NSCLC by using a Qiamp DNA Mini Kit (Qiagen, Hilden, Germany). Then, EGFR mutations were determined by using real-time RCR combined with two technologies, Amplification Refractory Mutation System (
... Show MoreBackground: Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is caused of 85% of all lung cancers. Among the most important factors for lung tumor growth and proliferation are the tyrosine kinase receptors that coded by the epidermal growth factor recep-tor (EGFR) gene. Activation of EGFR ultimately leads to developing of lung cancer. The present study was undertaken with an objective to detect EGFR mutations in bronchial wash from Iraqi patients with NSCLC before treatment. Methods: DNA was extracted from bronchial wash samples collected from 50 patients with NSCLC by using a Qiamp DNA Mini Kit (Qiagen, Hilden, Germany). Then, EGFR mutations were determined by using real-time RCR combined with two technologies, Amplification Refractory Mutation System (
... Show MoreThe present study aimed to examine the concordance between FISH/CISH techniques for assessment of amplification of her2neu gene in Iraqi breast carcinoma patients. Seventy four (74) Iraqi breast cancer patients were involved at the study from the Histopathology Department at the Central Public Health Laboratory in Bagdad, Iraq. Amplification of HER2neu was detected in (33.8%) by fluorescence in situ hybridization and (13.51%) showed high amplification by chromogenic in situ hybridization and (32.43%) showed low amplification. The results of chromogenic in situ hybridization were significantly correlated with the results of two-color fluorescence in situ hybridization with the same tumors. In addition, the study involved the correlation betw
... Show MoreThe Covid-19 virus disease has been shown to affect numerous organs and systems including the liver. The study aimed to compare lipid profiles and liver enzyme levels in individuals who had recovered from Covid-19 infection. To achieve the study objectives, liver Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST), Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT), Alkaline phosphatase (ALP), Random Blood Sugar (RBS) and Lipid profile which include cholesterol, High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL), Triglycerides (T.G), Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL), and Very low-density Lipoprotein (VLDL) were determined.
One hundred twenty serum samples were obtained, of which fifty samples were utilized as the control healthy persons (not affected by COVID) and seventy samples came f
... Show MoreAxial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) is a chronic rheumatic inflammatory disease affecting mainly the spine and sacroiliac joints. Since the copper-to-zinc ratio (Cu/Zn) indicates an inflammatory response, the change in ratio is expected to correlate with axSpA. This study compared levels of Cu/Zn in the serum of axSpA patients. Serum samples were obtained from 53 patients with axSpA divided according to biological treatment into cohorts A and B, and 28 healthy control as cohort C. Serum levels of Cu and Zn were determined first by a fully automated chemistry analyzer TC-Matrix Plus, then the ratio was obtained. The elevated serum Cu concentration means of cohort B (189.32 ± 13.808 µg/dL) compared to cohort A (168.85 ± 7.244 µg/dL) a
... Show MoreDiabetes is a complex set of diseases require continuous medical care, to control blood sugar and prevent complications is .The aim of this research is to determine the effect of administration of L carentin to diabetics on the lipid profile. The research was conducted on sixty diabetic patients were selected from endocrinology and diabetes center / Al-Rusafa, within selected criteria. The patients divided into 3 groups (control group of healthy people and two groups of patients with diabetes who were on metformin and glibenclamide, one group took a L carnitine in a dose of 1000 mg twice daily and a group dealing with a placebo for a period of 3 months continuously). The study found that patients who took Lc
... Show MoreHypertension is one of the leading causes of the global burden of disease, which causes serious health problems. The aim of this study is to investigate the lipid profile levels in sera of Iraqi hypertensive patients by measuring Total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG) and low density lipoproteins (LDL) and kidney function levels by measuring uric acid, urea and creatinine. Seventy five individuals of Iraqi adults (Males) were divided into three groups: 25 hypertensive patients with duration of disease (1-10) year (group 1), 25 hypertensive patients with duration of disease (11-30) year (group 2) and 25 normal individuals as control group (group3). The findings indicate that serum (TC, TG and LDL) levels were significantly elevated (
... Show MoreHuman resistin is an adipokine, with a possible link to coronary heart disease.A few studies were done about resistin in acute phase of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) especially in Iraqi patients. Accordingly we design a study to investigate the association between resistin concentration and acute phase of STEMI in Iraqi patients.
The present study was carried out at Al-Yarmouk Teaching Hospital from December 2011 until June 2012. Serum resistin levels were measured in 50 patients with acute STEMI (mean age: 58.16 ± 11.73 years) at the first 12 hours of admission and 34 normal controls (mean age: 53.98 ± 15.46 years) matched for age, sex and other risk factors.
Resistin level in patients wi
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